Course Details

Programme Overview

NCI's BA (Honours) in Business is a comprehensive and broad-based business degree. You will cover all the key business disciplines and have the opportunity to specialise in particular areas of business as you progress through the course. In first year, you will study a broad range of business subjects.

After the common first year, you will be able to select a specialisation in particular areas, such as entrepreneurship or international business, with further specialisations in other business fields also being developed. The modules you study in second and third year will then vary depending on the path you have chosen.

About this Course

Through the expert lecturers in our School of Business, you will obtain a great understanding of how business works and in which part of the business world you’d like to make your career. The advantage of this full-time degree is that it is very flexible and opens up a large number of career paths. You gain a broad business foundation and can then focus on the particular area you most enjoy through your choice of specialisation and a range of elective modules throughout the course.

This degree also gives you many options to progress to masters' courses or postgraduate study later on. If you are looking for a broad-based degree, a great start in business and plenty of career options then this course will definitely appeal to you.

You may also be able to take advantage of an opportunity to engage in a year-long, accredited work placement between years two and three. This placement will be credit-bearing and comprises an extra year in the degree. Access to such placements will be limited and highly competitive.

As a graduate of this course you will:

• Have a fantastic foundation in all aspects of the modern business world. 
• Understand how to analyse and solve business problems. 
• Benefit from a range of employment opportunities in areas such as management, marketing, industrial relations, economics and international trade.

Course Structure and Award

This undergraduate business course is a three-year honours degree (four years with the option of a placement). The main course is run over six semesters with continuous assessment held throughout the course and examinations at the end of each semester.

In each year of the degree, any student with an overall average of 70+ will win a Dean's Award.

On completion, you will receive a QQI BA (Honours) Degree in Business at level 8 on the National Framework of Qualifications.

Career Prospects

Graduates of the BA (Honours) in Business course will be eligible to apply for a variety of career options in both general management and specialised management functions. An analysis of recent graduates has identified career paths within accounting and finance, financial services, pensions, marketing, human resource management, recruitment, management, business development and enterprise (starting your own business).

Recent graduates from the BA (Honours) in Business are employed with LinkedIn, Accenture, AIB, Arvato, Citi, Bord Gáis, Deutsche Bank, IBM, State Street, Willis Towers Watson and UPS.

Further Study Options

Upon successful completion of the BA (Honours) in Business, graduates who have acquired the appropriate entry requirements can progress to postgraduate business courses at level 9 on the National Framework of Qualifications such as: MSc in Management, MSc in Marketing or MA in HRM at National College of Ireland.

Who is the course for?

The course is ideal if you know you want a business qualification but aren’t sure which area you wish to specialise in, or if you would like to develop a fully-formed understanding of business. The course is for school leavers, mature students and graduates of QQI level 5/6 programmes who wish to embark on a course of full-time study.

Minimum Entry Requirements

Minimum entry requirements are a grade H5 and above in two higher level subjects together with a minimum of O6/H7 in four other subjects. A minimum of grade O6/ H7 must be obtained in English. A grade O6/H7 must be obtained in Mathematics.

Mature applicants, applicants with a disability or those applying through DARE or HEAR can find out more information on the application process.

Please note that exams can be scheduled during the morning, afternoon or evening, Monday to Saturday.

Course Content

For information on the modules taught on this course view our module descriptors.

Free Fees

This course qualifies under the Free Fees Initiative and Student Grant Scheme.

CAO Points

The points for this course in 2019 were 297.
The CAO course code is NC009.

International Students' Fees

The fees for this course for international students is €10,000 per year.

For domestic students applying through the CAO, this course applies under the free fees initiative.