NCI Course Details

This full-time HR course draws on NCI’s seventy years as the leading educational institution for human resource management. Our world-class faculty, and industry links, mean you will find the course to be current, practical and comprehensive. You will graduate with an extremely well-regarded qualification and excellent career prospects. This is an excellent business degree with a focus on human resources that will equip you with the latest knowledge and build on your skills in working with people.

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 thorough understanding of human resource management.
• Understand the world of business and how HRM integrates with other areas.
• Develop personal skills in teamwork, communication and research.

If you want an interesting and varied business career, with an understanding of business strategy and human resource management, this degree will appeal to you. 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.

Year 1

In first year you will study a range of business subjects.

• Managing Your Learning
• Economics of the World
• Financial Accounting
• Human Resource Management
• Marketing in a Digital Age
• Quantitative Analysis
• Individual Organisational Behaviour
• Fundamentals of Irish Law

Year 2 & 3

In second and third year, you will continue with an overall business perspective and, in addition, complete more specialist modules in human resource management. The following is a guideline to the subjects you will cover. Core subjects in second and third year:

• Business Economics
• Entrepreneurship
• Economic and Social Policy
• International HRM
• Contemporary Issues in HRM
• Strategic Human Resource
• Management

Specialist Modules in HRM:

• Learning and Change in Organisations
• Performance and Reward Management
• Social and Organisational Behaviour
• Employment Law
• Industrial Relations
• Organisational Development
• Contemporary Issues in Industrial Relations
• Plus additional HRM elective modules

For more information on the elective modules, please download the BA (Honours) in Human Resource Management brochure.

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

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 HRM at level 8 on the National Framework of Qualifications.

*Students who complete the Career Management Skills module and meet set grade criteria are eligible (subject to availability) to complete a work placement on year three of the programme and graduate after four years with 240 ECTS credits.

Work placements are highly regarded by graduate recruiters and offer many advantages to students including valuable work-based skills and experience, the opportunity to make contacts in industry, assisting in developing personal and professional confidence and an opportunity to boost your employability prospects when you graduate.

In years two and three, there are extra choices available for high achieving students (averaging 60% plus).

• Between year two and three – a year-long work placement
• In your final year - a capstone project in the HRM field

For over 70 years National College of Ireland has built an enviable reputation for excellence in HR education, producing HR graduates that are highly sought after in the market. Recent graduates from the HR degree are employed in human resources, recruitment, industrial relations and training roles in organisations including Telefonica, Google, Comfort Keepers, IBEC, Hertz, PwC, IBM, Arvato, Ergo, Ryanair,NTMA and CPL.

Read more about the career pathways of NCI human resource management students.

Upon successful completion of the BA (Honours) Degree in Human Resource Management, graduates who have acquired the appropriate entry requirements can progress to postgraduate courses at level 9 on the National Framework of Qualifications such as the Postgraduate Diploma or MA in HRM, or the MSc in Management.

This course is an excellent foundation towards Membership of the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD) and/or the Irish Institute of Training and Development (IITD).

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.

For applicants whose first language is not English, please note the English language entry requirements.

Mature applicants, applicants with a disability or those applying through the DARE or HEAR access schemes 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.

NCI strongly advises that all students should have access to a suitable laptop for their course. A student Laptop Loan Scheme may be available for certain eligible students.

The College recommends the following laptop requirements for students joining this course:

Processor:

Intel 7th (or higher) generation processors (Core i-3, i-5, i-7,i-9-7x)
or AMD Ryzen 3rd generation processors, running at 2.0GHz and above (Intel Atom/Celeron or AMD Athlon/Sempron Processors may cost less, but may not meet your requirements)

Random Access Memory (RAM):
8 GB minimum

Solid State Drive (SSD) Capacity:
256 GB minimum

Wireless Card:
802.11 a/b/g/n compliant with Bluetooth Capability (incompatibilities have been noted with the Qualcomm Atheros Wireless Adapters and software device drivers)

Graphics Card:
Direct X9 or later

Supported Operating Systems:
Windows 10 Home/Pro

Did you know you can apply for a Sports Scholarship at NCI?

Watch this video to hear from our current sports scholars Stephen Achukwu (basketball) and Adam Leonard (football):

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

The points for this course in 2022 were 300.
The CAO course code is NC005.

Students must obtain a minimum of 3 distinctions and a full award and meet the CAO points requirements to apply for this Level 8 course. 

Visit our QQI Applicants page for further information.

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.