NCI Course Details

On completion of this two-year course, you will have a comprehensive understanding of all aspects of business which will enable you to pursue further study or to enter the world of work in a variety of business areas. Students who enrol on this course usually progress on to second year of a range of degree programmes here at the College.

As a graduate of this course you will:

• Have specialised knowledge of the key theories and principles relevant to business.
• Build your personal skills in communication, problem-solving and teamwork. 
• Understand the latest thinking in areas of HRM, marketing, finance and management.
• Have an ability to apply knowledge and skills to problem-solve within the business world.

Year 1 & 2

Over two years, you will study the following subjects:

• Managing Your Learning
• Financial Accounting
• Creativity, Teamwork and Business Skills
• Human Resource Management
• Marketing in the Digital Age
• Fundamentals of Management
• Brand Management
• Academic Writing Skills
• Business Mathematics and Statistics
• Economics in the World
• Introduction to Entrepreneurship, Sales and Networking
• Fundamentals of Irish Law
• Work, Business and Society in Ireland
• Individual Organisational Behaviour
• Software Applications for Business
• Portfolio Project

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

This undergraduate course is a two-year higher certificate. It is run over four semesters with continuous assessment held throughout the course and examinations at the end of each semester.

On completion, you will receive a QQI Higher Certificate in Business at level 6 on the National Framework of Qualifications.

Upon successful completion of the Higher Certificate in Business, graduates can potentially gain entry into year two of BA (Honours) degree programmes in Business, HRM, Accounting and Finance or Marketing Practice in the School of Business (subject to availability of places).

Recent masters’ graduates include students who have progressed from the Higher Cert in Business to the BA Honours in Business, on through to successful completion of NCI’s MA in Human Resource Management.

The course provides an excellent basis for starting work in a variety of roles within business, commercial or public sector bodies. This programme will equip you with the knowledge and skills needed to build a successful career in the business world.

Minimum entry requirements are a grade O6/H7 or above in five subjects. A minimum of grade O6/H7 must be obtained in English. A grade O6/H7/F2 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

The course may be particularly appealing to students who are unsure about committing themselves to a full-time degree programme, but who want the option to transfer on to the second year of a business degree in the future.

The points for this course in 2022 were 250.
The CAO course code is NC103.

Students must obtain a minimum of 5 passes and a full award and meet the CAO points requirements to apply for this Level 6 course.

Visit our QQI Applicants page for further information.

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.