COLLEGE CHOICE:Brian Mooney's daily column will examine your CAO options until January 20th , the deadline for "early bird" online applications.
A BUSINESS degree will help you develop the skills necessary to secure employment in a wide range of both business and non-business roles.
Unlike many other programmes offered by universities and the institutes of technology, there is no requirement to have studied a business subject for the Leaving Cert to secure a place on a commerce/business programme.
What does a business programme involve?
Most third-level colleges offer both a general business degree and a range of specialist business programmes.
General business courses begin with a foundation first year, involving five to seven subjects, in management, accounting, economics, information technology, statistics, marketing and communications.
Applicants can select a business course specialising in marketing or human resource management but they will still have to study accounting or economics. Management is also key subject in all programmes.
Do I need to be good at maths ?
Most business programmes feature accounting, economics and statistics. The maths entry requirement varies from D3 on the ordinary paper for some courses to C3 at higher level for more maths-based courses such as actuarial studies.
You do not need to be a mathematical genius for most business courses, but if you struggle with maths on the ordinary level paper, a business degree may not be the best choice. Should I select a specialist business programme?
For many students considering a business programme, the issue of specialisation is one for third or fourth year of their programme, when they have had an opportunity to study the wide range of options on offer within business degrees.
A minority of students make this decision before entry.
For those who have thoroughly researched the course content through www.qualifax, the decision to opt for such a course can be successful.
Do not select a specialist programme without having conducted detailed research. Colleges offer specialist degrees in accounting, finance, business and law, HR, actuarial, economics, marketing and many other options.
Language and Business Degrees
There are two varieties of business and language degrees.
Firstly, there are those where the language studies constitute 50 per cent of the overall degree and is studied in great depth. You will also take literature, culture and language as taught on a bachelor of arts degree.
Secondly, in a number of these programmes, the main language emphasis will be on the spoken and written language, business vocabulary and business culture.
Always check the details of your preferred course. In most cases, the language entry requirement is a minimum of C3 at higher level.
Work placements and Erasmus exchange programmes
In an Erasmus exchange, you attend part of your course in a college in the European country of your main foreign language choice.
DIT has pioneered English- language Erasmus on its general business programme and in its marketing degree. It places students in Scandinavia, the Netherlands, France and Germany in institutions where English is the language of instruction. Many colleges have developed exchange links with the US and Canada.
UCD, DIT and DCU offer European business “transatlantic studies” programmes and UCD also offers the option to gain credit for working in the community in Ireland “service learning”. Normally, there are no tuition fees involved in Erasmus programmes and participants receive a grant of €200 a month towards their living costs.
Private colleges
Honours business degrees in State-funded colleges normally require applicants to have a CAO points score of about 430-plus points. This has created a vibrant market for private fee-paying colleges, which offer the full range of business programmes at far lower points requirements.
Mature and non-CAO options
If you are over 23, UCD offers a two-year, full-time course diploma programme “foundations of business”, successful completion of which will give entry to year two of its bachelor of commerce degree.
UCD also offers the non-CAO bachelor in financial services with the Institute of Bankers.
Clarification
Please note that NCAD will accept portfolios from January 25th until 4.30pm on Friday February 5th and will conduct interviews in the week beginning April 26th.
Monday:Arts and Humanity Degrees
Podcast: irishtimes.com/education
