Business Economics

Course Outline
Our MSc Business Economics programme is an integrated course applying economics to the business environment. Designed in consultation with leaders from the business community and public sector organisations, this unique course equips you with the key skills for career development in the ever-changing business world. It also provides a good foundation for those interested in undertaking further study at PhD, DBA or professional development level.

The MSc Business Economics course is unique to UCC, incorporating both taught courses and action research, and using economic theory and analysis explicitly applied to business. Through the focused taught courses and conducting your own research, you learn how to explain and apply core theories, empirical methods and a range of analytical tools that are relevant and transferable to a range of fundamental business issues.

In this course you will develop a portfolio of skills required to support business analysis and managerial decision-making. These skills include communication skills (written and oral), analytical and evaluation skills and team-working skills. Our market research has indicated that such skills are very highly rated by employers.

The course places emphasis on:
the preparation and presentation of quality business reports

techniques of data analysis that include forecasting and scenario analysis and survey analysis

team-working for assignments to enhance interpersonal relationships

a problem-solving approach using case studies

Course Practicalities
The course consists of approximately 12 hours of lectures/workshops a week, excluding visiting speaker seminars and time that you must set aside for group work and assignment preparation.

It culminates in the writing of a business economics report where you will demonstrate an application of concepts and frameworks to an actual business situation facing an international business. This approach will demonstrate how you can translate your learning into practice. An external business advisor is appointed to provide guidance and advice in developing your solution.

The course is assessed by a combination of exams and coursework. Approximately 90% of the course is assessed by coursework, including presentations, written reports, in-class assessments, and group work.

We have a dedicated course teaching team drawn from the Department of Economics and our learning approach combines lectures, projects, seminars, group discussion, presentations along with individual and group reports. Seminars are also provided by visiting speakers from public and private sector organisations.

Connected Curriculum

Our learning approach reflects UCC's commitment to the Connected Curriculum where we emphasise the connection between students, learning, research and leadership through our vision for a connected university. Our staff are at the forefront of this integrative approach to learning and will support you in making meaningful connections within and between disciplines such as business, economics and finance.

College of Business and Law Available Scholarships

We support our postgraduate community by offering scholarships and bursaries to prospective and current students. Please see the College of Business and Law Available Scholarships Page for more information.

Why Choose This Course?
This innovative course aims to develop your skills for employment as a business or strategic analyst as well as providing foundations for undertaking further study.

Strong emphasis is placed on employment and career search through workshops on interview techniques, skills analysis, CV presentation and job applications.

The quality of the course can be gauged from the fact that our graduates have won the Accenture Leader of Tomorrow (LOT) Award on two occasions. The Accenture award is open to all final-year and postgraduate students from across Ireland, and aims to identify innovative and entrepreneurial young talent in order to foster Ireland's next generation of leaders.

The MSc programme comprises two parts totalling 90 credits. The course is assessed by coursework, including presentations, written reports, in-class assessments, and group work. The part-time option will be taught during weekday working hours over two years.

Modules

Part I

EC6617 Professional Business Skills (10 credits)
EC6619 Advanced Quantitative Techniques for Business Research (5 credits)
EC6620 Research Methods for Business Economics (5 credits)
EC6621 Strategy for Global Business (5 credits)
EC6622 Global Business Strategy and Business Relationships (5 credits)
EC6623 Analysing General Business Conditions (5 credits)
EC6624 International Macroeconomic Data in Strategic Decision Making (5 credits)
EC6625 Financial Economics and Business Strategy (5 credits)
EC6626 Corporate Treasury Management (5 credits)
EC6627 Fieldwork Research Methods for Business (5 credits)
EC6628 Analysis of Business Survey Data (5 credits)

Part II
EC6618 Business Economics Report (the BER) (30 credits)
Students must present all elements of assessment by the third Friday in August in the academic year, following completion of the MSc Part I.

See the College Calendar (MSc Business Economics) for further details on content and modules.

Modules

Further details on the modules listed above can be found in our Book of Modules. Any modules listed above are indicative of the current set of modules for this course but are subject to change from year to year.

University Calendar

You can find the full academic content for the current year of any given course in our University Calendar.

Minimum Second Class Honours Grade II in a primary honours degree (NFQ Level 8) or equivalent. Note that there is NO requirement for Economics or Business subjects to be part of the primary degree.

Consideration under Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) will be given to applicants not meeting the above criteria (i.e. no primary degree) but with extensive relevant professional experience, as deemed appropriate by the Head of Economics in consultation with the Programme Director, subject to the approval of the School of Business.

International Master's Pathway – Higher Diploma in Academic Discourse and Skills

There is an alternative entry route for international applicants via the International Master's Pathway (IMP) – Higher Diploma in Academic Discourse and Skills (NFQ, Level 8). See the IMP page for more information.

English Language Requirements
Applicants that are non-native speakers of the English language must meet the university-approved English language requirements. Please visit our PG English Language Requirements page for more information.

For applicants with qualifications completed outside of Ireland
Applicants must meet the required entry academic grade, equivalent to Irish requirements. For more information see our Qualification Comparison page.

International/Non-EU Applicants
For full details of the non-EU application procedure visit our how to apply pages for international students.

In UCC, we use the term programme and course interchangeably to describe what a person has registered to study in UCC and its constituent colleges, schools, and departments.

Note that not all courses are open to international/non-EU applicants, please check the fact file above. For more information contact the International Office.

The closing date for non-EU applications is 30 June 2023

How Do I Apply
1. Check Dates: Check the opening and closing dates for the application process in the fact file boxes at the top of the page.

For Irish and EU applicants we operate a rounds system and you can check the rounds closing dates here.
Note that not all our programmes are subject to the rounds system so check the opening and closing dates for your specific programme in the fact file boxes above.

2. Gather Documents: Scanned copies of supporting documents have to be uploaded to the UCC online application portal and include:

Original qualification documents listed on your application including transcripts of results from institutions other than UCC.
Any supplementary items requested for your course if required.

3. Apply Online: Apply online via the UCC online application portal. Note the majority of our courses have a non-refundable €50 application fee.

Any questions? Use our web enquiry form to contact us.

Additional Requirements (All Applicants)
Please note you will be required to provide additional information as part of the online application process for this programme. This will include the following question:

You may enter the details of professional or voluntary positions held. We strongly encourage you to complete this section with all relevant work experiences that will support your application.

The course is assessed by a combination of exams and coursework. Approximately 45% of the course is assessed by coursework, including presentations, written reports, in-class assessments and group work.

1 year full-time, 2 years part-time.

Start Date: 7 September 2020

Skills and Careers Information
Skills developed on the MSc course include:

leadership, organisational, interpersonal and team-working skills

working to deadlines in producing analyses, reports and presentations to professional standards

ability to interpret economic data and events

ability to explain complex issues to non-specialists

application of economic tools and concepts to the business world

research project design, implementation and management

The course has an excellent employment track record and every year, our graduates pursue challenging careers in the private and public sectors. MSc graduates have obtained employment in a wide range of areas at home and abroad, including management consulting, the financial and banking sectors, private sector, public sector, research institutes, and the education sector.