Economics
Are you an analytical person with a passion to tackle pressing socioeconomic challenges such as poverty, unemployment, financial instability, gender and racial inequality and the effects of climate change?
As a BSc Economics student, you will learn to take a scientific evidence-based approach to understand, critique and create policies to combat economic and social problems.
| Award Name | Degree - Honours Bachelor (Level 8 NFQ) |
|---|---|
| NFQ Classification | Major |
| Awarding Body | National University of Ireland |
| NFQ Level | Level 8 NFQ |
| Award Name | NFQ Classification | Awarding Body | NFQ Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| Degree - Honours Bachelor (Level 8 NFQ) | Major | National University of Ireland | Level 8 NFQ |
Duration
3 years (4 years with optional placement or Erasmus/ Study Abroad)
Specific Subjects or course requirements
Leaving Certificate:
2H5 & 4O6/H7, Irish, English & O1/H5 Mathematics
You do NOT need have taken Leaving Certificate Economics to study MH415.
Leaving Certificate General Entry Requirements
In general, students must be 17 years or older by 15th January in the year after entry to the University. If you are younger, you must make a special application to the University’s President.
All Leaving Certificate subjects carry equal points with the exception of *Mathematics (details below). Points are awarded for your six best subjects in any one year. These do not have to include subjects needed to meet general minimum entry requirements. Minimum entry requirements and course requirements may be satisfied by an accumulation of subjects over more than one year. As well as achieving the required points, you must have a minimum of six subjects in your Leaving Certificate, with two Higher Level papers at grade H5 and four Ordinary or Higher Level papers at grade O6/H7.
The requirements for each course are shown above.
* 25 bonus points will be added to the points score for a Leaving Certificate Higher Level Mathematics grade H6 or higher.
The bonus points are included in the overall points calculation only when Mathematics is one of the applicant’s best six subjects following the addition of the bonus.
Foundation level Mathematics is accepted for matriculation (i.e. can be counted as one of the six subjects required - grade F6 or higher), but does not meet the requirement for degrees where Mathematics is a special programme requirement. Points are not awarded for this subject.
Foundation level Irish is not accepted for matriculation. Points are not awarded for this subject.
Leaving Certificate Vocational Progamme LCVP
Points are awarded as follows:
Distinction 66
Merit 46
Pass 28
Applicants can use their points allocation for the Link Modules as one of their best six subjects for the purpose of calculating points, but the Link Modules do not qualify as a subject for minimum entry requirement purposes.
QQI FET Applicants General Information
Careers / Further progression
Options after graduation?
- As a BSc Economics graduate, you will have the tools to become a key player in business and in public policy. You will have wide career choices as a consultant, fund manager, investment banker, urban planner, journalist, teacher, policy maker as well as many other areas.
- Upon graduation, you will have the option of progressing to the MSc Economics at Maynooth. This will provide further job opportunities for professional economists including, but not limited to, economics consultancy firms, policy institutes, the Central Bank, and the Department of Finance.
- As well as offering an integrated route into our MSc Economics, the programme provides strong foundations should you choose to pursue a master’s in a variety of areas such as finance, business, international development, public policy, public administration and data science.
- According to statistics reported by Forbes, on average economics degree holders are very well paid compared to nearly every other field. PayScale documents substantial wage growth over the first ten years of work life, almost doubling the entry pay level.
Further information
Maynooth University greatly values the particular contribution of mature students to the academic and social environment of the University. A mature student is 23 years or older by 1st January in the year of entry to the University. For part-time degrees the mature age is 21. There is no upper age limit; we currently have students who range in age from 23 to over 70. Up to 200 mature students begin their studies here each year. Many of our mature entrants undertake preparatory studies in advance of gaining admission.
The Mature Student Office is committed to supporting the learning experience of our mature students. A certain number of places are reserved for mature students on all undergraduate courses. We offer a range of supports for mature students including an advisory service, tailored information sessions during Orientation/Welcome Week, academic advisors, the Student Budgeting Advice Service and a technology skills programme. There is also a Mature Student Society on campus providing a continuation of peer support, both academic and social, to incoming mature students.
See the Mature Student handbook for detailed information about applying as a mature student. Call, email or drop in to meet us in MAP Lodge on the North Campus or to request a mature student information pack. If the opportunity to return to education has presented itself to you, we hope you’ll choose Maynooth University.
Emer Sheerin, Mature Student Officer
+ 353 1 708 3307
emer.sheerin@mu.ie
Places 2023: 15
Entry 2024
Early online application (discounted): Fee €30 Closing Date: 20 January 2024 at 5pm
Normal online application: Fee €45 Closing Date: 1 February 2024 at 5pm
Late online application - restrictions apply (see page 3 2024 CAO Handbook): Fee: €60 Closing Date: 1 May 2024 at 5pm
Change of Mind - restrictions apply (see page 3 2024 CAO Handbook): Fee: Nil Closing Date: 1 July 2024 at 5pm
Exceptional online late application (see page 34 of the 2024 CAO Handbook): Fee €60 Closing Date: 22 July 2024 at 5pm
Be sure to complete any action well in advance of closing dates. You should avoid making an application close to a closing date. No extensions to closing dates will be allowed and all application fees are non-refundable.
LATE APPLICATIONS
Late Applications are those which are received after 5pm on 1 February 2024. The closing date for late applications is 5pm on 1 May 2024, subject to the restrictions listed on page 3 of the 2024 CAO Handbook. The online facility for late applications opens on the 5 March 2024 at 12:00 noon - a fee of €60 applies.
Exceptional Late Applications (Exception to the timetable)
The exceptional closing date of 22 July at 5pm applies only to applicants who are registered as an undergraduate student on 1 May 2024 in any year in any one of the participating HEIs (subject to the exclusions listed below). In order to avail of the Exceptional Late Application facility you must have entered the HEI through the CAO system. This is an exceptional late closing date and all steps must be completed by 5pm on 22 July. No changes may be made after this date.
If you did not enter your current course through the CAO system, you must first contact the Admissions Office of the HEI to which you wish to apply and they will inform you if you may submit an application direct to the institution.
Exclusions:
You may submit a late application only for entry to courses other than your existing course. If you wish to repeat the year in the same course you must arrange this within your HEI.
Mary Immaculate College Limerick, Marino Institute of Education, Trinity College Dublin, University of Limerick and Maynooth University have special procedures in place in the case of current or previous students who wish to apply for entry to another course in the same HEI. Such applicants must contact their Admissions Office to determine the application procedure. However, if you are a student in another HEI and you wish to apply to any of these five HEIs, you should apply through CAO.
Refer to page 34 of the 2024 CAO Handbook on how to make an Exceptional Late Application.
Restrictions
As a CAO applicant you may experience one or more of the following restrictions based on your course choices, your category of application, or restrictions imposed by the HEIs that you wish to apply to. Please read the section on 'Restrictions' on page 3 of the 2024 CAO Handbook carefully. This section includes information on:
General Restrictions
1. Making a late application
2. Making changes to your course choices
Restricted Courses
3. Applying for a restricted course
Mature Applicants
4. Mature applicants
Supplementary Admissions Routes
5. Applying for DARE and/or HEAR
- Employers in all sectors from government to financial services have a growing need for economists who can analyse and interpret data. This requires a strong grounding in analytical and quantitative methods beyond the Economics core in the Maynooth Bachelor of Arts programme (MH101).
- With an emphasis on independent research, the programme is designed to allow you to flourish based on your individual curiosity and strengths.
- From BSc Economics, you can automatically continue with the MSc Economics Programme should you perform at the required level - 55% overall in your degree.
Why choose this degree?
From day one, you will have an academic advisor to guide you throughout your studies to help reach your potential.
From the very first year you learn how to do independent research, not just consume knowledge created by others. You will be able to take modules from a variety of disciplines such as Sociology, Geography, Law and Statistics. This allows you to develop synergies in your own research.
You will have the guidance of our postgraduate alumni mentors who hold influential positions outside of academia.
In the third year, you will be given guidance for your BSc thesis, jointly with the MSc students, on research and presentation skills.
This will allow a smooth transition to the postgraduate level.
1st year
Microeconomics, Macroeconomics, Information Economics, Econometrics I (Statistics for Economists).
In addition, you will take a research skills module titled ‘Exploring Economics’
2nd Year
Intermediate Microeconomics and Macroeconomics, Econometrics II, History of Economic Thought, Statistical Computing with R, Corporate Finance, Advanced Quantitative Methods.
In addition, you will earn credits for the ‘BSc Team Project’.
3rd Year
(*You will have the option to add a year-long accredited placement in Ireland or abroad to your degree. The University will support you in the search for a placement job; however, the process is competitive).
Advanced Microeconomics (Game Theory) and Macroeconomics, Applied Econometrics.
And you will undertake the year-long BSc Economics Thesis.
Possible Optional Modules:
1st year
You will take two 15-credit subjects (typically two modules in each subject) outside of Economics - at most one from each group.
The available groups to choose your two subjects from are groups 1, 3 (excluding Maths Studies) or 5. Critical Skills is also an option.
At the end of first year, should you change your mind and find your calling in one of the fields listed above, you can switch to MH101 BA Arts without any credit deficit and keep Economics as a major/minor subject.
2nd year & 3rd year
In the second and third year combined, you will take eight to eleven optional Economics modules: Money and Banking, Environmental Economics, Public Economics, Economics of Crime, International Macroeconomics, International Trade, Economics of Sports, Health Economics, Economics of the EU, Competition and Regulation, Economics of Work and Life Decisions.
You can take up to three optional modules outside of Economics from a wide selection of disciplines. The list of modules includes but is not limited to Developmental Geography, Geographic Information Systems (GIS) and Science, Introduction to Life Philosophy, Anti-racism, Regional Planning and Development, Irish Politics & Society, Fixed Income Markets, Experimental and Computational Mathematics.
Maynooth University Department of Economics, Rhetoric House
+ 353 1 708 3728
sandra.doherty@mu.ie
www.maynoothuniversity.ie/economics
Facebook: @EconomicsMU
Twitter/X: / @MU_Econ