Economics Politics & Law
This degree provides a solid base to all three disciplines and you will study foundational topics such as introductions to micro and macroeconomics, political science and constitutional law. You don’t need to have done any of these before. As you progress through your studies you may choose to specialise in areas such as Urban and Regional Economics, Issues in American Politics or Family Law, to name a few.
| Award Name | Degree - Honours Bachelor (Level 8 NFQ) |
|---|---|
| NFQ Classification | Major |
| Awarding Body | Dublin City University |
| NFQ Level | Level 8 NFQ |
| Award Name | NFQ Classification | Awarding Body | NFQ Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| Degree - Honours Bachelor (Level 8 NFQ) | Major | Dublin City University | Level 8 NFQ |
Duration
3 or 4 years, full-time.
Specific Subjects or course requirements
General Entry Requirements
Applicants must present a minimum of 6 Leaving Certificate subjects at Grade O6/H7, which must include Mathematics and English or Irish. In addition, applicants must present at least 2 subjects at Grade H5.
Additional Requirements
Minimum of O4 or H6 in Mathematics.
Leaving Certificate General Entry Requirements
Applicants wishing to undertake a Level 8 degree at DCU must be at least 16 years of age on 15 January of the year of entry.
Leaving Certificate Subject Combinations
Certain subjects will not be scored separately if they occur in combination with subjects that are similar in content. In each case, the highest individual grade will be scored. The following 6 groups of subjects are affected by this:
1 Music and Musicianship, Music A, Music B.
2 Economics, Agricultural Economics.
3 Physics with Chemistry - if combined with Physics and Chemistry; only 2 best scored - if combined with Physics or Chemistry; only best scored.
4 History, Economics and Economic History - if all 3 subjects are taken; only the best 2 will be scored.
5 Latin, Classical Studies.
6 Greek, Classical Studies.
Candidates who meet the points requirements but not the specific course requirements, for example H4 in English for the BA in Journalism, are permitted to repeat that subject only to meet the course requirements.
Bonus Points for Honours Mathematics
25 bonus points will continue to be awarded for higher level Mathematics, at grades H6 and above in the Irish Leaving Certificate or equivalent.
Leaving Certificate Mathematics Requirements
DCU does not award points for the subject of Mathematics at Leaving Certificate Ordinary Alternative or Foundation Level. However, these courses will be accepted for admission purposes for the following courses:
DC001 - Bachelor of Early Childhood Education
DC009 - Bachelor of Arts: Joint Honours
DC014 - BA in Jazz and Contemporary Music Performance
DC131 - BA in Communication Studies
DC132 - BA in Journalism
DC133 - BSc in Multimedia
DC155 - BA in Applied Language and Translation Studies
DC231 - BA in International Relations
DC232 - Bachelor of Civil Law and Society
DC235 - BSc in Education and Training
DC238 - BA in Social Sciences and Cultural Innovation
DC291 – Bachelor of Arts – Joint Honours (Media)
DC292 – Bachelor of Arts – Joint Honours (Law)
DC293 - Bachelor of Arts – Joint Honours (International Languages)
DC294 - BA in Climate and Environmental Sustainability
DC295 - Bachelor of Arts – Joint Honours (Politics)
Leaving Certificate Vocational Progamme LCVP
Distinction 66
Merit 46
Pass 28
Please note that LCVP link modules cannot be used as a subject for general or specific course entry requirements, but can be used for the calculation of points.
QQI FET Applicants General Information
DCU welcomes applicants with appropriate QQI-FET (Level 5/6) qualifications. Applicants who have a full National Framework of Qualifications Level 5 award in appropriate qualifications and modules can be admitted on a competitive basis to certain DCU courses.
QQI-FET (Level 5) entry route is a competitive entry route with a limited number of places. A quota of places are offered based on the CAO ranked order of applicants based on performance. For courses with a QQI-FET (Level 5) entry route, approximately 10% of places are retained for QQI-FET (Level 5) applicants. Application is made through the CAO.
Careers / Further progression
Future Careers
Law
Tax / Financial Services
Journalism
Policy Evaluation
Research
Teaching
In these areas:
Public Service
Private Industry
International and European Institutions
Further information
Mature applicants are those aged 23 years, or above, on 1 January in the year of entry. All candidates (presenting with EU/Non EU qualifications) applying on the grounds of mature years should apply ONLY through the CAO by 1 February.
For many DCU courses, mature application assessment is based on the CAO application and in some instances, an assessment and/or interview. ‘Other’ experience, apart from performance in examinations, may be taken into consideration - this may be work experience, further studies, or other such experience deemed to be relevant to the application. Interviews will take place in April either in person or remotely.
For more information, please contact the Mature Student Officer, orla.stafford@dcu.ie or dcu.ie/mature-students
For general and admission enquiries, please visit dcu.ie/registry/ug-admissions
95
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
Why DCU?
− Teaching methods that put an emphasis on practical problem-solving
− Gain the cross-disciplinary skills that employers demand in communication, critical thinking, teamwork and research
− Modules in research skills to help you get the best out of your degree
− Option to spend a year studying abroad or working on a paid work placement (INTRA)
− Lecturers who are engage in politics, policy-economics, and law and society
About You
Are you interested in how the world, countries and societies work? Would you like to know more about the political, legal and economic forces that shape our world? By studying on the Economics, Politics and Law degree course, you will learn how these disciplines interact and help to shape the local and global worlds in which we live.
Understanding: Economics, Politics and Law
Any social problem we can think of has solutions. The BA in Economics, Politics and Law provides an intellectually challenging course that explores various issues and methods of analysis in the disciplines of economics, politics and law. The importance of these disciplines in contemporary society is obvious. The course will give you a deep and thorough understanding of the political, legal and economic institutions that shape the world, and you will gain a profound awareness of how these 3 disciplines are bound together.
Course Structure
In Years 1 and 2, there is an equal weighting of the 3 disciplines of economics, politics and law. In the final year, you take a core module in each discipline. Beyond that, you are free to specialise in one of the 3 disciplines or continue to study a combination of all 3. Research methods modules taken in Year 1 and Year 2 will provide core learning skills that you will use throughout your degree. In final year, further modules will enhance your knowledge of research methods and dissertation skills. These skills will provide you with the tools to analyse major issues affecting our world today from an economic, political and legal perspective.
The BA in Economics, Politics and Law is normally a 3 year course. However, you can elect to spend an extra year either abroad or work on an INTRA work placement in Year 3.
INTRA You can opt to apply for a year-long work placement in Year 3. This will give you a unique opportunity to enhance your CV, increase your employability and experience the relevance of your study in the real world. This option is competitive and subject to the availability of placements. For more information, please visit dcu.ie/intra
You then complete the final year of your course in DCU.
Internship: Yes.
What Will I Study?
Year 1
Constitutional Law | Introducing Politics | Mathematics for Economics | Introduction to Microeconomics | Irish Legal System | Legal Research and Methods | Legal Research and Methods | Data Analysis | Introduction to European Integration | International Political Economy | Introduction to Macroeconomics
Year 2
Intermediate Microeconomics | The Irish Political System | The Law of Contract | European Union Law | Criminal Law 1 | Intermediate Macroeconomics | Public Finance | Political Ideologies | Research Design and Methods | Law of Torts 1
Final Year
(Year 3 or 4, depending on whether you choose to spend Year 3 abroad, on INTRA or completing your course at DCU).
You may choose to specialise in the final year or continue to study a mix of disciplines from the options available.
Core Modules:
Topics in Applied Economics | Jurisprudence | Public Policy
Options Include:
Dissertation | Uaneen Award: DCU’s Leadership and Engagement Module
Economics Specialism:
Economics Estimation and Analysis | Financial Markets | Development Economics | Industrial Economics | Public Choice | Urban and Regional Economics | Financial Theory | International Trade and Business | Mathematics of Finance: An Introduction
Politics Specialism:
Post-Soviet Politics | The Politics of Sub-Saharan Africa | The Politics of South Asia | Nationalism and Populism | Issues in American Politics | Issues in European Integration | Contemporary Politics of the Middle East and North Africa | The Politics of Migration in Europe | Money and Politics in Comparative Perspective
Law Specialism:
Property Law 1 and 2 | Law of Torts 1 and 2 | Employment Law | Administrative Law | Company Law | Family Law | Advanced Company Law | Law of Evidence | Principles of Equity and Trust | International Trade Law | Climate Change Law | Advanced European Union Law
If Year 3 is spent abroad or on INTRA, then Year 4 is structured as per Year 3.
Additional Information
Graduates will be eligible for entry to the Law Society of Ireland as trainee solicitors on successful completion of the relevant entrance exams, as the course covers all subjects required for the entrance exams.
Contact Details
Tel+353 (0) 1 700 5822
E: adam.mcauley@dcu.ie
E: studenthelp@dcu.ie
Visit Us Online dcu.ie/DC230