Master of Business Economics

Key Points

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The Master of Business Economics is an integrated course that applies economics to the business environment. Designed in consultation with leaders in the business community and public sector organizations, this unique course provides you with the key skills for professional development in the changing world of business. It also provides a good foundation for those interested in further study at the Ph.D., DBA, or professional development level.

This is a research-oriented course, which has both theoretical foundation and evidence. The focus is on analyzing, understanding and explaining business performance in a competitive environment.

The Master of Business Economics course is unique to UCC, incorporates taught courses and action research, and uses economic theory and analysis explicitly applied to business. Through focused taught courses and conducting your own research, you will learn to explain and apply fundamental theories, empirical methods, and a variety of analytical tools that are relevant and transferable to a variety of fundamental business questions. The use of workshops, focus groups, visiting speakers, and lectures guide student learning and allow you to explore fundamental business issues.

A portfolio of skills needed to support business analysis and managerial decision making is developed, including communication skills (written and oral), analytical and evaluation skills, and teamwork skills. Our market research has indicated that such skills are highly rated by employers.

The course emphasizes:

• the preparation and presentation of quality business reports
• data analysis techniques including forecasting and scenario analysis and survey analysis
• teamwork for assignments to improve interpersonal relationships
• a problem-solving approach using case studies

The program for the MSc degree consists of two parts detailed below. Part I consists of a combination of exams and courses in a set of specified taught modules worth 60 credits. Part II consists of researching and writing a business economics report worth 30 credits.

Program structure

Course practices

The course consists of approximately 12 hours of lectures / workshops per week, excluding visiting speaker seminars and the time you need to set aside for group work and homework preparation.

It culminates with the writing of a business economic report, an application of concepts and frameworks to a real business situation; the key is to translate learning into practice. An external business advisor provides guidance and advice to ensure the relevance and effectiveness of the skills developed during the course.

The course is assessed through a combination of exams and courses. Approximately 45% of the course is assessed through course work, including presentations, written reports, class assessments, and group work.

The Master of Business Economics has a dedicated team of course professors hailing from the Faculty of Economics. The seminars are delivered by visiting speakers from public and private sector organizations.

Why choose this course

This innovative course aims to develop your skills for employment as a business or strategic analyst, as well as provide the foundation for further study. The objective of the course is to increase your understanding of the reasons underlying the performance and competitiveness of the company. Experience in writing a business economics report is an important feature of the course, as it develops research skills and strengthens presentation skills, which are highly rated by employers. Great emphasis is placed on job and career search through workshops on interview techniques, skills analysis, CV submission, and job applications.

The quality of the course can be measured by the fact that in both 2010 and 2011, an MSc Business Economics student won the Accenture Leader of Tomorrow award. The Accenture award is open to all seniors and postgraduates across Ireland, and aims to identify young innovative and entrepreneurial talents to nurture the next generation of Irish leaders.

Career opportunities

Skills developed in the master’s course include:

• Leadership, organizational, interpersonal and teamwork skills
• Work to deadlines in producing analyzes, reports and presentations in accordance with professional standards.
• Ability to interpret economic data and events
• Ability to explain complex problems to non-specialists
• Application of economic tools and concepts to the business world
• Design, implementation and management of research projects

The course has an excellent career path and each year our graduates pursue challenging careers in the public and private sectors. Master’s graduates have obtained employment in a wide range of areas at home and abroad, including management consulting, the financial and banking sectors, the private sector, the public sector, research institutes, and the finance sector. education.

Admission requirements

Minimum second class II honors degree in a primary honors degree (NFQ, level 8) or equivalent. Please note that there is NO requirement for Economics or Business courses to be part of the primary degree.

Applicants who do not meet the above criteria (i.e. do not have a primary degree) but have extensive relevant professional experience, as deemed appropriate by the Head of Economics in consultation with the Program Director, subject to the approval of the Business School.

English requirements

All graduate applicants whose first language is not English must provide evidence of English language proficiency. Certain tests (eg, IELTS, TOEFL, and Pearson PTE) have a three-year time limit on their validity and will apply. English language tests must be taken no more than three years prior to the start of a program.

Please note that Secure English Language Test (SELT) scores must be obtained in a single session of the corresponding qualification (for example, IELTS and TOEFL). We will not accept a combination of individual component scores from multiple tests.

Applicants who are nationals of a country that, according to the UCC, is predominantly English-speaking, or who have a degree or equivalent qualification that was taught in a country that is considered predominantly English-speaking, will normally be assumed to have met the language requirements of the UCC. However, in some circumstances, applicants may be required to present evidence of an English language qualification to satisfy the college program entry requirements.

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