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Honours Degree programme which is positioned at Level 8 on the National Framework of Qualifications

BACHELOR OF ARTS (HONS) IN BUSINESS STUDIES

  • QQI Accredited
  • Delivered On Campus or Live Online
  • Flexible Study options
  • 3 Years – Full-time or Blended Online
  • Starts 18th September
  • NFQ, Level 8, Major award

BACHELOR OF ARTS (HONS)
IN BUSINESS STUDIES

NFQ, Level 8, Major award

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The Bachelor of Arts in Business Studies is a three-year (180 credit) Honours Degree programme which is positioned at Level 8 on the National Framework of Qualifications.

The programme has two primary streams: business management and accounting, allowing learners choose (in the final award year) one stream. These two streams differentiate those learners who wish to submit applications to the accounting professional bodies for exemptions and continue their career within the accounting domain, while the management stream facilitates learners who wish to continue their career within the general field of business.

The programme aims to equip business professionals with relevant tools to navigate the evolving business landscape in Ireland, and instil dispositions enabling learners to implement the most effective and efficient responses to business challenges, while being able to think critically about their roles as professionals within these working contexts.

The Bachelor of Arts (Hons) in Business Studies provides the learner with a general education in business related subjects and includes an opportunity to choose either an ‘accounting’ or ‘management’ stream in the award year. The chosen modules provide a solid foundation, prepares them for a career within the accounts department and/or progress further with one of the professional accounting bodies to qualify as an accountant. Or, having chosen the management stream prepares them for a career within business. The programme sets the foundation for progression to study at postgraduate level within a specific field of accounting or business.

More specifically, the programme aims to provide the learner with the knowledge, skills, and competence to:

  1. Successfully gain employment in the general business area as a trainee manager/supervisor.
  2. Apply models, techniques of accounting to assist the accounting function within a small to medium business.
  3. Gain exemptions from the professional accountancy bodies.
  4. Further their education at Level 9 in accounting, general business, or a related discipline (in Ireland or abroad) or register with one of the professional accounting bodies.

The objectives of the programme are to:

  1. Support learners to develop the social and communications skills necessary to develop a career in business;
  2. Develop the learner’s ability to investigate, critique, evaluate and analyse theories, concepts, techniques and models to identify and implement solutions to business related problems.
  3. Enhance the learner’s knowledge of the interrelationships and inter dependences of the various business functions;
  4. Provide a learning environment that encourages and supports education at honours degree level;
  5. Provide learners with the opportunity to progress to further education at Level 9 or seek exemptions from one of the professional accounting bodies;
  6. Broaden the learner’s knowledge of business to include international markets for business growth;
  7. Provide learners with an environment that develops and supports time management, reflection, learning to learn skills that are necessary in business.
StageManagement StreamAccounting StreamPersonal & Professional Development StreamIT StreamMarketing Stream
1ManagementEconomics 1 Financial AccountingAcademic Writing Skills/Personal DevelopmentIT EssentialsMarketing
2Organisational Behaviour HRM Operations ManagementManagement Accounting Financial Management Economics 2Business EthicsInformation Systems  Digital Marketing
3Strategic Business Management Project ManagementPrinciples of Taxation Financial Reporting Audit Performance ManagementPrinciples of Entrepreneurship Enterprise: Design and Innovation

Applicants will be admitted onto the programme once they have produced evidence to satisfy the following entry criteria:

  • A grade H5 or above in two higher level leaving certificate subjects together with a minimum of O6/H7 in four other subjects. This should include:
  • A grade of O6/ H7 or above in Leaving Certificate English,
  • A grade O6/H7 or above in Mathematics;

OR

  • Holders of a FETAC/QQI major award Level 5 Certificate in Business (or equivalent) or QQI/FETAC major award Level 6 Advanced Certificate in Business (or equivalent) can apply for entry onto the programme.
  • English language competency to CEFRL B2+ (IELTS 6) for international students whose first language is not English.

Job Role examples include:

  • Billing Administration Manager
  • Project Manager
  • Financial Reporting Specialist
  • Business Advisor
  • Supply Chain Manager
  • Social Media Specialist
  • Strategic Management
  • Financial Analyst

Graduates are eligible to progress to a Master’s Degree in Business or related area at one of the Universities or Institutes of Technology.

Dr Nigel Callinan – Dean, College of Business

As Dean of the College of Business in City Colleges, Dr. Nigel Callinan brings a wealth of practical and academic experience to this position. Nigel is an experienced teacher and has published research in international journals and books, and believes strongly that experiential and convergent business and technology skills are the pathway to success in business today. He also believes that continuous self-improvement and up skilling is essential to keep up with the constant stream of innovation.

Nigel started off by studying Engineering at UCD and then followed it up with a Masters Degree at Technical University, Dublin and a Ph.D from the University of Limerick. Between his Masters Degree and Ph.D, Nigel worked for 10 years as a Business Analyst in the commercial world with clients including Google, Microsoft & Irish Life. This strong network of industry contacts will help to develop our programmes at City Colleges and ensure their relevancy.

Since graduating from the Ph.D programme of the Kemmy School of Business, University of Limerick, Nigel worked in the Far East for a number of Universities in South Korea as a Professor and programme manager for Undergraduate and Postgraduate Programs in business. This international perspective and experience is also something that is valuable to City Colleges, as Dublin is now one of the most globalized cities in the world and the multinational clusters are all seeking staff with the ability to work with teams from every corner of the world.

Nigel research interests lie in the area of technology acceptance in business and paths to internationalization. He believes that new enterprises should try to follow born global business strategies instead of starting locally only and then trying to add international components later in play. He will also be trying to encourage students to start their own businesses when good opportunities are identified.

 

Hannah Linehan – Project Management

Hannah Linehan is an Innovation & Creativity Consultant, Neuroscience-based Executive Coach, Mentor and Trainer helping businesses and individuals think differently to excel and reach their potential. Specialising in the areas of Innovation, Innovativeness, Creativity, Continuous Improvement and helping businesses and individuals excel and reach their potential. Hannah is a highly driven and results-oriented Innovation Manager and Project Manager with significant
Process Improvement, Innovation Management and Innovation Delivery experience across the public sector, utilities and FMCG.
Hannah possesses strong business acumen, commercial awareness and technical knowledge gained through working
with high profile global companies and through academic learning. Hannah has a proven track record in collaborative
leadership, project planning and delivery. An excellent communicator, well recognised for relationship building,
negotiation and influencing skills, Hannah has a demonstrated ability to coach and support cross-functional teams across
geographies to achieve company and project client objectives.
Hannah is now an independent Business Consultant, Coach and Trainer helping businesses be more Innovative and
successful with their Innovation. Specialising in Innovation Management and Process Improvement, Hannah provides the
right processes and strategies to put structure, speed and effectiveness on Innovation, in addition to Project
Management and Time Management Training, all tailored to clients’ needs.
Hannah designs and facilitates Workshops in Creativity, Ideation and Problem-solving, enabling businesses to be more
creative, generate better ideas and fill their Innovation pipeline.
As an accredited neuroscience-based coach, Hannah works with professionals to help them think differently, develop
their leadership capabilities, improve communication, strengthen their emotional intelligence, and enhance overall team
effectiveness.

Eimear Ryan – Financial Accounting 1

Eimear has many years of experience working with financial accounting.  She has a Bachelor of Commerce degree (UCD) and is a chartered accountant (Ireland).  Until recently, she worked for many years with KPMG’s accountancy practice both in Ireland and Canada.   When International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) first became an EU requirement for listed companies in the early 2000s, she was involved in training up KPMG Ireland’s management teams on these new standards.  She also played a role in helping that firm’s client’s apply those new requirements.  

Since then, she has continued to work with and teach IFRS and its application in practice across a wide range of industry sectors including financial services, real estate, aviation, pharmaceuticals to name just a few.  Eimear also has a particular interest and expertise in financial instruments.   She is also at present lecturing on City Colleges’ Diploma in Finance for non-finance professionals/managers who want to enhance their skills and learn about finance/accounting and its role in business decision-making. 

Her wealth of experience in both IFRS and lecturing to those that are new to the area means she is well-placed to help introduce students to financial accounting and show them how it operates in practice.

Mark Forman – Principles of Entrepreneurship

After graduating with a Distinction in Management & Industrial Relation from the National College of Ireland, Mark began his almost twenty-year career in recruitment. This journey took him to work for some of Ireland’s leading recruitment companies, before he founded The Achievers Group in the mid-1990s. During this time, Mark grew a team of over twenty professional recruiters, and served on the committee of the National Recruitment Federation, where he played a lead role in the development of the National Certificate in Recruitment Practice. He wrote and developed content and taught on this certificate course, in the Irish Management Institute. It was in this role that Mark discovered his passion for mentoring the next generation of recruiters.

After experiencing the highs and lows of running a business, Mark eventually sold The Achievers Group, and made a career pivot into Financial Services, by studying at UCD. He became a Qualified Financial Advisor and specialised in company exit planning and investments. He also project managed the funding for several successful Irish start-ups.  In 2018, along with his business partners, Mark founded Irish Whiskey Assets and McCarthy’s Irish Whiskey, in response to the global renaissance in Irish whiskey.

Mark is really looking forward to teaching the next generation of entrepreneurs through the Principles of Entrepreneurship module in City Colleges.  

Alison Mc Donnell – Strategic Business Management, Business Maths

Alison McDonnell is a marketing professional and has taught in a number of colleges and schools in Dublin. She has over 20 years’ experience in marketing, business development and teaching in both the not-for-profit and for-profit sector. She has worked with organisations such as Diageo Ireland, CDETB, Dublin College of Advance Studies, Amnesty International, Marriage Equality, Pavee Point, TENI, SVP Ireland and the Irish Wheelchair Association. Alison holds a B.Sc in Business Management from IT Tallaght, a MFA in Photography from Ulster University, and a Executive Masters in Marketing from DCU. 

Aongus Buckley – Economics

Aongus Buckley worked as an economist in the City of London for almost two decades; first for derivatives-broker GNI, and then for Bond Radar. Upon returning to Ireland, he analysed banks for the Lafferty Group for four years, before moving into academia. He holds a Bachelor of Commerce degree from University College Dublin and a Masters in Economic Science from University College Cork.

Christine Mahoney – Organisational Behaviour & Operations Management

Christine Mahoney is a PhD student at Trinity College, Dublin where she researches leadership development and organisational behaviour. Specifically, she is interested in leader development for junior and mid-career employees. Prior to her research career, Christine obtained a masters degree from Columbia University in Social Organizational and subsequently worked at multinationals in Finance, Fintech, and Consulting in New York City. 

Sinead Crawley – International Marketing Environment

Sinead Crawley is a Leadership Professional who has over 20 years’ experience in Management, Leadership and Business Development within the Technology Sector in Europe. Sinead has studied Accountancy, Business Studies, Sales, Leadership and Coaching with Neuroscience and has worked within multinationals such as 3M and IBM.
She comes with extensive experience in driving Business Strategy, new Routes to Market and new Sales Channels within start-up and existing teams, having led multi-faceted teams within the European Market.
As an accredited neuroscience-based coach, Sinead works with Business Leaders to help them achieve increased results, develop strategic plans and to improve their Leadership skills to create high-performing teams. With a passion for Coaching and Development Sinead has developed courses on Business and Leadership to support business Leaders.
She has a keen interest in Business Innovation and technology that supports changing business environments, so this along with her experience in International Business means she is well-placed to bring a depth of practical experience and theory to our International Business Module.

Margaret Dineen – Supply Chain Management

Margaret has worked in many senior supply chain roles across Procurement, Operations, Logistics, Sales, and business development within the Food Industry over the past 20 years. Margaret’s career started managing inventory and staff on the grocery floor to director of a fresh produce business supplying Fruit and Vegetables into the Irish and UK retail trade.
Margaret now runs her own business specialising in increasing efficiencies within Food Industry supply chain from Strategy planning and implementation, Talent leadership planning and financial management and risk analysis.
Educated in University College Cork with B.Sc. Food Business and HDip Business and Financial Information systems, Margaret has also qualified as an Executive coach and is in the final stages of her Chartered management accounting qualification.
Margaret now works with public, private and semi state bodies. Her current assignment with An Bord Bia – The Irish Food Board on their Talent Academy Team aligns with her purpose on identifying Talent leadership and potential for the future supply chains of the Food Industry .

Martin O’Reilly – IT Essentials

Martin has worked as a senior IT professional with over 30 years’ practical experience in installation, administration and networking in manufacturing, aviation & finance industries.

Accredited with Training Delivery and Evaluation in 2017 and have been provided in-house training in technology, security and Microsoft solutions .

Edel Mc Greal – Management Accounting

Edel Mc Greal DIP. Education, College Accounting Teacher & Chartered Accountant CIMA

People Developer, Educator & Qualified Accountant with over 25 years’ combined accountancy experience within difference sectors & cultures, specialising in third level education.

Edel lectures & tutors university students at undergraduate, postgraduate and master’s level with their accountancy exams. Edel specialises in Financial Accounting, Management Accounting and Finance.

Rachel Kane – Business Ethics

Rachel is a Design Researcher currently working on diverse projects in rural Ireland to promote digital inclusion, innovation and design. Her work includes facilitating digital transformation and change in systems, design and organisational structures.

Having completed a Masters in Interaction Design, at I.T. Carlow (SETU) in 2016, her exploratory research into multi-sensory communication with a group of people who are blind and visually impaired, led her to a socio-economic start up and rural regeneration projects. As an entrepreneur having worked on projects in community, enterprise and in-house in corporate organisations she is aware of the need to keep people at the centre of all decisions, made by, and for, business and communities, to promote a shared future.

Mary Morgan – Marketing

Mary Morgan worked for over 12 years in senior sales, marketing & business development roles in the pharmaceutical & healthcare sector with United Drug Plc, Baxter Healthcare & JanssenCilag. Following on from this she established her own company morganMPR providing marketing services, e-marketing services & business consulting to microbusinesses and SME’s in retail, hospitality, health-wellness & service industries.

As a Master Business Studies Graduate Mary completed a thesis on “Online Share Trading – The Impact of the Internet” which examined the impact of the internet on established giants within the trading sector who failed to recognise a significant opportunity. Business and market share was lost to small start-ups who proved much more flexible, adaptable & agile. There are many parallels here with e-commerce and Mary has a continued special interest in ongoing research and lecture delivery on this topic. She has previously delivered marketing & business courses at Waterford Institute Technology, Griffith College Dublin and is currently a Part Time Business Studies Lecturer for International Foundation Year Students in DCU.

Radina Walsh – Human Resources

Radina is a Remote talent advisor, virtual lecturer, and LinkedIn
trainer. After 10 years in the corporate world, working in executive
search and in the global recruitment teams of LinkedIn and Airbnb,
she set up her own remote consultancy Vox Advisory in 2019. Radina
is on the advisory board of a couple of rising startups and
collaborates with international organisations in setting up their
talent strategy, as well as training the hiring teams and supporting
the human capital function. She is an individual consultant for
talented managers and business owners who want to enhance or
establish their LinkedIn presence. Radina is also a seasoned public
speaker and passionate lecturer on a mission to repair the bridge
between the organisations and the talent through the right humanoriented practices.

Option 1 : Full Time

Location: On Campus, Dublin 2

Timetable: Typically, 3 full days per week, lectures scheduled between 9am and 5pm, delivered over 3 academic years

Suitable for:

  • Recent School leavers, those progressing straight from 2nd level education to 3rd level
  • International students who require a visa to remain in Ireland for the purposes of completing the programme

Fees:

  • €4,300 – Irish/European Nationals
  • €4,300 – Non-EU nationals residing in Ireland (stamp 2)
  • €6,300* – Non-EU applicants applying from outside of Ireland

*Please note the fee is for the year of entry only. The 2nd and subsequent years will be charged at the Irish/European National course fees.

All fees are payable per academic year of study.


Option 2 : Blended Online

Location: Online/Remote

Timetable: Typically, 3 evenings per week, Live lectures scheduled between 6.30pm-9.30pm, delivered over 3 academic years

Suitable for:

  • Full-time professionals/mature learners who need to address their education skills for tomorrow’s workplace

Fees: €3,000


Option 3 : Part-time

Location: On Campus, Dublin 2

Timetable: Typically, 2 evenings per week, lectures scheduled between 6.30pm-9.30pm, delivered over 4 academic years

Suitable for:

  • Full-time professionals/mature learners who need to address their education skills for tomorrow’s workplace but prefer traditional class-based learning

Fees: €2,450

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Further Information

Please call the College on +353 1 416 0034 or email info@citycolleges.ie.

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