Economics is the study of people’s motives, expectations, decisions, hopes, disappointments and uncertainties. It can be used to examine a variety of issues, from social media to poverty.
The language of work, business, government and the media is increasingly drawn from economics.
Graduates with an economics qualification are needed to address the problems and challenges that are facing business, government and society today.
Choosing economics will give you an excellent foundation for a career in business, finance, government, teaching and the media, and for doing further study in business courses such as marketing, management and computing. The teaching approach that we use will prepare you for working in the knowledge economy.
You do not need to have Economics in the Leaving Certificate to study Economics at UCC.
It might sound obvious but “economics” is the unique aspect of this course. Students who successfully complete this course will know how economists think. Students undertaking the B.A. have an opportunity to sample a wonderful array of subjects of which economics is one.
Economics will develop your knowledge of economics, your professional skills and yourself, for life after university.
The curriculum for the course is informed by lecturers’ research. Up-to-date teaching methods are used as most staff have a qualification in teaching and learning in higher education.
Skills and Careers Information
Economics provides a whole range of skills (analytical, problem-solving, computers, data handling, presentation and communication) and knowledge required by employers. Our teaching approach at UCC, with its emphasis on transformative education, will prepare you for the knowledge economy, the need for continual change and for life-long learning.
Graduates with Economics have traditionally gone into a wide variety of different types of jobs, including:
teaching
banking and finance
business consultancy
journalism
Many of our students have continued into postgraduate education and professional training in areas such as economics, finance, and business-related courses such as marketing, management and computing.
*Price shown is for indicative purposes, please check with institution
Expected January 2026
UCC Campus
College Road,
Cork,
T12 K8AF, Republic of Ireland
Non-EU applicants are expected to have educational qualifications of a standard equivalent to the Irish Leaving Certificate
Duolingo English Test (DET): DET 120 with a minimum score of 110 in each individual section
IELTS - International English Language Testing System/ IELTS Indicator Test: Minimum overall score of 6.5 and a minimum of 6.0 in each band
TOEFL - Test of English as a Foreign Language - TOEFL iBT/TOEFL iBT Special Home Edition Test: Minimum overall score of 90 and minimum of 20 in each section
University of Cambridge: 176+ on the Cambridge English scale with no less than 169 in each skill and use of English i.e.
Proficiency Certificate, Grade C or better (CEFR Level C1 or C2) Advanced Certificate, Grade C or better (CEFR Level C1 or C2) First Certificate, Grade A (CEFR Level C1)
Pearson PTE Academic: Minimum of 63 (with at least 59 for each item in the Communicative Skills section)
*There may be different IELTS requirements depending on your chosen course.
UCC is an award-winning, world-class teaching and research university with over 170 years of history.