Where should I study business and accounting?

Still hugely popular areas for undergraduate study, business and accountancy are at the heart of most third-level institutions in Ireland. Business studies is an area where you frequently find some of the most diverse combinations with other disciplines – be it languages, computers, the arts, psychology and so on.

UCC has a number of business degrees with a language including French, German, Italian, Irish, Chinese studies and Hispanic studies.

With over 100 years of providing business education in Ireland, UCD is probably the most popular in this field. It has a “triple crown” of accreditation from AACSB (US), Equis (Europe) and Amba (UK) and is the only Irish member of Cems, a global alliance of leading business schools and multinational companies.

In business, as in many other subjects, the bigger universities offer catch-all programmes with specialisation at later levels. Smaller institutions, particularly outside Dublin, often design courses tailored to local needs.

Kildare is at the centre of Ireland’s multi-million euro thoroughbred racing and breeding industry. With both Horse Racing Ireland and Horse Sport Ireland on its doorstep, NUI Maynooth offers the only Bachelor of Business Studies (BBS) in Equine Business, which focuses on the development of professional management skills for the equine industry.

Another institution that has always offered innovative subject combinations is the Institute of Art, Design and Technology (IADT) in Dun Laoghaire, Co Dublin. Having what must be one of the only joint faculties of enterprise and humanities, IADT offers a broad range of degrees in entrepreneurship, arts management and English, media and cultural studies. Its degrees in entrepreneurship were developed following consultation with key external stakeholders including employers and enterprise development agencies. Each programme has an external advisory board to keep the programmes current and relevant.

The degree in Business with Arts Management provides knowledge, skills and competence for employment in the cultural and creative industries in Ireland and overseas.

DCU is home to an innovative business school which has introduced a variety of new programmes in recent years including Technology Management, Quantitative Finance, Emergency Management, Strategic Procurement, Marketing, Innovation and Technology, and a Professional Doctoral Programme. Dublin Business School (DBS) provides comprehensive business-studies programmes which include business administration, marketing, business management, human resources and information systems.

Accounting
Often seen as one of the most employer friendly qualifications, some form of accountancy training is provided by most universities and IoTs as well as by Chartered Accountants Ireland (CAI). The CAI has recently joined with partner body, Accounting Technicians Ireland, to make a direct route from Leaving Cert to chartered accountant more accessible. As a non-graduate or school leaver you can, for the first time, join without work experience.

Several BBS degree programmes will be a combination of business studies and accounting, both of which carry great value in almost all sectors of the economy.