BA FINANCE

First year: Finance and Economics are the major elements of your degree. Study of Finance begins in 2nd year as students first require an introduction to the principles of how markets work and how money and finance interact with the economy.

• 15 credits of Economics, 7.5 credits of Accounting, 7.5 credits of Mathematics
• Option to take a further 7.5 credits of Mathematics
• Optional (but recommended) extra 7.5 credits of Accounting in the 2nd semester
• Choose 1 subject including Critical Skills from groups 1, 2 and 5 – maximum one per group
• Critical Skills Option / Electives Option

Second year and Final year: Students choose from these options (a) or (b):
(a) Choose between the Single Major and Major/Minor routes to degree level.

Single Major: about 50% of modules are compulsory and are in Finance and the parts of Economics important to Finance. There are a lot of optional modules in Economics, and depending on your choices in the 2nd semester of 1st year you may take further modules in Financial Accounting and/or Mathematics.

Major/Minor: approximately 33% of your time is spent with the Minor subject, and you take fewer modules in Finance and Economics, though the core modules are still compulsory. Minor subjects to choose from include Business, Computer Science, Criminology, Geography, German, History, Law, Mathematical Studies, Music, Philosophy, Sociology or Spanish. You must have completed 15 credits in the subject in 1st year to be eligible for the Major/Minor. BA Finance students may choose to take a year out between 2nd and final year either on placement (subject to availability) or studying abroad. You will have the option to add a year-long accredited placement in Ireland or abroad to your degree. The University’s Placement Office will support you in the search for a placement job; however, the process is competitive.

(b) Switch to the BA Accounting and Finance degree (MH403).

MH401 is a sister degree to MH403 BA Accounting and Finance, with many modules in common. Side steps between the two degrees are allowed at the end of 1st year, depending on the 1st year optional modules chosen.
Students can switch to MH403 Accounting and Finance degree at the end of first year provided 22.5 credits of Accounting are taken in 1st year and you attain 60% if you did not have the required CAO points for entry to MH403. Those who are reasonably certain they wish for a career in Accounting should consider MH403 or MH407 both of which maximise Accounting exemptions. However modules such as Money and Banking, and Financial Institutions are not available to specialist Accountants (MH403). Some exemptions are available to those who choose to study Financial Accounting in all three years through MH401.