Higher Diploma in Economic Science (FT) 2012/13
(Please note that the following information is provisional. Some slight changes may be made before the next offering of the programme.)
The Higher Diploma in Economics (Full-time) is a one-year 60 credit (ECTS) programme. It is designed for students you wish to undertake further postgraduate study such as the taught MA but whose undergraduate degree does not reach the required standard in economics. The minimum entry requirement for the taught MA in Economics is an overall GPA of B- (2H1) in the Higher Diploma. A full explanation of the GPA system is given the the appendix.
Students who do not plan to take further postgraduate study but who wish to enhance their economics education are also welcome.
Students are required to take at least 50 credits in economics and 10 credits in additional options which may be economics modules. As all modules are equivalent to 5 credits students must take at least 10 economics modules and 2 additonal options. The economics modules consist of core or required and option modules.
Applicants must have an undergraduate degree which includes a good grounding in Economics.
Core Modules
The following five core modules are required (total 25 credits).
- ECON 20010 Microeconomics 1
- ECON 20020 Macroeconomics 1
- ECON 30110 Microeconomics 2
- ECON 30120 Macroeconomics 2
- ECON 30130 Applied Econometrics I
Option Modules
Students must take 7 options. At least 4 of these options must be Economics Level 3 modules from the list below. Another module may be either at Level 2 or Level 3 from the list below.
The remaining 2 modules may be at Level 2 or Level 3 and can either be taken from the list below or from another subject area. Note that it is also possible to take up to 7 economics options(35 credits)
if all taken from the modules listed below.
The following table gives the Level 2 and 3 modules offered in 2012 – 2013. Note that two of these modules, DEV 20130 and FIN 30200, are offered by cognate Schools. However for the purpose of meeting the Higher Diploma requirements they should be treated as ‘economics’ modules.
Options Available 2012 – 2013 (Provisional)
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Level 3 Options
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Level 2 Options
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ECON 30100 Health Economics |
ECON 20030 Intermediate Quantitative Techniques |
Communication in the School
The main method of communicating with students is via Blackboard and the notice boards outside the School office located on the second floor (G) in the JHN Building. The notice boards may include information such as timetable changes, tutorial information, upcoming seminars, career opportunities and urgent messages or announcements.
Blackboard is a Virtual Learning Environment (VLE) which is used in conjunction with more traditional teaching practices. It allows lecturers to share course materials such as lecture notes and problem sets, post announcements for students, and run quizzes and surveys. Blackboard also includes a Virtual Classroom facility, discussion forums and various other course tools. Once you register with UCD Computing Services you will receive an e-mail account, a UCD Connect account and access to Blackboard.
All staff are available for consultation at regular times which should be posted outside their office door. In order to make an appointment to meet with a staff member outside these hours you should contact the staff member directly either by e-mail or telephone. Staff contact details are posted outside the School office as well as on the School website.
Lectures and Tutorials
The main components of teaching and learning in the School of Economics are lectures, tutorials, continuous assessment and examinations.
Lectures
In most modules lectures take place 2 hours per week. What happens in a lecture depends on the lecturer and the size of the audience. Usually lecturers give formal presentations of theoretical / conceptual material to students. Although many lectures use PowerPoint and other electronic delivery methods students are strongly recommended to take notes during lectures in order to help them retain the information.
Tutorials
Some modules have tutorials associated with them. Tutorials are small groups which are lead by a tutor and where material previously covered in lectures is reviewed or explored in further detail. Its purpose is to help consolidate your understanding of theoretical / conceptual material, often through problem sets. You will register for the tutorial at the same time as you register for the lecture portion of the module. Tutorials should always be done in the same semester as the lecture.
Assessment
At least 30% of the final grade for all modules will be made up of continuous assessment. The form of assessment will depend on the lecturer and the level and subject matter of the module but possibilities include multiple choice tests, essays and computer-based project work. The balance of the final grade will consist of a final exam
Attendance
One of the biggest differences between school and university is that the onus is on you the student to take control of your learning. While attendance at lectures and tutorials isn’t regularly monitored, it is strongly recommended that you attend. University courses move quickly making it easy to fall behind when you don’t attend. It is our experience that non-attendance at lectures and tutorials is the principal reason for poor performance in module assessments.
Problems
If you have any problems with a course you should address them firstly to the module co-ordinator. If you still have not managed to resolve your problem then you may approach the Head of School.
Policy on Late Submission of Coursework
All of our modules have a continuous assessment component. This may take the form of class tests, mid-semester exams, essays etc. UCD’s policy on late submission of essays and projects is:
- The due date for each item of coursework must be clearly indicated to students.
- Coursework must be delivered by hand to the School Office or submitted electronically via an approved system, no later than 3 pm on the due date. Coursework should not be submitted directly to individual staff members, placed directly in staff post boxes, or delivered to or deposited in any location other than that designated by the School. The School will issue a receipt to confirm submission of coursework.
- Coursework received at any time within the two weeks following the due date will be graded but a penalty will apply. Coursework submitted at any time up to one week after the due date will have the grade awarded reduced by two grade points (or the percentage mark reduced by 10%). Coursework submitted more than one week but up to two weeks after the due date will have the grade reduced by four grade points (or the percentage mark reduced by 20%).
- Coursework received more than two weeks after the due date will not be accepted.
- Where coursework is submitted late due to unanticipated exceptional or extenuating circumstances, students must follow the appropriate procedures for extenuating circumstances. These can be found at http://www.ucd.ie/acshs/forms_policy.html .
UCD has comprehensive regulations on plagiarism. Regulations and procedures can be found at http://www.ucd.ie/acshs/forms_policy.html .
