Higher Diploma in Economics

Higher Diploma in Economics (60 credits)

Graduate Administrator: Lesley Tohill (email: (opens in a new window)lesley.tohill@ucd.ie)

Some slight changes may be made before the next offering of the programme.  Please note that his programme is not open to students who have taken Economics in Stage 2 and 3 of the modular system.
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Applications for the 2024/25 intake open on 1st October 2023 and will close on 31st of August 2024.  For information on fees and how to apply, please click here.

The Higher Diploma in Economics (Full-time) is a one-year 60 credit (ECTS) programme. It is designed for

1. Students who wish to undertake further postgraduate study such as the taught MSc but whose undergraduate degree does not reach the required standard in economics. In this case students should bear in mind that the minimum entry requirement for the taught MSc in UCD is an overall GPA of 3.08 (B-) or 2H1 in the Higher Diploma.
2. Students who do not plan to take further postgraduate study but wish to enhance their economics education. The HDip in Economics for example may enhance your subject portfolio if you are planning a secondary school teaching career.

Entry requirement:  

Students must hold a Level 8 BA/BSc degree with minimum 2:1 result.
Admission based on a Level 7 qualification is on a case by case basis. 

Students must also be comfortable with maths. If they had little or no mathematical training in their previous university degree, they will find the program difficult.

It is strongly advisable that, prior the start of the programme, students refresh basic math concepts from leaving cert. UCD School of Mathematics has some very useful video tutorials that can be accessed here .  

Once admitted to the programme students will be e-mailed some material that they should cover prior to the start of the course. This material covers some basic differentiation and optimization theory.

Curriculum

The program requests that students complete 10 modules: 4 core modules and 6 option modules.

CORE MODULES (30 CREDITS): Students must take the following modules (7.5 credits each)

OPTION MODULES (30 CREDITS): Students must take 6 option modules (5 credits each) to be chosen among the list of level 2 and 3 option modules offered by the School; of these at least 3 must be level 3 modules.  Please note that some option modules may not be available due to timetable clashes.

Modules offered are subject to change however we hope to include the following in 2024-25:

Note that if you are undertaking this programme in pursue of a teaching career, the teaching council may have specific requirements on the modules that must be taken. You should check their website (link to (opens in a new window)https://www.teachingcouncil.ie/en/) 

The HDip programme can also be taken on a part-time basis. The curriculum is as above but students can spread the workload on a two-year period (four semesters), and students will be required to complete all of the core modules in Year 1.

The Programme Coordinator can provide additional assistance regarding which modules should be taken to optimize learning for entry into an MSc programme, specific job application, etc.

Please note that for both full and part-time programmes all lectures are during daytime, Monday to Friday.