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Courses
Courses
Choosing a course is one of the most important decisions you'll ever make! View our courses and see what our students and lecturers have to say about the courses you are interested in at the links below.
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University Life
University Life
Each year more than 4,000 choose NUI Galway as their University of choice. Find out what life at NUI Galway is all about here.
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About NUI Galway
About NUI Galway
Since 1845, NUI Galway has been sharing the highest quality teaching and research with Ireland and the world. Find out what makes our University so special – from our distinguished history to the latest news and campus developments.
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Colleges & Schools
Colleges & Schools
NUI Galway has earned international recognition as a research-led university with a commitment to top quality teaching across a range of key areas of expertise.
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Research
Research
NUI Galway’s vibrant research community take on some of the most pressing challenges of our times.
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Business & Industry
Guiding Breakthrough Research at NUI Galway
We explore and facilitate commercial opportunities for the research community at NUI Galway, as well as facilitating industry partnership.
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Alumni, Friends & Supporters
Alumni, Friends & Supporters
There are over 90,000 NUI Galway graduates Worldwide, connect with us and tap into the online community.
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Community Engagement
Community Engagement
At NUI Galway, we believe that the best learning takes place when you apply what you learn in a real world context. That's why many of our courses include work placements or community projects.
Commerce
Course Overview
Commerce is a very flexible programme that covers all business areas before a student chooses a specialism in final year in one of the following:
Accounting & Performance Measurement: Students study accounting and accounting-related modules, positioning them for a career in accountancy and related areas. Depending on the modules chosen, exemptions are available to successful students in the professional accountancy bodies’ exams. In addition, students may apply for entry, on a competitive basis, to the Master of Accounting (MAcc) programme at NUI Galway or equivalent postgraduate accounting programmes in other universities.
Accounting Exemptions from Professional Accounting Bodies.
Economics & Public Policy: Students can apply their economic theory to modules as diverse as the economics of globalisation, the economics of money and finance, and health and environmental economics. Economics specialist students are well placed to undertake either postgraduate research at home or abroad, or to embark on a variety of careers in business and economic policy analysis.
Management of Human Resources: This specialisation focuses on the management of the human factor in organisations, exploring the nature of the employment relationship and the rights and obligations of the parties involved. It also focuses on the theoretical bases for the best utilisation of human resources (HR). It is targeted at students with a particular interest in the human aspect of organisations and those intending to develop a career in the HR management area.
Marketing Management: This specialisation provides an excellent foundation in a range of key and popular marketing topics, such as media and marketing communications, brand management, marketing analytics and research, digital marketing planning, the marketing of services and global marketing. The discipline’s research programme enhances each subject’s content, ensuring it is taught to world-class standards.
Digital Business & Analytics: This specialisation focuses on the implementation, use and management of information systems within business. It contains practice-based modules that teach students how to create IS using database technology, web design technology and computer programming languages. It also provides modules that enable students to investigate how to manage IS within business. Students will be well positioned to secure jobs as management consultants specialising in IS or to work within the IS department of a business.
Finance: This specialisation focuses on a diverse range of important contemporary topics in national and international finance, including international monetary systems, banking, exchange rates, financing and investment decisions, taxation, financial reporting, investments and issues of financial management inherent in managing multinational corporations and institutions. Students will be readily employable in private sector financial services firms as well as both Irish and international public sector financial institutions.
Business Law: This stream focuses on law specifically in a business context. It is targeted at students with a particular interest in the legal aspects of business. Students who successfully complete this stream and wish to further specialise in law will be eligible to apply for the LLB.
International Business: This specialisation focuses on managing people, diversity in culture and how to effectively lead and manage in a global marketplace. The specialisation focuses on developing knowledge and expertise in international business and cross-cultural management and provides students with the knowledge and skills required for a career in international management and multinational corporations as well as other organisations. Using a multidisciplinary approach, students develop their cultural awareness skills and understand how to operate effectively in a dynamic global business environment.
The programme provides students with a mix of large lectures and smaller group tutorials where they can ask further questions and get help with coursework. Our lecturers’ links with industry ensure that the programme is up-todate, relevant and useful to today’s graduates and employers. Specially tailored modules such as Skills for Business which is now taken by second year students. This one–semester module is designed to improve student employability and preparation for the workplace by developing a set of practical skills that form the basis for effective working life. The programme allows students to work individually and in groups on different projects which are relevant to the ever-changing and dynamic business environment, thus developing their business and interpersonal skills.
Applications and Selections
Who Teaches this Course
Some of our Lecturers inlcude:
Requirements and Assessment
Key Facts
Entry Requirements
Minimum Grade H5 in two subjects and passes in four other subjects at O6/H7 level in the Leaving Certificate, including Irish, English, another language, Mathematics, and any two other subjects recognised for entry purposes.
Additional Requirements
Duration
3 years
Next start date
September 2018
A Level Grades (2017)
ABB or equivalent combination
Average intake
270
Closing Date
Next start date
September 2018
NFQ level
Mode of study
ECTS weighting
Award
CAO
GY201
PAC code
Course Outline
Course Outline - Year 1
- Introduction to Managment/Financial Accounting
- Principles of Microeconomics/Macroeconomics
- Mathematics and Statistics for Business
- Contemporary Marketing Thought
- Contemporary Management Thought
- Business Information Systems & Information Management for Business
- Choice between Spanish*, German and the combination of Business Law (semester II)/Skills to Succeed (semester I).
* A limited number of places are available in Spanish, places will be allocated on previous academic performance.
Course Outline - Year 2
- Inferential Statistical Methods for Business
- Marketing Management
- Organisational Psychology
- Applied Microeconomics for Business
- Management Accounting 1
- Skills for Business
- Business Finance 1
- Work and Employment Relations
- Macroeconomics and the Business Environment
- Information and Operations Management
- Plus two optional subjects from the following:
- International Financial Reporting I
- Economics of Public Policy
- Introduction to Financial Economics
- Business Law II
- The Psychology of Consumer Behaviour
- Information Systems & Project Management
- Advanced Statistical Methods for Business
- Management of Organisational Change
- Doing Business in China: Language and Culture I
Course Outline - Final Year
- Ireland in the Global Economy
- Ethics and Corporate Social Responsibility
- Business Strategy
- Innovation: Creativity and Enterprise
- Develop concentration in one of the following business disciplines:
Accounting & Performance Measurement
Economics & Public Policy
Management of Human Resources
Digital Business & Analytics
Marketing Management
Finance
Business Law
International Business
In addition to the above listed disciplines/streams, students may take optional modules from a list of electives.
Modules are assessed by means of continuous assessment/assignments and/or final/terminal exam.
Modules for 2017-18
Curriculum information relates to the current academic year (in most cases).Course and module offerings and details may be subject to change.
Glossary of Terms
- Credits
- You must earn a defined number of credits (aka ECTS) to complete each year of your course. You do this by taking all of its required modules as well as the correct number of optional modules to obtain that year's total number of credits.
- Module
- An examinable portion of a subject or course, for which you attend lectures and/or tutorials and carry out assignments. E.g. Algebra and Calculus could be modules within the subject Mathematics.
- Subject
- Some courses allow you to choose subjects, where related modules are grouped together. Subjects have their own required number of credits, so you must take all that subject's required modules and may also need to obtain the remainder of the subject's total credits by choosing from its available optional modules.
- Optional
- A module you may choose to study.
- Required
- A module that you must study if you choose this course (or subject).
- Required Core Subject
- A subject you must study because it's integral to that course.
- Semester
- Most courses have 2 semesters (aka terms) per year, so a three-year course will have six semesters in total. For clarity, this page will refer to the first semester of year 2 as 'Semester 3'.
Year 1 (60 Credits)
Optional EC165: An Mhicreacnamaíocht - 5 Credits - Semester 1Optional FA1120: Skills for Success - 5 Credits - Semester 1
Optional GR141: German Language I (Advanced) - 10 Credits - Semester 1
Optional GR140: German Language I (Beginners) - 10 Credits - Semester 1
Required MG1100: Contemporary Management Thought - 5 Credits - Semester 1
Required AY104: Introduction to Financial Accounting - 5 Credits - Semester 1
Required EC142: Principles of Microeconomics - 5 Credits - Semester 1
Required MA119: Mathematics for Business - 5 Credits - Semester 1
Required MS120: Business Information Systems - 5 Credits - Semester 1
Optional LW190: Business Law 1 - 5 Credits - Semester 2
Optional EC166: An Mhaicreacnamaíocht - 5 Credits - Semester 2
Required MS1100: Information Management for Business - 5 Credits - Semester 2
Required AY105: Introduction to Management Accounting - 5 Credits - Semester 2
Required MK1100: Foundations of Marketing Thought - 5 Credits - Semester 2
Required EC143: Principles of Macroeconomics - 5 Credits - Semester 2
Required ST1109: Introductory Statistics for Business - 5 Credits - Semester 2
Year 2 (60 Credits)
Required EC2100: Applied Microeconomics for Business - 5 Credits - Semester 3Required FA2206: Skills for Business - 5 Credits - Semester 3
Required MG2100: Organisational Psychology - 5 Credits - Semester 3
Required MK2100: Marketing Management - 5 Credits - Semester 3
Required AY207: Management Accounting I - 5 Credits - Semester 3
Required ST2217: Inferential Statistical Methods for Business - 5 Credits - Semester 3
Optional MS117: Information Systems and Project Management - 5 Credits - Semester 4
Optional LW290: Business Law II - 5 Credits - Semester 4
Optional CI200: Doing Business in China - Language & Culture 1 - 5 Credits - Semester 4
Optional AY209: International Financial Reporting I - 5 Credits - Semester 4
Optional MK2101: The Psychology of Consumer Behaviour - 5 Credits - Semester 4
Optional EC259: Economics of Public Policy - 5 Credits - Semester 4
Optional EC247: Introduction to Financial Economics - 5 Credits - Semester 4
Optional ST2218: Advanced Statistical Methods for Business - 5 Credits - Semester 4
Optional MG2101: Entrepreneurial Venture Development - 5 Credits - Semester 4
Required EC2101: Macroeconomics and the Business Environment - 5 Credits - Semester 4
Required MG325: Employment Relations - 5 Credits - Semester 4
Required MS217: Information and Operations Management - 5 Credits - Semester 4
Required AY208: Business Finance I - 5 Credits - Semester 4
Year 3 (60 Credits)
Optional AY308: Taxation I - 5 Credits - Semester 5Optional EC369: Money And Banking - 5 Credits - Semester 5
Optional AY325: International Financial Reporting II - 5 Credits - Semester 5
Optional LW427: European Union Law I - 5 Credits - Semester 5
Optional EC357: Development Economics - 5 Credits - Semester 5
Optional EC345: Health Economics - 5 Credits - Semester 5
Optional MS403: IS Strategy & Planning - 5 Credits - Semester 5
Optional MK3101: Cases in Marketing Strategy - 5 Credits - Semester 5
Optional MK3100: Qualitative Marketing Research - 5 Credits - Semester 5
Optional IE309: Operations Research - 5 Credits - Semester 5
Optional MK311: The Marketing of Services - 5 Credits - Semester 5
Optional MG328: Human Resource Management - 5 Credits - Semester 5
Optional MG326: Employee Relations: Rights And Obligations - 5 Credits - Semester 5
Optional LW423: Advanced Business Law - 5 Credits - Semester 5
Optional AY321: Management Accounting II - 5 Credits - Semester 5
Optional MK314: Media & Marketing Communications - 5 Credits - Semester 5
Optional MS218: Database Technologies - 5 Credits - Semester 5
Optional MS414: Business Intelligence and Analytics - 5 Credits - Semester 5
Optional MS325: Contemporary Project Management - 5 Credits - Semester 5
Optional MS323: User Experience Design - 5 Credits - Semester 5
Optional CI300: Doing Business in China - Language & Culture 1 - 5 Credits - Semester 5
Optional MS321: Web & Interactive Media Design - 5 Credits - Semester 5
Optional LW3103: Consumer Law and Policy - 5 Credits - Semester 5
Optional MS110: Business Systems Analysis - 5 Credits - Semester 5
Optional EC3101: Microeconomics and Public Policy - 5 Credits - Semester 5
Optional LW3105: Medical Device Law and Regulation - 5 Credits - Semester 6
Optional EC388: Environmental And Natural Resource Economics - 5 Credits - Semester 5
Optional ME5102: Quality Systems - 5 Credits - Semester 5
Optional EC3105: Econometrics - 5 Credits - Semester 5
Optional MG3101: Contemporary Issues in Work and Organisations - 5 Credits - Semester 5
Optional LW229: Company Law I - 5 Credits - Semester 5
Required EC423: Ireland in the Global Economy - 5 Credits - Semester 5
Optional MK303: Global Marketing - 5 Credits - Semester 6
Optional IE345: Logistics and Transportation - 5 Credits - Semester 6
Optional MK341: Brand Management - 5 Credits - Semester 6
Optional MS413: Cloud Computing - 5 Credits - Semester 6
Optional EC429: Marine Economics - 5 Credits - Semester 6
Optional MS223: E-Business Strategy and Practice - 5 Credits - Semester 6
Optional CI301: Doing Business in China - Language & Culture 2 - 5 Credits - Semester 6
Optional AY319: Taxation II - 5 Credits - Semester 6
Optional AY314: Business Finance II - 5 Credits - Semester 6
Optional EC362: Economics Of Financial Markets - 5 Credits - Semester 6
Optional EC386: Public Economics - 5 Credits - Semester 6
Optional EC382: International Economics - 5 Credits - Semester 6
Optional LW428: European Union Law II - 5 Credits - Semester 6
Optional AY326: International Financial Reporting III - 5 Credits - Semester 6
Optional IE319: Operations Strategy - 5 Credits - Semester 6
Optional MG323: International Business - 5 Credits - Semester 6
Optional MS319: Enterprise Systems - 5 Credits - Semester 6
Optional AY322: Management Accounting III - 5 Credits - Semester 6
Optional LW364: International Trade Law - 5 Credits - Semester 6
Optional LW374: Banking Law - 5 Credits - Semester 6
Optional LW356: Industrial And Intellectual Property Law - 5 Credits - Semester 6
Optional MK3102: Marketing Analytics & Research - 5 Credits - Semester 6
Optional MK3103: Digital Marketing Planning - 5 Credits - Semester 6
Optional EC3100: Economics and Philosophy - 5 Credits - Semester 6
Optional EC3102: Macroeconomics and Public Policy - 5 Credits - Semester 6
Optional MG3100: Human Resource Practice - 5 Credits - Semester 6
Optional MG3102: Work in a Global Context - 5 Credits - Semester 6
Optional LW231: Company Law II - 5 Credits - Semester 6
Required MG334: Strategic Management - 5 Credits - Semester 6
Required FA318: Innovation, Creativity & Enterprise - 5 Credits - Semester 6
Further Education
Graduates can take specialist postgraduate programmes, which are available in all of the core business disciplines.
Accounting graduates may be eligible for admission to the Master of Accounting programme at NUI Galway or elsewhere. Graduates of the Masters of Accounting programme are eligible for significant exemptions from the professional examinations of Chartered Accountants Ireland, and are required to pass only the Institute's Final Admitting Examination prior to being admitted to Associate membership of the Institute.
Click here for more infomation on our Taught Postgraduate Programmes
Why Choose This Course?
Career Opportunities
Graduates will be very well-positioned to pursue a career in many business related areas such as:
- Accounting
- Management Consultancy
- Taxation
- Commercial Advisory Services
- Economic Policy Advisory Services
- Marketing
- Human Resource Management
- Information Systems Management
- Finance (including Banking & Insurance)
- Personnel Management
- Entrepreneurship
- Event Management
- Public Relations
Depending on subject choices, exemptions are available to successful students in the examinations of the professional accountancy bodies. Business Information Systems graduates are well-positioned to secure jobs as management consultants specialising in information systems or to work within the IS department of a business.
Graduates can also go on to select from a range of postgraduate programmes in their chosen discipline at the J.E. Cairnes School of Business and Economics.
Innovation: Creativity and Enterprise – ICE A partnership with business to drive innovation with students
Final year students in the J.E. Cairnes School of Business & Economics are provided with the opportunity to put the business knowledge they have gained through their studies into practice through a module in Innovation: Creativity and Enterprise (ICE). Developed in conjunction with entrepreneur Pádraig O’Céidigh, the module involves partnering with local business leaders to provide opportunities for all students to engage in projects, requiring them to innovate in a variety of interesting areas in a business or community setting. More than 30 local business and community leaders get involved each year, mentoring students in group-based projects, requiring them to innovate in a variety of interesting areas.
Global Experience and Work Placement
The B Comm can be extended from three to four years. We offer students a competitive opportunity based on student performance and merit to enhance their studies, spending one academic year studying abroad or one academic year on work placement or one semester studying abroad along with a one semester work placement. In third year students will study a range of business courses through English at an international partner university in North America, Australia, Asia or Europe, providing students with an invaluable experience and graduating with a BComm (Global Experience) degree. Students will return to NUI Galway to complete their final year.
Work Placement partners include:
• DHKN • Corrib Oil • Grant Thornton • KPMG • Accenture • Abbott • Wayfair • ESB Group • Medtronic • Shelbourne Hotel • Boston Scientific • Alkermes • PwC • Aviva • Aerogen • Zurich • Creganna.
Hear what some of our students thought of this year here.
Who’s Suited to This Course
Learning Outcomes
Work Placement
Study Abroad
International Study Abroad Partner Universities
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Related Student Organisations
Course Fees
Fees: EU
Fees: Tuition
Fees: Student Contribution
Fees: Student levy
Fees: Non EU
- Tuition: may be paid by the Irish Government on your behalf if you qualify for free tuition fees see - free fee initiative.
- Student Contribution: €3,000 - payable by all students but may by paid by SUSI if you apply and are deemed eligible for a means tested SUSI grant.
- Student Levy: €224 - payable by all students and is not covered by SUSI.
Find out More
The J.E. Cairnes School of Business & Economics
T + 353 (0)91 492 612
F + 353 (0)91 494 546
E business@nuigalway.ie
www.nuigalway.ie/commerce
What Our Students Say

Cara Hegarty | Analyst, Accenture
I chose to study Commerce at NUI Galway as the course enabled me to establish a solid foundation in different areas of business whilst also allowing me to specialise in an area of my interest. What I enjoyed most about this course was the fantastic opportunities afforded to students. For example, in second year, students participate in a “Skills to Succeed” module. This gives students an opportunity to contribute to projects in the wider community. My group and I travelled to Club-Napoca in Romania where our panel bid for Galway to become European Youth Capital in 2017. It was an honour to represent the city of Galway as well as NUIG. Another enjoyable experience arose from the Innovation Creativity and Enterprise (ICE) module. My team created "TipToTheTop", an Irish Dancing aid to assist beginners. Our winning prize included funds and an office space to start up our business. I would strongly recommend anyone with a passion for Commerce to participate in this course. I thoroughly enjoyed every moment of my time in Galway – the best three years of my life!

Siobhan McGinty | Senior Marketing Manager at HubSpot
...I studied Commerce and specialised in Marketing. I really enjoyed it as the class was small and the lecturers got to know you individually, which I feel really aids your learning. I hope to work in advertising, and have recently received the GlaxoSmithKline Prize for Excellence in Marketing. Life at NUI Galway is amazing and I love every minute of it! There are so many social outlets on-campus, the clubs and societies are a great way of developing social skills and getting to know people...

Richard O'Brien | Talent Acquisition Specialist, Adidas Group
Richard graduated with a BComm (2011), specialising in Human Resources. He then went on and did an MSc (Strategy Innovation and People Management) "Commerce equipped me with the communication, team-working and problem-solving skills needed to excel in business. After graduating, I was well-positioned to pursue an exciting and successful career in Human Resources."
Downloads
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Undergraduate Prospectus 2018 PDF (12.3 MB)
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Quick Guide to Courses PDF (989 KB)
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A Level Quick Guide PDF (408 KB)
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CAO Brochure PDF (1.3 MB)
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Postgraduate Taught Prospectus 2018 PDF (7.2 MB)
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Postgraduate Research Prospectus 2018 PDF (4.6 MB)
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International Prospectus 2016 PDF (3.6 MB)
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Business Undergraduate Prospectus 2018 PDF (1.57MB)
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Professional Accounting Body Exemptions PDF (8 KB)