Programme Timetable
The part-time Diploma in Business Studies (DBS) and Bachelor of Business Studies (BBS) have been designed to be flexible to allow participants to study part-time while continuing to pursue career goals. If you are a mature student wishing to complete a business qualification part-time while working full-time then this is the programme for you. A typical academic year or course timetable is outlined below. Year 1 students will commence the programme in early September with an orientation weekend.
| Provisional Programme Timetable 2024/2025 | ||
|---|---|---|
| Friday 15th August 2025 | Skills workshop (Year 1) | On campus |
| Friday 29th August 2025 | Introduction to UCD (Year 1) | Online |
| Friday 5th September 2025 | Orientation (Year 1) | On campus |
| Friday 12th September 2025 * | Year 1,2,3 & 4 | On campus |
| Friday 10th October 2025 * | Year 1,2,3 & 4 | On campus |
| Friday 14th November 2025 * | Year 1,2,3 & 4 | On campus |
| Friday 16th January 2025 * |
Year 1,2,3 & 4 |
On campus |
| Friday 6th March 2025 * |
Year 1,2,3 & 4 |
On campus |
| Friday 10th April 2025 * |
Year 1,2,3 & 4 |
On campus |
* 2 x one-hour online modules in addition to on-campus classes each month.
Curriculum *
*Curriculum is subject to change year on year
The Diploma in Business Studies (DBS) is a two-year programme aimed at post-experience students who wish to undertake a part-time programme while working full-time. On completion of the Diploma, students may continue their studies for a further two years in order to be awarded the Bachelor of Business Studies (Purpose). We aspire to produce graduates with a solid grounding in the fundamentals of management and the key business functions, ranging from Management and Business, Organisational Behaviour, Law, Employee Relations, Accounting, Finance and Marketing. Two academic skills modules are provided in Year 1 to ease students’ return to education (education and subject/discipline/professional values). As the programme is designed for part-time students with work experience, classroom discussion and the sharing of work experiences is an important element the overall learning environment. We aim to provide a learning environment that encourages programme participants to explore business practices and theories, on an individual and team basis, so they can develop their own and their team’s capacities for critical enquiry, reflective practice, management and interpersonal skills (the nature of the learning environment for students). The programme draws upon teaching, learning and assessment approaches that help prepare students for the business environment, including case studies, class discussions, presentations, project work that requires students to source information and conduct small pieces of secondary research on general business and information management topics (the key approaches to teaching, learning and assessment).
| Programme Goals | Programme Learnings Outcomes |
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1. Informed Thinkers: Our graduates will be knowledgeable in their fields, supported by a strong research foundation, thought leadership, and richly varied learning experiences. (KNOWLEDGE) |
Programme Learning Outcome 1a: Demonstrate a solid insight into the management of organisations. |
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Programme Learning Outcome 1b: Demonstrate the necessary technical ability and knowledge-application demanded by business in a written assignment. |
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Programme Learning Outcome 1c: Source and evidence the necessary information to understand their business environment. |
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Programme Goal 2 Agility and a Development Mindset: Our graduates will understand and continually work on their capacities, including communication, collaboration, creativity and critical thinking. They will have encountered transformational learning experiences that help them value the role of professional and personal development in navigating a dynamic and changing world. They will have the ability to engage with diverse perspectives and diverse settings with agility and an international edge. (CAPACITY and ATTITUDE) |
Programme Learning Outcomes 2a: Exhibit communication and team-building skills to work independently or as a team member as part of a group presentation. |
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Programme Learning Outcome 2b: Engage with others in a professional capacity in an international environment during a group project, with respect for other business and international cultures. |
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Programme Learning Outcome 2c: Conduct secondary research on business issues and report on the findings and draw appropriate conclusions. |
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Programme Goal 3: Ambition for Action and Contribution: Our graduates will be able to talk about, apply and act upon what they know and have the ambition and courage to collaborate, solve problems and contribute to business and society. (CAPACITY and ATTITUDE) |
Programme Learning Outcome 2a Exhibit communication and team-building skills to work independently or as a team member as part of a group presentation |
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Programme Learning Outcome 3a: Display a capacity for problem solving collaboratively and individually in the preparation of assessment. |
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Programme Learning Outcome 3b: Demonstrate an understanding of how actions and beliefs influence the business world around them. |
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Programme Learning Outcome 3c: Display the ability to understand business practices and their impact on society. |
| Programme Goals | Programme Learnings Outcomes |
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Programme Goal 1: Informed Thinkers: Our graduates will be knowledgeable on management theory and will be able to apply this theory to business problems (Knowledge). |
Programme Learning Outcome 1a: Explain current theoretical underpinnings of business and the management of organisations |
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Programme Learning Outcome 1b: Apply appropriate methods, tools and techniques for identifying, analysing and resolving business problems within functional and across functional business areas. |
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Programme Learning Outcome 1c: Source and evidence the necessary information to understand their business environment. |
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Programme Goal 2: Communication, Analytical and Critical Thinking Skills: Our graduates will have well developed skills of communication, analysis and critical thinking (Skills and Competencies). |
Programme Learning Outcome 2a Prepare a short business presentation (written and/or oral) on a current business issue.. |
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Programme Learning Outcome 2b: Analyse specific business case studies or problems and formulate a report detailing the issues and recommended actions. |
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Programme Learning Outcome 2c: Design and execute a small piece of primary research on a business topic in a selected organisation, report on the findings and draw appropriate conclusions.
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Programme Goal 3: Personal and Professional Development: Our graduates will demonstrate a commitment to personal and professional excellence and development (Skills, Competencies and Attitudes). |
Programme Learning Outcome 3a: Develop collaborative learning and team-work skills by engaging in module-related team activities. |
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Programme Learning Outcome 3b: Demonstrate capacity for problem solving collaboratively and individually. |
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Programme Goal 4: Ethical Awareness: Our graduates will demonstrate an awareness of ethical issues in business and their impact on society (Attitudes). |
Programme Learning Outcome 4a: Demonstrate an awareness of ethical values and business issues concerning the advancement of the broader societal ‘good’.
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Programme Learning Outcome 4b: Illustrate an understanding of how business decisions might influence society and the wider community at large. |
The Bachelor of Business Studies (BBS) programme is aimed at those wishing to develop a career in business and general management (Purpose). We aspire to produce graduates that, over the long-term, will assume senior management positions and who will have a significant impact on the general development of business both locally and internationally. We aim to provide students with an opportunity to explore key aspects of modern business organisation including, Business Strategy, Project Management, Entrepreneurship and Innovation and International Business (education and subject/discipline/professional values). We aim to provide a learning environment that encourages programme participants to explore business practices and theories, on an individual and team basis, so they can develop their own and their team’s capacities for critical enquiry, reflective practice, leadership and interpersonal skills. The BBS curriculum is designed to develop future senior managers and business leaders through a wide variety of learning activities. These activities focus on developing informed thinkers, graduates who are agile and have a development mindset and who are able to talk about, apply and act upon what they know and have the ambition and courage to collaborate, solve problems and contribute to business and society (the nature of the learning environment for students). The programme draws upon teaching, learning and assessment approaches that help prepare students for the business environment, including case studies, class discussions, presentations, project work that requires students to source information and conduct small pieces of secondary research on general business and information management topics. Students will also have the opportunity to undertake a research project in Year 3 and a dissertation in Year 4 on a self-selected area of business and management practice (the key approaches to teaching, learning and assessment).
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