SECTION 1 – THE MAYNOOTH BACHELOR OF ARTS DEGREE
Economics (group 4 subject) CAO Code: MH101 | CAO Points 2021: 338 For full details about entry requirements see p. 42. You do NOT need have taken Leaving Certificate Economics to study this subject at Maynooth University but we recommend O4/H7 in Leaving Certificate Mathematics.
>>Economics is a social science that helps us to understand the behaviour of decision makers such as consumers, firms, workers, governments, investors, central banks, policy makers.
>>Economists are not defined by the subject matter that they study but rather by the way they approach a given topic. Economics provides a framework for understanding problems and learning how to solve them.
>>There is a misconception about economics. People tend to think that economics is all about money and profits, but economics is much more than that. It is about understanding the past, predicting the future, and making evidence-based policy recommendations.
>>Economists aim to find feasible solutions to help improve people's lives. This involves tackling important societal problems such as: how to reduce gender inequality and racial discrimination, how to create international cooperation to protect the environment, how to break the poverty trap in less-developed countries, how to reduce crime.
>>Economists use game theory to analyse strategic interaction to answer questions such as: What is the optimal pricing and advertisement strategy for a firm? How should we set political campaign financing rules to improve the quality of our democracy? How should patents be designed to foster innovation but not curtail competition?
>>Economists use statistical techniques to understand the market and how people respond to incentives. By determining causal relationships, economists can make evidence-based policy recommendations at the firm and state level.
Course structure 1st year
2nd year and beyond
BA Bachelor of Arts – Economics Double Major, Single Major, Major/ Minor or as a Minor
At the beginning of the second year, you can decide to continue as a BA Arts (MH101) student, or you can transfer into MH401 FIN, MH401 IFE, MH403 or MH415:
>>15 credits of Economics >>Choose up to 3 other subjects including Critical Skills from the 5 groups available (maximum 1 subject per group – see groups table p. 45)
>>As a BA Arts student, you can take Economics as a single major, as a double major, as a major/minor or as a minor with one of your other 1st year subjects. The threshold for progression into the single major route is 50% in Economics. >>You may also transfer into MH401 (BA Finance) if you attain 50% in Economics and pass Accounting. >> You may transfer into MH401 (BA International Finance and Economics) if you attain 50% in Economics and pass 15 credits in Mathematics. >> You may also transfer into MH403 (BA Accounting and Finance) if you take 22.5 credits in Accounting and attain 60%. >>You may also transfer to MH415 (BSc Economics) if you attain 60% in Economics and 60% in Mathematical Studies. Erasmus/Study Abroad option exists after the 2nd year. Students will be in Maynooth University campus for their final year.
For MH101 subject groups table go to p. 45
Possible topics
62
Core subjects
Optional subjects
>> Microeconomics
>>Environmental Economics
>>Competition and Regulation
>>Economics of the EU
>> Macroeconomics
>> Economics of Inequality
>>Public Economics
>> Game Theory
>> Health Economics
>>Economics of Work and Life Decisions
>> Quantitative Methods/ Econometrics
>> Economics of Sport
>>Money and Banking
>>Information Economics
>> Economics of Crime
>>International Macroeconomics
>>International Trade
