[Bartronilic]

Where can I get help on this, my problem is and i'm sure the other 3 jeff bessheads on this board are having the same problem - is a BBS or BA degree better?

And another problem is that I don't know whther I should keep on maths/stats and economic, maths is unbelievably easy this year but only cos of the lecturers (apart from signing into lectures so annoying, do they even check?)

Anyway help or advice or links to help/advice? Thanks!

[Black_Couch]

I don't think there is a definite answer on whether a BBS or a BA is "better".

I think I'm going with the BBS myself.
Management 1
Management 2
Intermediate Economics
Mathematical and Statistical Methods

Then I'm going to do Introduction to Law despite the 5-7 slot on a Tuesday evening! The other 1, I'm not sure. No idea what the Economy, Enviornment, and Space course is like. Complete lack of information on it and also on the Non-Profit Organising which I'll prob do.


Poltics and Sociology were interesting but next years choices don't appeal to me. I think it was good to take the introduction courses but they're just not my cup of tea for a degree.

[Bartronilic]

Ye, i'm gonna do any subject but the ones u mentioned cos u'll be doing hem. Oly joking. Ye i was thinking of doing the geography one u mentioned and a random sociology one jut for the hell of it. But i don't know anything about the non profit organising one.

And also if i do just business like above i'll end up with a bbs and I have no idea if tht's better or worse than a BA

[Time Magazine]

Well it depends what you want. A BBS is a degree in Business Studies; a BA is a degree in another subject.

Personally, I have come to despise business and all its buzzwordy nonsense. The business school is, essentially, a glorified technical school which teaches you how to do a trade. If that's your thing, you're well set for that.

I could not stand another year of it, however. Thus myself, europerson and our third muskateer are all doing single honour economics. Europerson, being the mathematical whizz he is, is gearing towards a quantitive bent (hehe I love that phrase) of the subject; whereas I'll take a more general route.

If you're good at Maths and found Maths & Stats enjoyable this year you should contemplate keeping on economics at the very least. It is the most (read only) mathematical subject in the course and mathematical economists can demand significant salaries when they get out. Then again, so do Finance whores.

I'd suggest you keep your options open and do BU2510 (Operations + Marketing), BU2520 (Accounting, by a fancier name), EC2010 (Intermediate Economics), EC2020 (Economy of Ireland), EC2040 (Mathematical and Statistical Methods) and A.N. Other. Personally, I loved the Introduction to Law course, and found it quite easy. Others found the Geography hybrid thingy course fun too. Europerson loved Economics of Public Policy with our beloved Dr. Barrett (mentioned in great detail in another thread), but be warned, he will make you want to eat unemployed people.

It would probably be a mistake to place all your egg into one basket in SF, in case you discover that you hate the subject.

And like the cringe-worthy Junior Cert essay, "In conclusion", BBS = whore to the financial world; BA (economics) = quite well paid education.

[Bartronilic]

Cool thanks! when you say "whore to the financial world" do you mean not as well liked by employers?

[Time Magazine]

Nein. I mean you'll be doing a business job, shaking hands and inventing words like shoppertainment and craptastic.

[shay_562]

i'm sure the other 3 jeff bessheads on this board are having the same problem

That would require me to be a) a lot more motivated, and b) a lot better informed. I know I'm picking Business and Economics courses, and doing them in such a way that I can go with a joint honour if I can overcome my antipathy towards macroeconomics (my love for micro is keeping me in there for now). I know I want to do psychology on a broad curriculum. I know I want to keep up French. I'll work out the specifics somewhere around May 12th.

BBS = whore to the financial world...I mean you'll be doing a business job, shaking hands and inventing words like shoppertainment and craptastic

That sounds pretty damn good to me. Actualise your business potential, max to the envelope, and such.

[Right_Side]

To incoming SF people: do the two business and three economics subjects to keep your options open.

Incoming JS people: what subjects are you picking?

[Time Magazine]

Economic Analysis
Monetary and Welfare Economics
Industrial Economics
Economics of Less Developed Countries
Econometrics.

The bits in bold are heavier than the rest of the text.

[Right_Side]

Originally Posted by Angry Banana

Economic Analysis
Monetary and Welfare Economics
Industrial Economics
Economics of Less Developed Countries
Econometrics.

The bits in bold are heavier than the rest of the text.

I'm doing (I think!):

Applied Finance
Financial and Management Accounting
Economic Analysis
Investment Analysis
Econometrics

[Opinions welcomed on above! ]

Why one worry is not doing Mathematical Economics, do you think this will rule out graduate courses seen as though you can't do Quants in 4th year?

[Right_Side]

Originally Posted by Bartronilic

Where can I get help on this, my problem is and i'm sure the other 3 jeff bessheads on this board are having the same problem - is a BBS or BA degree better?

And another problem is that I don't know whther I should keep on maths/stats and economic, maths is unbelievably easy this year but only cos of the lecturers (apart from signing into lectures so annoying, do they even check?)

Anyway help or advice or links to help/advice? Thanks!

Do you know what you want to do when you are finished?

Keep up the maths and stats, its a requirement for lots of courses.

If I were you I wouldn't restrict myself to just a BBS yet. You, like many others, may grow to hate the waffly business subjects.

[Right_Side]

Originally Posted by Black_Couch

I don't think there is a definite answer on whether a BBS or a BA is "better".

I think I'm going with the BBS myself.
Management 1
Management 2
Intermediate Economics
Mathematical and Statistical Methods

Then I'm going to do Introduction to Law despite the 5-7 slot on a Tuesday evening! The other 1, I'm not sure. No idea what the Economy,
Enviornment, and Space course is like. Complete lack of information on it and also on the Non-Profit Organising which I'll prob do.

Do Economy of Ireland as well and your leave your options open. It's not too heavy a course.

P.s. if anyone would like me to go into detail on an SF course, ask and I'll do my best.

[europerson]

To begin, I'd like to point ou that I had an absolutely perfect reply to this thread written, and, then, I accidentally closed the window I was working in, only to lose it all. Stupid right-click mouse button... So, here is its less than perfect sequel.

Originally Posted by Bartronilic

Where can I get help on this, my problem is and i'm sure the other 3 jeff bessheads on this board are having the same problem - is a BBS or BA degree better?

This really depends on what you want. The BBS is, of course, a pure Business course, whereas the BA (Mod.) combines other subjects too, either collectively (with each other or with Business) or on their own. The BBS is really the one, for which to opt, if you're dying to get a job in Merrill Lynch, Goldman Sachs or Ernst and Young. It's also the course to do, if you're thinking of becoming a chartered accountant. Business and Economics is a popular combination, with substantial economies of scale between the subjects, notably in industrial organisation, market structure and company forms. Business and Sociology is usually chosen by people who want to do Buisness, but feel ethically challenged by that, so pick Sociology as well. Again, there are certain economies of scale in the social area of Business and certain industry theories. Business and Politics has no real cross-over, so I'd only recommend this, if you're really interested in Politics. Politics and Sociology is a course, to which I never gave any thought, so I'm not going to start now. Of course, there are also single honours courses in Economics (yay!), Sociology and Political Science.

And another problem is that I don't know whther I should keep on maths/stats and economic, maths is unbelievably easy this year but only cos of the lecturers (apart from signing into lectures so annoying, do they even check?)

Thankfully, second year spells the end of having to sign an attendance sheet in lectures. You will still be signing them in some tutorials though. Senior Freshman Statistics is nothing much more than what you'll have done in first year, with regression analysis being the only significant new area of study. Senior Freshamn Maths isn't too bad either, especially if you find this year's course "unbelievably easy"!

Originally Posted by Black_Couch

The other 1, I'm not sure. No idea what the Economy, Enviornment, and Space course is like. Complete lack of information on it and also on the Non-Profit Organising which I'll prob do.

The BESS people, who take the Geography course, to whom I've spoken about it, all speak of it very positively. In fact, they all enjoy it immensely. Isn't "Non-Profit Organising" a Senior Sophister Business course with Dr. Gemma Donnelly-Cox?

Originally Posted by Bartronilic

Ye i was thinking of doing the geography one u mentioned and a random sociology one jut for the hell of it.

This is not a good idea. Remember that your sixth course will take up a sixth of your time and effort, and that it will count for a sixth of your grade. It's not a good idea to pick just any old thing and say it will be all right. Speaking to those, who do Sociology in my year, they say it becomes very difficult and tedious, with hours upon hours of reading to be completed every week.

Originally Posted by Angry Banana

Personally, I have come to despise business and all its buzzwordy nonsense. The business school is, essentially, a glorified technical school which teaches you how to do a trade. If that's your thing, you're well set for that.

This is unfortunate but true. Many Senior Freshman Business students complain of an overload of buzzwords. Seemingly, it gets on their nerves.

myself, europerson and our third muskateer are all doing single honour economics. Europerson, being the mathematical whizz he is, is gearing towards a quantitive bent (hehe I love that phrase) of the subject; whereas I'll take a more general route.

If you're good at Maths and found Maths & Stats enjoyable this year you should contemplate keeping on economics at the very least. It is the most (read only) mathematical subject in the course and mathematical economists can demand significant salaries when they get out. Then again, so do Finance whores.

I don't think I'm a mathematical whizz somehow. Being greedy for a moment, in order to command a good salary once you leave College, you need to take as many Maths-related courses as possible. People of a "quantitative bent", as Enda (and Dr. Somerville) call them, are the most sought-after Economics graduates, but if one can't handle the maths, then one can't handle it, so there's no point in sacrificing one's degree over it. Maths reallly is very important though, especially if you want a successful career in economics. People like Ian, who study pure Maths, are definitely going to using the 42% ratio more than the 20% one, if you get my drift.

As well as this, if you're contemplating postgraduate work in Economics, then a selection of mathematical courses is necessary. It is important to note too that a degree in Business probably won't get you into an Economics postgrad, while an Economics degree would easily get you onto an MBA programme (with scientists and engineers).

It's worth noting too that, in third year, Politics courses become rather Maths-based, with mathematical models to explain voter behaviour, etc.

I'd suggest you keep your options open and do BU2510 (Operations + Marketing), BU2520 (Accounting, by a fancier name), EC2010 (Intermediate Economics), EC2020 (Economy of Ireland), EC2040 (Mathematical and Statistical Methods) and A.N. Other.

A very good combination to keep one's options open.

Personally, I loved the Introduction to Law course, and found it quite easy.

Law is an excellent course, if you're into that kind of thing. It comes highly recommended by all who study it.

Europerson loved Economics of Public Policy with our beloved Dr. Barrett (mentioned in great detail in another thread), but be warned, he will make you want to eat unemployed people.

He's not that bad: he just wants to kill off old people, because they cost us money and contribute nothing to the economy! The Economics of Public Policy is another good course, especially if you're into forming your own opinions on issues of political economy and public policy. You won't be spoon-fed anything in this course, so it's up to yourself to develop your own style. The lectures are hilariously funny, and Dr. Barrett is friendly and approachable.

Originally Posted by Angry Banana

I mean you'll be doing a business job, shaking hands and inventing words like shoppertainment and craptastic.

Two classic examples of the contents of a Business student's vocabulary!

Originally Posted by shay_562

I know I'm picking Business and Economics courses, and doing them in such a way that I can go with a joint honour if I can overcome my antipathy towards macroeconomics (my love for micro is keeping me in there for now). I know I want to do psychology on a broad curriculum. I know I want to keep up French.

This combination is possible by picking: BU2510, BU2520, EC2010, EC2020, EC2040 and French, and by doing Psychology as an optional subject. The only thing is your Psychology grade won't count towards your overall grade in this instance. If you're sitting Schols, Psychology won't count either.

I'll work out the specifics somewhere around May 12th.

Don't leave it that late! Make sure to think carefully and coherently about your course choices.

[europerson]

Originally Posted by Right_Side

Incoming JS people: what subjects are you picking?

1. Economic Analysis
2. Monetary and Welfare Economics
3. Industrial Economics
4. Mathematical Economics
5. Econometrics

Originally Posted by Angry Banana

Economic Analysis
Monetary and Welfare Economics
Industrial Economics
Economics of Less Developed Countries
Econometrics.

I didn't know you had your mind made up! Why have you chosen Industrial?

Originally Posted by Right_Side

I'm doing (I think!):

Applied Finance
Financial and Management Accounting
Economic Analysis
Investment Analysis
Econometrics

[Opinions welcomed on above! ]

Why one worry is not doing Mathematical Economics, do you think this will rule out graduate courses seen as though you can't do Quants in 4th year?

A nice combination there, methinks. I'm thinking of doing Quants in fourth year, but I don't think it will matter for graduate courses. Andrew Somerville said that EC3090 is the most important course for that.

P.s. if anyone would like me to go into detail on an SF course, ask and I'll do my best.

Likewise.

[Awayindahils]

Originally Posted by europerson

This really depends on what you want. The BBS is, of course, a pure Business course, whereas the BA (Mod.) combines other subjects too, either collectively (with each other or with Business) or on their own. The BBS is really the one, for which to opt, if you're dying to get a job in Merrill Lynch, Goldman Sachs or Ernst and Young. It's also the course to do, if you're thinking of becoming a chartered accountant. Business and Economics is a popular combination, with substantial economies of scale between the subjects, notably in industrial organisation, market structure and company forms. Business and Sociology is usually chosen by people who want to do Buisness, but feel ethically challenged by that, so pick Sociology as well. Again, there are certain economies of scale in the social area of Business and certain industry theories. Business and Politics has no real cross-over, so I'd only recommend this, if you're really interested in Politics. Politics and Sociology is a course, to which I never gave any thought, so I'm not going to start now. Of course, there are also single honours courses in Economics (yay!), Sociology and Political Science.

well to be the last jf BESS person here to get my say in on course choices, the only combination which wasnt mentioned by europerson well aside from contemporary european intergration which sounds a bit like ES for peoeel who ended up in BESS, and i have no choice basically my six subjects are predefined so that at the end of 2nd year i can do single honours Economcis, single honours Politics or a joint honours, and im the only one not doing business which shocks me as it is already more than clear that business is a load of BS filled with buzz words and theories which have been proven not to work in reality. and its very anicdotal.