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Studying Economics for the first time

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  • 20-07-2011 8:54pm
    #1
    Anonymous_Bosch
    Registered Users Posts: 67 ✭✭


    Hello all.

    I am starting a H.Dip. in Economics this September but I have never studied the subject before; my undergraduate degree is in History.

    My question is regarding the level of modules in second year and third year which make up the programme. What exactly are the first year things I will have missed out on? I have a serious personal interest in economics and have been a subscriber to The Economist over the last few years. Is this enough, or is there any textbook I should/can read to familiarise myself with the basics?

    Thanks in advance.


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    #2
    noodler
    Registered Users Posts: 26,260 ✭✭✭✭noodler


    Anonymous_Bosch wrote: »
    Hello all.

    I am starting a H.Dip. in Economics this September but I have never studied the subject before; my undergraduate degree is in History.

    My question is regarding the level of modules in second year and third year which make up the programme. What exactly are the first year things I will have missed out on? I have a serious personal interest in economics and have been a subscriber to The Economist over the last few years. Is this enough, or is there any textbook I should/can read to familiarise myself with the basics?

    Thanks in advance.

    A friend of mine did the H.Dip in the year just gone. He had a very, very basic economics understanding from barely related courses and got on okay (2.1 in the end.)

    They will start relatively from scratch. I'd get an introductory textbook just to familiarise yourself. The course won't be all GDP/Debt rations like the Economist!


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    #3
    TiGeR KiNgS
    Registered Users Posts: 1,435 ✭✭✭TiGeR KiNgS


    As stated above studying economics is very different to reading about it. Math
    is used throughout the course, as long as you did leaving cert math with a B in ordinary you'll be fine (only an opinion).
    Get a leaving cert text book as a pre-study introduction to economics, it will likely give you a feel for the use of math and basic economic models used.

    GL with your studies,
    Hope you enjoy it.


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    #4
    noodler
    Registered Users Posts: 26,260 ✭✭✭✭noodler


    Yeah, I have successfully completed the BA and MA with only Ordinary Level mathes.

    You just have to be willing to put the work in (saying that, I didn't find any mathes in Economics I did to be as hard as honours mathes)


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    #5
    later12
    Closed Accounts Posts: 11,299 ✭✭✭✭later12


    Even though economics students from different universities will always wrangle over which course is more quant', most pure economics courses are not particularly quant heavy at all. Having said that, there has definitely a shift in that direction.

    Does LC ordinary level deal with differential calculus? If the OP is worried about the maths content of the HDip, s/he should just brush up on calculus and integration and the like. It shouldn't be particularly worrisome for a student of very average maths ability.


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    #6
    noodler
    Registered Users Posts: 26,260 ✭✭✭✭noodler


    later10 wrote: »
    Even though economics students from different universities will always wrangle over which course is more quant', most pure economics courses are not particularly quant heavy at all. Having said that, there has definitely a shift in that direction.

    Does LC ordinary level deal with differential calculus? If the OP is worried about the maths content of the HDip, s/he should just brush up on calculus and integration and the like. It shouldn't be particularly worrisome for a student of very average maths ability.


    I did the MA, rather than the H.Dip, I remember absolutely no integration on the course bar maybe a few lines in Econometrics you would need to memorise.

    It won't be a problem OP.


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    #7
    1huge1
    Registered Users Posts: 6,171 ✭✭✭1huge1


    Anonymous_Bosch wrote: »
    Hello all.

    I am starting a H.Dip. in Economics this September but I have never studied the subject before; my undergraduate degree is in History.

    My question is regarding the level of modules in second year and third year which make up the programme. What exactly are the first year things I will have missed out on? I have a serious personal interest in economics and have been a subscriber to The Economist over the last few years. Is this enough, or is there any textbook I should/can read to familiarise myself with the basics?

    Thanks in advance.
    If its anything like my first year was then you would of missed out on Microeconomics and Macroeconomics, relatively easy stuff.


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