UCD business and law or law with economics?

Mh2018

I’d like to know what the major differences are between these two courses

For example,

1. How are the modules split up for each course? (In what ratio is business studied alongside law, and in what ratio is economics studied alongside law, in each respective course? And also, how does this change throughout the 4 years of the degrees?)

2. Are there personality differences between the b&l students and the ‘law with’ students?

3. In regards to the 3rd year Erasmus exchange, are there less opportunities for the b&l students to secure a place?

I would also like to know if all the b&l students are unsure as to what career path they wish to choose, or whether most actually know and are using the other subject (be it law or business) as an advantage in their already chosen career paths?

I personally, would like to be a lawyer and believe that the business side of my degree would benefit me in the legal world by providing me with an in-depth understanding of business affairs. At the moment, I see commercial/business law as an interesting area to specialize in in the future.

If anyone could offer me insight on what I’ve written above, I’d really appreciate it!

ShatterResistant

Mh2018 wrote: »

I’d like to know what the major differences are between these two courses

For example,

1. How are the modules split up for each course? (In what ratio is business studied alongside law, and in what ratio is economics studied alongside law, in each respective course? And also, how does this change throughout the 4 years of the degrees?)

2. Are there personality differences between the b&l students and the ‘law with’ students?

3. In regards to the 3rd year Erasmus exchange, are there less opportunities for the b&l students to secure a place?

I would also like to know if all the b&l students are unsure as to what career path they wish to choose, or whether most actually know and are using the other subject (be it law or business) as an advantage in their already chosen career paths?

I personally, would like to be a lawyer and believe that the business side of my degree would benefit me in the legal world by providing me with an in-depth understanding of business affairs. At the moment, I see commercial/business law as an interesting area to specialize in in the future.

If anyone could offer me insight on what I’ve written above, I’d really appreciate it!

Hi,

1. Your first port of call should be the UCD Course Search Website for a detailed breakdown of the aforementioned courses, found here:

https://sisweb.ucd.ie/usis/w_sm_web_inf_viewer_banner.program_list?p_website_mode=PROSPECTIVE&p_term_code=201700

Of course exact modules can and do change over the course of a degree but it should give you a good feel and states credit breakdowns. Business and Law splits 30/30 each for the first three years with all mandatory for the first two years with limited choice in 3rd year. In final year you must do at least 20 credits in both subjects and the balance of 20 is yours to allocate as you like but they must still be from within Business and Law, at no point can you choose electives from other faculties. It's also worth pointing out that in practice you will have little choice if you plan to choose the Barrister/Solicitor/Accounting routes as the professional bodies for these require certain modules to have been taken and as the course is tight to fit them all in, there's little scope for some of the more fun modules.

This may sound altogether too rigid but to be fair it does mean you get to be in many of the same lectures as your friends and it gives a well respected and well rounded degree at the end.

Law with Economics, I know less about, but pretty sure it's a 25/25 split for the two subjects, leaving ten credits for electives. Hence you have greater flexibility and the chance to study outside your main area of interest.

2. Certainly one of the more contentious topics between the courses in the Law school. The dynamics are different right off the bat given the size of the courses - 120 or so for Business and Law, and a further 120 for all Law With programmes, maybe 30 with economics, to pluck a figure from the sky. I've found the Law Withs tend to be a closer bunch. This doesn't really answer your question and I typed out a few lines about it but it really is stereotyping that you don't need colouring your view when choosing a course at this point tbh, it will have zero bearing on your enjoyment of the course, the friends you will make or your future career.

3. Most definitely, Law and Law With students have a much greater variety of study abroad options both in terms of duration and places to go. Most who are determined to go abroad in B&L did get it I found though highly competitive, but practically anyone in Law seemed to get it and the flexibility aids that.

Most B&L's prefer the Law side in my experience, maybe 70-80% though many of those will be looking for jobs in consultancy so are glad of the business background and just enjoy law for the exams - people are happy to do what they don't particularly like to earn money, plus ca change. The main sticking point with the business is the wishy-washy nature of some subjects for some or the maths/accounting side for others (yours truly).

Op-Ed:

This is very much a subjective post, from a B&L student with a passion for law, so take it all with a pinch of salt. But I think you'd be mad to do B&L if your pretty sure you want to do Law, I know many like myself who regret it slightly, they were drawn to the gravitas of the degree at the expenses of doing modules they actually like. Of course the same goes for others who preferred commerce. You could spend half your degree doing marketing for snack bars, how to write a financial statement and reading about microfinance in Africa, while fascinating, none of which will aid you in your career in particular, while you are restricted from studying the law that actually interests you as you have to do core modules.

I'm rambling but message me if you want more details or have specific questions, good luck!

Mh2018

2. Certainly one of the more contentious topics between the courses in the Law school. The dynamics are different right off the bat given the size of the courses - 120 or so for Business and Law, and a further 120 for all Law With programmes, maybe 30 with economics, to pluck a figure from the sky. I've found the Law Withs tend to be a closer bunch. This doesn't really answer your question and I typed out a few lines about it but it really is stereotyping that you don't need colouring your view when choosing a course at this point tbh, it will have zero bearing on your enjoyment of the course, the friends you will make or your future career.

sizingjohn

Considering business and law too, are all of the law modules in the first 2 years mandatory or do you have a choice?