Explore UCD

UCD Home >

HDip Economics

HDip (NFQ Level 8)

This course is available through the following application route(s)

Duration:
1 Year
Attendance:
Full Time
Delivery:
On Campus
NFQ Level:
8 (60 credits)
Level:
Graduate Taught
Award:
Higher Diploma
Next Intake:
September
Country Specific Entry Requirements:
Visit the UCD Global Undergraduate Entry Requirements webpage.
Other School Leaving Requirements:
See www.ucd.ie/admissions
Curricular information is subject to change.

Duration:
2 Years
Attendance:
Part-Time
Delivery:
On Campus
NFQ Level:
8 (60 credits)
Level:
Graduate Taught
Award:
Higher Diploma
Next Intake:
September
Country Specific Entry Requirements:
Visit the UCD Global Undergraduate Entry Requirements webpage.
Other School Leaving Requirements:
See www.ucd.ie/admissions
Curricular information is subject to change.

Apply Now

The Higher Diploma in Economics is designed for students who wish to undertake further postgraduate study such as the taught Masters but whose undergraduate degree does not reach the required standard in economics.

  • One year full-time or two years part-time 
  • Stand-alone, internationally recognised qualification
  • Conversion course from another discipline to economics

About This Course

  • Be in a position to apply for Master Programs in Economics
  • Communicate and explain the reasoning behind applied economic analysis
  • Display mature literacy and comprehension of economic subject matters
  • Identify, understand and analyse economic problems
  • Understand basic econometric approaches to model economic phenomena, estimate the resulting model, and interpret the estimated parameters
  • Understand the underlying theories used in Microeconomics and Macroeconomics

The program requires that students complete 60 credits: 4 core modules and 8 option modules.

Below is a list of all modules offered for this degree in the current academic year. Click on the module to discover what you will learn in the module, how you will learn and assessment feedback profile amongst other information.

Incoming Stage 1 undergraduates can usually select an Elective in the Spring Trimester. Most continuing undergraduate students can select up to two Elective modules (10 Credits) per stage. There is also the possibility to take up to 10 extra Elective credits.

Module Type Module   Trimester Credits
Stage 1 Core Modules
 ECON20200 Int Microeconomics (ECON&FIN) Autumn  5
Stage 1 Core Modules
 ECON20040 Statistics for Economists Autumn and Spring (separate)  5
Stage 1 Core Modules
 ECON30130 Econometrics: Applying Statistics to Economic Data Autumn and Spring (separate)  5
Stage 1 Core Modules
 ECON20020 Intermediate Macroeconomics Spring  5
Stage 1 Options - A) Min 3 of:
Students must select a MINIMUM of THREE Level 3 option modules. The remaining options can be either Level 2 or Level 3 modules.
ECON30100 The Economics of Health and Health Policy Autumn  5
Stage 1 Options - A) Min 3 of:
Students must select a MINIMUM of THREE Level 3 option modules. The remaining options can be either Level 2 or Level 3 modules.
ECON30160 International Trade Economics Autumn  5
Stage 1 Options - A) Min 3 of:
Students must select a MINIMUM of THREE Level 3 option modules. The remaining options can be either Level 2 or Level 3 modules.
ECON30180 Industrial Economics: Economics of Business Strategy Autumn  5
Stage 1 Options - A) Min 3 of:
Students must select a MINIMUM of THREE Level 3 option modules. The remaining options can be either Level 2 or Level 3 modules.
ECON30270 Behavioural Economics and Public Policy Autumn  5
Stage 1 Options - A) Min 3 of:
Students must select a MINIMUM of THREE Level 3 option modules. The remaining options can be either Level 2 or Level 3 modules.
ECON30290 Advanced Microeconomics Autumn  5
Stage 1 Options - A) Min 3 of:
Students must select a MINIMUM of THREE Level 3 option modules. The remaining options can be either Level 2 or Level 3 modules.
ECON30400 Political Economy Autumn  5
Stage 1 Options - A) Min 3 of:
Students must select a MINIMUM of THREE Level 3 option modules. The remaining options can be either Level 2 or Level 3 modules.
ECON30410 Development Economics Autumn  5
Stage 1 Options - A) Min 3 of:
Students must select a MINIMUM of THREE Level 3 option modules. The remaining options can be either Level 2 or Level 3 modules.
ECON30540 Advd Econometrics: Time Series Autumn  5
Stage 1 Options - A) Min 3 of:
Students must select a MINIMUM of THREE Level 3 option modules. The remaining options can be either Level 2 or Level 3 modules.
ECON30590 Economics of Gender Autumn  5
Stage 1 Options - A) Min 3 of:
Students must select a MINIMUM of THREE Level 3 option modules. The remaining options can be either Level 2 or Level 3 modules.
ECON30630 Economics of Corporate Finance Autumn  5
Stage 1 Options - A) Min 3 of:
Students must select a MINIMUM of THREE Level 3 option modules. The remaining options can be either Level 2 or Level 3 modules.
ECON30120 Advanced Macroeconomics Spring  5
Stage 1 Options - A) Min 3 of:
Students must select a MINIMUM of THREE Level 3 option modules. The remaining options can be either Level 2 or Level 3 modules.
ECON30170 Intermediate Financial Economics Spring  5
Stage 1 Options - A) Min 3 of:
Students must select a MINIMUM of THREE Level 3 option modules. The remaining options can be either Level 2 or Level 3 modules.
ECON30190 Public Economics: Government Spending, Taxation and Public Choice Spring  5
Stage 1 Options - A) Min 3 of:
Students must select a MINIMUM of THREE Level 3 option modules. The remaining options can be either Level 2 or Level 3 modules.
ECON30430 Economics of International Fin Spring  5
Stage 1 Options - A) Min 3 of:
Students must select a MINIMUM of THREE Level 3 option modules. The remaining options can be either Level 2 or Level 3 modules.
ECON30500 Field Experiments Social Sci Spring  5
Stage 1 Options - A) Min 3 of:
Students must select a MINIMUM of THREE Level 3 option modules. The remaining options can be either Level 2 or Level 3 modules.
ECON30530 Advanced Econometrics: Microeconometrics Spring  5
Stage 1 Options - A) Min 3 of:
Students must select a MINIMUM of THREE Level 3 option modules. The remaining options can be either Level 2 or Level 3 modules.
ECON30600 Economics of Climate Change Spring  5
Stage 1 Options - A) Min 3 of:
Students must select a MINIMUM of THREE Level 3 option modules. The remaining options can be either Level 2 or Level 3 modules.
ECON30640 Machine Learning for Social Science Spring  5
Stage 1 Options - B) Min 0 of:
Students may select five further modules from Level 1 & 2 options OR Level 3 options.
 DEV20130 Achieving the Sustainable Development Goals Autumn  5
Stage 1 Options - B) Min 0 of:
Students may select five further modules from Level 1 & 2 options OR Level 3 options.
 ECON20060 Irish Economy: Policy Making in a Global Context Autumn  5
Stage 1 Options - B) Min 0 of:
Students may select five further modules from Level 1 & 2 options OR Level 3 options.
 ECON20080 Economic Policy Analysis Autumn  5
Stage 1 Options - B) Min 0 of:
Students may select five further modules from Level 1 & 2 options OR Level 3 options.
 ECON20190 Introduction to Financial Economics Autumn  5
Stage 1 Options - B) Min 0 of:
Students may select five further modules from Level 1 & 2 options OR Level 3 options.
 ECON20240 R for Economists Autumn  5
Stage 1 Options - B) Min 0 of:
Students may select five further modules from Level 1 & 2 options OR Level 3 options.
 ECON20250 Optimisation for Economists Autumn  5
Stage 1 Options - B) Min 0 of:
Students may select five further modules from Level 1 & 2 options OR Level 3 options.
 ECON20100 Game Theory Spring  5
Stage 1 Options - B) Min 0 of:
Students may select five further modules from Level 1 & 2 options OR Level 3 options.
 ECON20120 The Economics of the European Union: Institutions, Policies and Crises Spring  5
Stage 1 Options - B) Min 0 of:
Students may select five further modules from Level 1 & 2 options OR Level 3 options.
 ECON20130 Economic History: From the Middle Ages to the Second World War Spring  5
Stage 1 Options - B) Min 0 of:
Students may select five further modules from Level 1 & 2 options OR Level 3 options.
 ECON20160 Economics of the Environment Spring  5
Stage 1 Options - B) Min 0 of:
Students may select five further modules from Level 1 & 2 options OR Level 3 options.
 ECON20180 Intermediate Microeconomics II Spring  5
Stage 1 Options - B) Min 0 of:
Students may select five further modules from Level 1 & 2 options OR Level 3 options.
 ECON20230 Economics, Organisation and Management Spring  5

HDip Economics (W015) Full Time
EU          fee per year - € 8050
nonEU    fee per year - € 15070

HDip Economics (W281) Part Time
EU          fee per year - € 5275
nonEU    fee per year - € 7540

***Fees are subject to change

  • Applicants must have an undergraduate degree with some mathematical and statistical content and/or should be confident in their ability to successfully complete the undergraduate Economics modules which make up this programme.
You may be eligible for Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL), as UCD recognises formal, informal, and/or experiential learning. RPL may be awarded to gain Admission and/or credit exemptions on a programme. Please visit the UCD Registry RPL web page for further information. Any exceptions are also listed on this webpage.

Full Time option suitable for:

Domestic(EEA) applicants: Yes
International (Non EU) applicants: Yes

Part Time option suitable for:

Domestic(EEA) applicants: Yes
International (Non EEA) applicants: No



  • Applicants should have a 2:1 level 8 degree in any discipline.

  • Level 7 Degrees will be assessed on a case-by-case basis

  • Applicants must either have an undergraduate degree with some mathematical and statistical content or should be confident in their ability to successfully complete the undergraduate Economics modules which make up this programme.


Print this page

General application route(s) for Irish/UK/EU applicants* for International (non-EU) applicants* to HDip Economics:

ROWCLASS Apply to
showAudience-audienceEU showAudience-audienceInt
W015
HDip Economics
Higher Diploma

Full-Time
Commencing September 2026
Graduate Taught
Closed
showAudience-audienceEU showAudience-audienceInt
W281
Economics
Higher Diploma

Part-Time
Commencing September 2026
Graduate Taught
Not available to International applicantsClosed
showAudience-audienceEU showAudience-audienceInt
W015
HDip Economics
Higher Diploma

Full-Time
Commencing September 2027
Graduate Taught
Opens 01 Oct 2026
showAudience-audienceEU showAudience-audienceInt
W281
Economics
Higher Diploma

Part-Time
Commencing September 2027
Graduate Taught
Not available to International applicantsOpens 01 Oct 2026
* you can change options at the top of the page
Contact UsEvents
Fill in the following details:
Enter the body of your query here.

From time to time UCD would like to send you further information that we feel, based on your enquiry, would be of interest to you.