Business - Carlow or Waterford or Wexford
The Higher Certificate in Business equips students with a broad skill-base, ensuring graduates will have a wide range of career options. The course provides a basic business foundation covering core subjects including: Financial Accounting; Economics; Management; Business Applications; Marketing and Business Law.
| Award Name | Level 6 Higher Certificate (Level 6 NFQ) |
|---|---|
| NFQ Classification | Major |
| Awarding Body | South East Technological University |
| NFQ Level | Level 6 NFQ |
| Award Name | NFQ Classification | Awarding Body | NFQ Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| Level 6 Higher Certificate (Level 6 NFQ) | Major | South East Technological University | Level 6 NFQ |
Duration
2 years, full-time.
Specific Subjects or course requirements
5 subjects: O6/H7
English or Irish: O6/H7
Mathematics: O6/H7
Location Course Code
Carlow SE420 (CWB)
Waterford SE420 (WBS)
Wexford SE420 (XBS)
Leaving Certificate Vocational Progamme LCVP
Entry requirements for Honours Bachelor Degrees (Level 8)
This link module can be used in place of a sixth Leaving Certificate subject and will be accepted as meeting the six subject eligibility requirements for entry to honours degree courses.
Entry requirements for Ordinary Bachelor Degree (Level 7) and Higher Certificate (Level 6)
The LCVP link module can also be used in place of a fifth Leaving Certificate subject and will be accepted as meeting the five subject eligibility requirements for entry to ordinary bachelor degree and higher certificate courses
GRADE POINTS
Distinction 66
Merit 46
Pass 28
Leaving Certificate Applied Programme LCAP
The Leaving Certificate Applied Programme was designed primarily to prepare students for the transition from school to working life. It is not intended for direct tansfer into third level. However, students with the LCAP who have completed a QQI FET/FETAC award can be considered for entry.
QQI FET Applicants General Information
Students who have completed a full QQI-FET award at Level 5, and achieved at least three distinctions, are eligible to apply through CAO for entry to Year 1 on to Level 6, 7 and 8 courses. Students who have completed a full QQI-FET award at Level 6 may be eligible to enter Year 2.
The maximum possible points awarded through QQI-FET is 390. The scoring system only applies where all of the requirements for the major award are met i.e. where the named component awards specified have been achieved to a minimum of 120 credits.
Progression Scheme
The Progression Scheme is an additional opportunity for students who successfully complete a QQI FET Award in a partner Colleges of Further Education and Training College/Centre to gain entry to SETU programmes. The list of partner Further Education and Training Colleges/Centres, relevant SETU programmes, linked QQI FET Awards and the criteria for the scheme are available at www.setu.ie/progression.
Careers / Further progression
Career opportunities
• Trainee management
• Junior management in any of the main business functions and across all industry and services sectors
• Graduates can progress to study other academic degree courses.
Further information
September 2026
Mature Student Applications
A mature student is someone who is at least 23 years of age on 1 January of the year of entry to an undergraduate course and who may not meet the normal admission requirements. Applications are made through the CAO before the 1 February or before late application deadline of 1 May 2026. Applicants are assessed based on the information they enter on their CAO application. Note: You must apply for nursing and music courses by 1 February 2026.
Selection Process – Nursing Applications
Mature applicants for nursing courses will receive correspondence under separate cover from the Nursing Careers Centre (Public Appointments Service - PAS). For full details on the application process see www.nursingcareers.ie.
Mature Applicant – Change of Mind
The Change of Mind facility becomes available after 1 May and the closing date is 1 July.
The Change of Mind facility affords mature applicants an opportunity to change the order of preference only of their course choices. If applicants introduce a new programme to their list of choices by way of Change of Mind, they will compete for a place on that programme based on their Leaving Certificate or equivalent results only. They will not compete as a mature applicant.
Non-standard application
A non-standard application is one that does not meet the definition of a standard application.
The special categories are:
• GCE/GCSE
• Other school leaving exams
• NCVA Level 2/3
• FETAC Level 5/6
• Further Education (other than QQI)
• Mature
• Higher/Third Level Education
Applicants wishing to make a non-standard application must select the relevant category when applying to the CAO.
Entry 2026
Early online application (discounted): Fee €35 Closing Date: 20 January 2026 at 5pm
Normal online application: Fee €50 Closing Date: 1 February 2026 at 5pm
Late online application - restrictions apply (see page 3 2026 CAO Handbook): Fee: €65 Closing Date: 1 May 2026 at 5pm
Change of Mind - restrictions apply (see page 3 2026 CAO Handbook): Fee: Nil Closing Date: 1 July 2026 at 5pm
Be sure to complete any action well in advance of closing dates. You should avoid making an application close to a closing date. No extensions to closing dates will be allowed and all application fees are non-refundable.
LATE APPLICATIONS
Late Applications are those which are received after 5pm on 1 February 2026. The closing date for late applications is 5pm on 1 May 2026, subject to the restrictions listed on page 3 of the 2026 CAO Handbook. The online facility for late applications opens on the 5 March 2026 at 12:00 noon - a fee of €65 applies.
Restrictions
As a CAO applicant you may experience one or more of the following restrictions based on your course choices, your category of application, or restrictions imposed by the HEIs that you wish to apply to. Please read the section on 'Restrictions' on page 3 of the 2026 CAO Handbook carefully. This section includes information on:
General Restrictions
1. Making a late application
2. Making changes to your course choices
Restricted Courses
3. Applying for a restricted course
Mature Applicants
4. Mature applicants
Supplementary Admissions Routes
5. Applying for DARE and/or HEAR
About the course
The Higher Certificate in Business equips students with a broad skill-base, ensuring graduates will have a wide range of career options. The course covers core subjects including: Financial Accounting; Economics; Management; Business Applications; Human Resources; Marketing and Business Law.
The Higher Certificate in Business is available on all three SETU campuses. Please note, there are some variations in the modules of the certificate on each campus.
SETU Carlow
Semester 1
Business Financial Accounting 1 (M)
Quantitative Techniques 1 (M)
Communications and Academic Writing (M)
Microeconomics (M)
IT for Business 1 (M)
An Introduction to Management Theory (M)
Semester 2
Data Analysis for Business 1 (M)
Quantitative Techniques 2 (M)
Business Psychology 1 (M)
Macroeconomics (M)
Business Financial Accounting 2 (M)
Management in Action (M)
M is a mandatory subject - E is an elective subject
SETU Waterford
Semester 1
Personal, Professional and Academic Skills 1
Maths for Business
Fundamentals of Accounting 1
Introductory Microeconomics 1
Management
Semester 2
Statistics for Business
Personal, Professional and Academic Skills 2
Fundamentals of Accounting 2
Introduction to Macroeconomics 1
Introduction to Organisational Behaviour
SETU Wexford
Semester 1
Academic and Professional Skills (M)
Digital Skills (M) Fundamentals of Financial Accounting (M)
Introduction to Management (M)
Microeconomics (M)
Statistics and Forecasting (M)
M is a mandatory subject - E is an elective subject
Semester 2
Customer Service in Practice (M)
Fundamentals of Financial Accounting (M)
Investment Maths (M)
Macroeconomics (M)
Managing an Enterprise (M)
M is a mandatory subject - E is an elective subject
See full list of modules by scanning QR codes for each location.
PROGRAMME DIRECTOR
Aileen Farrell, MSc (Carlow)
E: aileen.farrell@setu.ie
Sinead O’Keeffe, MBS (Waterford)
E: sinead.okeeffe@setu.ie
Ann Ryan, MBS (Waterford)
E: ann.ryan@setu.ie
Dr Veronica Kelly, PhD (Wexford)
E: veronica.kelly@setu.ie