International Business & LanguagesGnó Idirnáisiúnta ┐Teangacha

Leaving Certificate Requirements

Mature Applicants

This course has three key characteristics: the acquisition of business expertise, the acquisition of professional competence in one or more languages, and the third year spent abroad in the country of the student’s major language.

With increasing globalisation and dependency on international trade, fluency in other languages is vital to the success of businesses dealing with countries abroad. Students who successfully complete the course will be equipped to play a key role in companies and organisations seeking out new markets and/or expanding in them.

The course is shared equally between the School of Languages and the School of Marketing at TU Dublin. You’ll study the full range of business modules required to gain an in-depth understanding of international business. You’ll also study the language(s) of your choice and acquire a level of competency in the one or more languages that you need to work in multilingual and multicultural environments.

You’ll normally have obtained a minimum grade of H4 in the Leaving Certificate or equivalent in one or more of the languages offered on the course, currently Chinese, French, German, Irish, Italian and Spanish.

You can also study a new language from beginner’s level and may specialise in it if you do well enough.

Study Abroad Opportunities

Students must spend Year 3 in the country of their major language. This will normally be in a partner university but may be on a work placement.

• Bank Official
• Business Consultant
• Development Worker
• English Language Assistant
• Event Organiser
• Export Sales Manager
• Financial Adviser
• HR Administrator
• International Aid Officer
• International Investment Fund Manager
• Interpreter
• Lecturer
• Management Consultant
• Market Research Executive
• Marketing Executive
• Multilingual Customer Care
• PR Officer
• Recruitment Consultant
• Retail Manager
• Sales Exec or Manager
• Software Localisation Officer
• Teacher
• Third Secretary
• Tour Guide or Manager
• Tour Operator
• Translator

Advanced Entry applications are accepted to this course. For further information on how to make an Advanced Entry application, please visit our CAO Hub. A full list of courses open for Advanced Entry are listed on the CAO website.

To qualify for Advanced Entry applicants must be currently studying, completing, or have successfully completed, studies at Level 6, 7 or 8 in a Higher Education Institution (HEI) or an equivalent, in a related area. You must demonstrate by providing transcripts of results that you have achieved the learning outcomes for each stage you wish to advance past, for example:

• To enter Year 2 via Advanced Entry, you must demonstrate that you have met the learning outcomes for Year 1.
• For entry to Year 3, you must demonstrate that you have met the learning outcomes for Years 1 and 2.
• For entry to Year 4, you must demonstrate that you have met the learning outcomes for Years 1, 2, and 3.

If English is not your first language you will need to provide evidence of your English language proficiency as detailed on our website.

I think IBL is an excellent course that combines two very important disciplines needed in today’s globalised world: the ability to speak languages and an understanding of a great variety of business subjects. I like the way business subjects, such as Marketing, Management and Finance, are all interconnected throughout the course so that you often learn something in one subject and can instantly relate it to something you learnt in a different subject. That makes it more interesting and easier to understand. Two years ago, I started as a complete beginner and now I feel so confident in the language that I cannot wait to go on Erasmus next year!

On graduation, you may proceed to postgraduate studies leading to the award of MSc, MPhil or PhD at research institutes and universities worldwide.