1.1. Dublin Business School
Dublin Business School was founded in 1975 and with over 8,500 students, 1,000 of whom come from abroad, is Ireland’s largest private university right in the center of the capital Dublin. As can already be seen from the name, the focus of this university is on management subjects such as general management, law, accounting & finance or marketing.
The application process at Dublin Business School was very stress-free thanks to the great support from MicroEDU. Only at short notice did I take care of the organization of the semester abroad and turned to my contact at MicroEDU to coordinate the application process. Just a few emails later, I already had a detailed knowledge of the requirements of the Dublin Business School and was able to take care of the desired modules, which I then had approved by using the learning agreement. The subsequent filling out and submission of the application documents was quick and problem-free and was very well organized by MicroEDU. Read more student reviews on Ehuacom.
2.1. Course content
Thanks to the combination of modules you had chosen in advance, the first few weeks were stress-free and there was no need to look at other modules due to indecision. The examination performance of all selected modules consisted of a “group assignment” and, in some cases, a subsequent presentation. The respective modules are then presented in more detail.
Management:
The management module is particularly concerned with giving students an insight into the tasks of a manager. This was made clear during the lecture by introducing well-known managers and underpinned by theoretical management models. The aim was to show the required characteristics of a manager and to present the management models used. The term paper consisted of dealing theoretically in particular with the topic of “planning” and combining this with practical experience through an interview with a manager we knew.
Global Business Environment:
This module can best be compared with the “Economics” module and is intended to bring students closer to the cooperation of international markets. In particular, the focus of this module was on the use of a PESTEL analysis, which made up the majority of the housework. This term paper, which I wrote with two other students, had the task of examining a BRICS state using the PESTEL analysis mentioned above and then comparing it with a state of choice.
Business Strategy:
The Business Strategy module dealt with the tasks of the top management of a company. In this subject, particular emphasis was placed on developing a strategy in the course of which management models such as the PESTEL analysis, Porter’s 5 Forces, the SWOT analysis and the VRIN analysis are applied. The constant practical relevance, which the professor established with the help of newspaper reports and TV interviews, was very helpful at this point. The task of the housework, which we had to complete in a group of four, was to use the models already mentioned to apply a strategy for a company that we were allowed to choose.
Project Management and Evaluation:
The aim of this module was to give the students an insight into change management and project management and to present the various models required. The grade for this module consisted of 70% of the report to be completed and 30% of the presentation of the results in front of the entire group. As a basis, we received the case study of the Oilwell Cable Company, which dealt in particular with the aforementioned topics of project management and change management.
Project Planning Techniques:
This module was read by the same professor as the previously described Project Management and Evaluation module. The main focus in this module, however, was on the planning of projects, such as the creation of Gantt charts or a “feasibility analysis”. We were able to apply the learned content to a report and a presentation that dealt with the case study on the problems of Denver International Airport. As part of this processing, we received a package of historical data and figures from the Denver International Airport project and were given the task of processing the various tasks on the basis of this data.
In summary, it can be said that I have selected the modules that are most interesting for me. In addition to already known content, I was able to gain some new knowledge in each subject and, in particular, gain new experience by constantly working in English.
2.2. Study conditions
The support provided by the Dublin Business School was very well organized from the start. In addition to a contact person for organizational questions, we were also given a contact person who organized free tours through Ireland and who was also of great help outside of the university, for example in finding accommodation. The professors also gave you the feeling at any time that you could ask all questions of understanding during or after the lectures via email. Lectures at Dublin Business School generally last 60 minutes. Since the lecture rooms are in different buildings within Dublin and there are no breaks between lectures, the lectures sometimes ended a few minutes earlier.
3.1. living conditions
The city of Dublin, like other capitals, is a fast-paced and bustling city. However, it should be noted that, unlike other major European cities, it can be considered very familiar. This is mainly due to the fact that you can move almost exclusively on foot within this city and every place can be reached in a few minutes, which in turn means that after a very short time you have the feeling that you know your way around very well. Another reason is certainly the very open and friendly way of life of the Irish, with whom you can get into a conversation very quickly. That these people differ from the Germans can be seen in a wide variety of situations. Pedestrian lights are generally crossed when they are red and the bus driver is thanked for the journey when they get off. The fact that Ireland has a slightly higher price level than Germany could be seen in particular from the costs for accommodation and drinks. However, because there are also discounters such as Lidl and Aldi, where the prices are comparable to Germany, the cost point in terms of food was not higher.
3.2. Accommodation search
As recommended in several experience reports, it is advisable to look for accommodation for the entire stay on site. However, this search for accommodation turned out to be a big problem in the first few days, which was mainly due to the fact that our stay in Dublin was limited to only a few months, but the landlords are generally looking for their tenants for a period of at least one year. The consequence of this was that we had to stick to very expensive apartment rentals, which mainly focused on short-term tenants. Due to the very high rental price level, we were forced to share a room for two or four of us over the entire period.
3.3. leisure
When it comes to leisure activities, the city of Dublin offers a multitude of options. Traditional pubs can be found on every corner with live music played in the afternoons and many Irish people can be found. As a disadvantage, the high price level for drinks can be mentioned at this point, a pint is usually not available for less than 5 €. Both the pubs and the clubs generally close between 2 and 4 a.m., which cannot be compared to the German nightlife.
In addition to this leisure activity, the two large shopping streets Henry Street and Grafton Street in particular offer the opportunity to shop very well. In addition, the very large Dundrum shopping center can be reached within a few minutes by taking the “DART” tram.
Another very interesting leisure activity is the wide range of sightseeing tours. Among other things, the “Tourism Office” offers a variety of day tours that give you the opportunity to visit the most beautiful places in Ireland.
Conclusion
The semester abroad was, as intended at the beginning, very helpful to improve your own English skills. However, this could have been expanded if the majority of the lectures had not consisted of German students. In addition to this aspect, the resulting contact with the locals, as well as getting to know their culture and their country, should be mentioned in particular.
“Do’s” definitely include taking part in the day tours and visiting the pubs. As already mentioned, it is very easy to get into conversation with Irish people, who have a very positive image of Germany. It is not uncommon for people to respond positively to Angela Merkel but also to German football. For this reason, you shouldn’t be reluctant to let people get you involved in a conversation, but rather go into it true to the motto “Be proud to be German”.
In summary, it can be said that the semester abroad in Dublin was very positive and was a lot of fun. So this city can only be recommended to everyone.
