1. Information on the application process
Overall, the application process is very pleasant and quick. After I couldn’t get a place abroad through my university, I sat down with Claudia from MicroEDU and we looked for a suitable university abroad. I decided on the Dublin Business School relatively quickly. Before starting the application process, it is important that you clarify with your home university whether the courses at the university abroad are generally recognized and whether enough suitable courses are offered in Dublin.
The actual application was then very straightforward. About three weeks after I sent all the application documents to MicroEDU, I received an acceptance from Dublin.
After I received my acceptance from the DBS, I first wrote to the student residences from Germany from the DBS Accommodation Guide. The dormitories were all already occupied. So my tip: If you want to live in a student dormitory, take care of it very early. Visit educationvv.com to get information about California State University Long Beach student exchange program.
I wanted to look at private apartments or rooms first, because you never know what to expect. Once in Dublin, the search for a place to stay began. I quickly realized that the housing market is much more critical than it was in previous years. After three days I found a room with a fellow student in a four-person apartment. Even if you don’t know it from Germany, in Dublin it is quite common for two people to share a room and it was an exciting experience.
But I’ve heard from other fellow students that it sometimes took them two or three weeks to find something. When viewing, pay particular attention to the formation of mold. I saw some nice apartments in which, for example, the ceiling was black with mold.
You have to invest some time and you should go to Dublin a week before the course starts, but you can still find good accommodation on site. Otherwise, there will still be enough time to look for an apartment during the English course.
3. Information on studying
At the DBS, I first attended the three-week English course. This was a good opportunity to meet new people and brush up on my English. During my actual studies, I then attended the following courses:
Auditing (6 CPs)
In Auditing we learned the basics of auditing. In addition to the requirements for the auditors, the auditing process was also examined more closely. The audit took place in the form of group work in which we had to examine the independence of the auditors more closely.
Risk Management (7.5 CPs)
In Risk Management, we have largely dealt with the identification and assessment of risks and the value at risk. In the end, when it came to hedging, it was also about limiting risks. In the final assignment, we had to examine and assess the value at risk.
Project Management (10 CPs)
As the name suggests, in this module we dealt with the various areas of project management. In the lectures we did a lot of group work, which loosened up the atmosphere a lot. As exams, we had to write two term papers as group work and then present our results in the lecture.
Quantitative Applications for Finance (5 CPs)
This module was completed entirely on the PC. In the lecture we dealt with statistical formulas, option pricing, optimization and VBA programming. Three small assignments were required in which we could prove our knowledge of the individual parts.
Strategic Management (7.5 CPs)
The name of this module also describes the content quite well. In the lecture we dealt with the various strategic models. In the assignment we had to apply Porter’s model to the pharmaceutical industry.
Overall, the level in the lectures is slightly lower than in Germany. But the whole thing made it clear to me that we are already studying at a very high level in Germany. The courses and assignments were feasible, but you have to be careful not to pile up everything in the last few weeks.
4. Support from the DBS
First of all, it should be noted that the people in Dublin are all very friendly and the DBS staff always try to help the students.
In the first few weeks I found the flow of information about the courses to be negative. The actual course registration was repeatedly postponed because the modules were still being revised. The DBS employees were also unable to give us any information about the modules during this time, so that there was a great deal of uncertainty among the students. In the end, in addition to three planned modules, I then attended two other modules because, contrary to previous announcements, not all courses were offered. But even with all the chaos with the choice of course, the staff at the International Office always did their best to help us.
5. Free time and excursion possibilities
In addition to studying, I didn’t miss out on my free time. In addition to the pub and party life, there are a few other nice things to see in Dublin. So it is worth taking a walk through the city and also a little outside of the city center to see a few beautiful sights. In addition, there are many museums in Dublin, most of which are also free.
To really get a taste of Ireland, you have to go a bit outside of Dublin. At the beginning, trips to Howth or Bray, where you can enjoy the sea and a cliff walk, are enough. The university also offers some good excursions in the Dublin area (e.g. Wicklow Mountains, Trim Castle, Kilkenny). I have also been to the Ring of Kerry (a headland in the southwest), Connemara, the Cliffs of Moher, Galway and Belfast with a few fellow students. The tours were really worth it. In addition to some organized day trips, it is also advisable to simply rent a car.
6. Cost
The biggest cost factor was the tuition fees, but also the cost of living in Ireland is slightly higher than in Germany. In German supermarkets like Lidl you can buy relatively cheap. After a while I also found out in which Irish supermarkets you can buy some things cheaply.
In addition to the normal cost of living, free time also costs some money. Interesting day trips cost between 30 and 60 euros. But you can also go cheap with the DART to Howth or Bray to get an impression of the landscape. If you don’t want to do without Guinness in the evening, you can pay between 4.5 and 5 euros for the Guinness. In the tourist areas it is a bit more expensive. Therefore, it is best to look for a pub that is not directly in the city center.
7. Conclusion
Overall, the semester abroad was a very rewarding experience. Of course there are always moments and things that annoy you, but in general I am very satisfied. As described, everything was a bit chaotic at DBS this year, but overall I can recommend the semester abroad at DBS. In general, it is important to have such an international experience during your studies. You get to know a lot of interesting people and thus have a lot of cultural experiences. Besides, it’s a great way to get to know a country better.
