Academics

• All students must have a gpa of 3.0 or higher prior to studying abroad at UCC

• Students cannot have any academic deficiencies before studying abroad at UCC

• All students are required to have a passport that is valid until 6 months after the planned date of return from Cork.

• All students are required to remain in Cork until the end of the examination period. HC students are not allowed to submit special requests to sit exams early for any reason

• Certain classes at UCC might require pre-requisites. For example, you probably can't take an upper-level math course without demonstrating prior knowledge in the area. You will register for classes once you are in Cork, but be aware of any listed pre-requisites when registering. 

Firstly, remember that in Ireland, classes are college modules! 

At UCC, students can take modules (classes) across a range of disciplines. Since University College Cork is a comprehensive university, it offers classes across the sciences, liberal arts, and beyond. UCC can be a great fit for most majors, from Accounting to Bio and beyond. UCC is particularly strong in music theory and performance. Click here to search modules available to visiting students. 

UCC has a robust catalogue of courses available to study abroad students from Biology to Physics to Music and beyond. Click here to search modules available to visiting students. You have the entire catalogue available to you! 

You can search modules here. Remember-you won't finalize your classes until you're on the ground. You can use the module search to get an idea of classes you might take, but you won't formally register until you are in Ireland! Flexibility is key!

University College Cork is unique in that it includes an early-start program for fall semester study abroad students. The early-start gives students a chance to get well-acquainted with various aspects of Irish culture before the start of the semester. It’s a great chance to get immersed in all things Cork before the academic year kicks off!

This three-week programme DOES COUNT FOR HOLY CROSS CREDIT. You must register for 25ECTS for the fall semester since the early-start counts as a 5-credit course. In the spring semester, students register for a standard 30ETCs. 

Module registration is not competitive at UCC like it is here at Holy Cross. Irish students don't typically register for modules until just before the start of any given semester. Since you're going to Ireland, you will do as the Irish do when it comes to registration! You will receive an email from UCC a few weeks before the start of the semester with instructions about module selection. Don't worry- you'll have a chance to add/drop/change your selections once you are on the ground! Remember, 30 ECTS (typically 6 modules) is a standard course load at UCC. You MUST register for 30 credits. 

The Holy Cross credit approval system works like this: 

1. After you arrive in your study abroad destination (or right before, depending on the program), you will receive an email from Jared Chapman in the Registrar’s Office with instructions for submitting Course Approval Forms (CAFs). Students must submit one CAF per class.

2. Once the Registrar's Office receives your CAFs, they will work with Study Abroad Faculty Advisors in the relevant department(s) to evaluate each course for approval. 

3. Shortly after you submit your CAFs, you'll receive an email from the Registrar's Office detailing which classes have/have not been approved. 

Note: If you talk to your advisors before leaving and stay in touch during the course selection process, you should not receive any 'surprise' course rejections. 

Courses not accepted for Holy Cross credit:

1. Online or hybrid (partially online) courses

2. Pre-professional, business, law, and marketing courses

3. Other non-liberal arts courses

4. Courses of similar content to those you have already taken

5. Any major courses required by your major department to be taken at Holy Cross

6. Courses taken without a letter grade (e.g. auditing, pass/no pass, etc.)

One of the most common questions the Office of Study Abroad receives is whether or not a certain class abroad will count towards a student's major, minor, concentration, etc. The answer is...maybe! 

If you think a class might work for your major...

You need to talk to the Study Abroad Faculty Advisor (SAFA) in your major department. 

You should obtain a syllabus or some information about the class before contacting the SAFA. They appreciate as much context as possible.

If you think a class might work for your minor...

You need to talk to the Study Abroad Faculty Advisor (SAFA) in your minor department. 

You should obtain a syllabus or some information about the class before contacting the SAFA. They appreciate as much context as possible.

If you think a class might work for a Common Area requirement...

You need to talk to the Registrar's Office. You can send an email to Jared Chapman (jchapman@holycross.edu) to gain clarity on Common Area requirements abroad. 

You should obtain a syllabus or some information about the class before contacting Jared. He appreciates as much context as possible.

A course that carries at least 5 credits is equal to one HC course; 

A course of 15 credits or higher is equal to two HC courses.

GRADE CONVERSION UNIVERSITY COLLEGE CORK

70+ A

65 – 69 A-

60 – 64 B+

55 – 59 B

50 – 54 B-

45 – 49 C+

40 – 44 C

35 – 39 C-

30 – 34 D

29 & below F

Some tips from your Holy Cross peers who studied abroad in Ireland:

“Take classes you really want to do and don’t sign up for ones that look super easy. Take classes that interest you and ones you would never be able to take at Holy Cross.”

“Don’t go there with the mentality that classes will be easier and you’ll get special treatment because you’re an international student.”

“Attendance isn’t monitored but going to class is the only way you know what will be on the final exam. Finals are very important! Reading lists are also given but with little guidance, so going to class is the best way to figure it out.” 

“Don’t get distracted in class – stay present and take notes (don’t play on your laptop like everyone else around you).” 

After you complete your study abroad term (whether a semester or year), the grades you earn are reported to Holy Cross. All classes taken abroad are listed by their course names on your Holy Cross transcript along with the letter grades you earned, just as they would after any semester on 'the hill'. The difference is that grades earned abroad do not factor into your cumulative GPA. 

Here’s an example: a student who leaves Holy Cross with a 4.0 GPA but earns all 'B's abroad will still have a cumulative 4.0 GPA upon return. This system is designed with students in mind. The College recognizes that opting to spend a semester or year studying in a new academic environment can pose novel challenges. The goal of this generous policy is to encourage students to study abroad without fearing for what a semester or year away might do to their GPA.

NO. You cannot and will not take any classes pass/fail abroad. This is one of those "study abroad myths" that for some unknown reason seems to be passed down from study abroad generation to study abroad generation!

Your HC transcript, after your study abroad semester or year, will reflect the grades that you earn abroad. What will NOT be affected is your gpa.

The grades you earn abroad will not factor into your cumulative gpa. This means if you leave for study abroad with a 4.0, and you get all 'B's when you are in Cork, your gpa when you return to Holy Cross will still be a 4.0. The system is designed with you in mind! Opting to spend a semester or year studying in a completely different academic system is brave. We want to celebrate the work you do abroad by reflecting the letter grades you earn on your transcript. We also understand that it's normal to struggle in a new academic system, therefore we don't factor your grades into your overall gpa. The goal with this policy is to encourage more students to study abroad without fearing for what a semester or year away might do to their gpa! 

You can look forward to much more academic independence when you study abroad. In the Irish system there is frequently only one (sometimes two) assignments that account for your entire course grade. This puts a lot more pressure on that one assignment, but it means you are free from the myriad of smaller assignments you are accustomed to at Holy Cross. There are resources available like the academic writing center and maths center if you feel you are struggling or would like extra help. You will need to take the initiative should you need assistance. Also important to note is that in Ireland, grades are given on ability, not necessarily merit. You should be studying for each class more than double the amount of time you are actually in the class. 

If you receive academic accommodations at Holy Cross, you must let the Office of Study Abroad know so we can start making arrangements at UCC now. It is very important that you take personal ownership over your own experience. It's a good idea to think about the support you might need in advance so we can start planning.  In Ireland, academic accommodations are not as common as they are in the United States, and may look a little different to what you are accustomed to at Holy Cross. You can read more about academic accommodations at UCC here.