Academics

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

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

• Certain classes at UCD 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 Dublin (and in some cases, a few weeks before the semeste starts), but be aware of any listed pre-requisites when registering. 

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

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

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

At UCD, you apply directly to a 'college' within the larger university framework: either Arts & Humanities, Social Sciences, or Science. The college you apply to is where you will take the majority (4) of your modules. You may cross-register two modules into another school. For example, if you apply to Arts & Humanities, you could take four classes in Arts & Humanities and two in Social Sciences. 

Keep in mind: 

• Psychology modules are strictly limited to Psychology majors as per UCD's rules

• You will be prioritized for registration in your “home college” (the college you applied to). 

• You are not prioritized in the college in which you cross register. If, for example, you apply to Social Sciences and you want cross-register one module in the college of Science, you can totally do that, but you’re not going to be guaranteed the Science module. 

Main takeaway: academic flexibility is important at UCD!

DISCOVERING IRELAND IS NOT ACCEPTED FOR HOLY CROSS CREDIT. 

Other classes that are not accepted for HC 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.)

You can search modules here. Filter by 'autumn' if you are going to UCD in the Fall and 'spring' if you are going in the spring.  

Module registration is not competitive at UCD 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 UCD 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 UCD. You MUST register for 30 credits. 

Key Takeaway: Keep a close eye on your email for communications from UCD about registration

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.)

DISCOVERING IRELAND IS NOT ACCEPTED FOR HOLY CROSS CREDIT. 

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

A module that carries 15 credits or higher is equal to two HC courses.

GRADE CONVERSION  UNIVERSITY COLLEGE DUBLIN 

3.8+ A

3.6 – 3.7 A-

3.4– 3.5 B+

3.2 – 3.3 B

3.0 – 3.1 B-

2.8 – 2.9 C+

2.6 – 2.7 C

2.4 – 2.5 C

2.2– 2.3 D+

2.0-2.1 D

1.99 & below F

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 away, your cumulative 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 have any history of accommodations for learning disabilities or anything similar, you must let the Office of Study Abroad know so we can start making arrangements at UCD 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 now.  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 UCD here.