University College Cork

Brochure 2012

The Iowa Regents’ Semester in Ireland offers undergraduate students an opportunity to study for a semester at an Irish University. Students are fully integrated academically and socially with their Irish counterparts at the University College, Cork (UCC).

University College Cork combines history with modernity in a beautiful campus on the edge of Cork city. Originally established as one of the three Queen’s Colleges in 1845, UCC quickly grew into a full-scale university. Today it holds over 16,000 students in eight faculties (colleges) on mature, well-wooded grounds by the riverside. There are over 60 departments on campus, many housed in Gothic-style buildings from the late 19th century. Students have access to an array of services at UCC that include the Devere Hall Aras Na Mac Leìnn Student Center. The student center offers a Lounge Bar, Coffee Shop, Confectionery and Food Store, TV Rooms, and a Travel Office. In the Boole Library, students will find over 600,000 books and journals, and reading places for over 1,500 people people.

The Regent’s Semester in Ireland program is offered in the fall and spring semesters as well as for the full year. The fall semester starts in September and ends in late December. International students are also allowed to attend Early Start programs that begin in late August. The spring semester runs from January to early May. Students have almost the entire month of April off for the Easter holidays. Exact dates vary each year; contact the study abroad office for specific information. Each semester in Cork begins with three days of orientation, registration, and a reception. Participants in the Regent’s Program will attend these events, as they cater to new students and are designed to tell you about life on campus.

The majority of American visiting students coming to UCC will wish to take modules in the College of Arts, Celtic Studies and Social Sciences. Although departments are happy to consider applications from students to take virtually any module (there are restrictions in some cases), but it is helpful to bear a number of points in mind.

Demand for some modules is extremely high. This is particularly the case for modules in Applied Psychology, English and History, where the demands of Irish and other European students frequently coincide with those of visiting American students. Please bear in mind that it is not always possible to guarantee admission to particular modules, although we will do our best to offer you places in the modules you prefer. Essentially, the earlier you apply, the better your chances.

While the academic year is divided into two teaching periods, some modules are taught over the full academic year. This means that a student wishing to spend a semester only at UCC does have a range of options from which to choose, but that modules in some departments cannot be taken by students who will not be spending the full academic year at UCC. The principal departments offering semester-type options in the Faculty of Arts are Archaeology, Celtic Civilisation, English, Folklore, Latin, Greek, Greek and Roman Civilisation, History, Music, Philosophy and Spoken Irish. Information on modules offered by the College of Arts, Celtic Studies and Social Studies and the College of Science, Engineering and Food Science available on this website.

Visiting students usually wish to be offered places in tutorials which present the opportunity to address the material under discussion in a more informal and detailed way than in the larger lecture group. Generally places in tutorials are offered on the same basis as for local students. However, the Department of English, which has the largest number of students, is constrained by staffing and practical considerations and cannot offer tutorial classes in parallel with every module, as is the convention in other departments. It has therefore been decided, in the case of the Department of English to offer (a) a special seminar class which is confined to full-degree students (i.e. not including visiting European and American students) and (b) to offer separate tutorials to visiting American students taking modules in the Department of English. This means that lectures are "integrated" but tutorials are not.

As there is a wide range of modules open to visiting students at UCC it is important to ensure that careful consideration is given when selecting modules. For instance, a student without a background in a particular subject should not in general choose a specialised third year course in the subject. There will also be occasional but inevitable incompatibilities because of timetable conflicts or some other logistical problems. Students should consult with their academic advisors at their home universities, who can assist them in making the right choices, before specifying their module choices.

(Source: ucc.ie/en)

Housing: Regents participants have a range of housing options available to them. There are on campus apartments such as Castlewhite Apartments or Victoria Lodge. There are also many off campus options such as The Spires apartments and Leeside Apartments. For those who do not wish to stay in apartments, other various houses and home stay options are available.

Please follow the links for more information on available housing options.
On Campus Housing

Information on Accommodation Options at UCC and in Cork

UCC Application for Accommodation

Meals: Kitchen facilities are provided in all housing options. There are many supermarkets small shops and other markets for students to buy groceries. The university also provides full catering facilities on the campus. Snacks, lunches and evening meals are available from Monday through Friday inclusive throughout the academic year in the main restaurant. In addition, light lunches and snacks are served at other venues on campus. The facilities include a full salad bar and an omelets bar and vegetarian meals are also offered. The University Bar serves snacks until 11 p.m. In fact it is possible to eat on campus from 8.15 a.m. to 11.00 p.m. on weekdays and all meals offered are very competitively priced. A full daily or weekly menu is available in the student restaurant.

The program fee for fall 2012 is $8,100. The program fee includes: Tuition, Regents & UCC fees. The final cost of the program will vary according to classes and housing options selected and the exchange rate at the time of billing.

The program fee does not include: Housing, meals, airfare, personal expenses, passport, and ISIC.