Overview

The BA (Hons) degree programme offers a wide choice of subjects with students selecting four subjects in First Arts from a choice of thirty subjects and continuing with two of the chosen First Year subjects in Second and Third Arts. It is an honours degree programme taken over a three-year period.

To be eligible for the award of the BA (Hons) degree a student will be required to have achieved 180 credits by obtaining 60 credits in each of First, Second and Third Arts. A student may not register for more than 60 credits in one year.

First Arts

Students must choose four subjects from the groups in Table 1 (below) with not more than one subject from any group.

Timetable Groups

¹

Computer Science: This is available in First Arts and thereafter only as a 10-credit subject within the Single Subject Degree Programme.

²

Portuguese: Students wishing to take Beginners' Portuguese must have obtained a minimum Grade H4 in the Leaving Certificate (or equivalent) in another modern continental language, or Irish, Latin or Greek.

³

Groups 2 (a) and 2 (b): Students can combine group 2 (a) History of Art with any subject from Group 2 (b) in First Year only. Students can only study one subject from Group 2 (a) and 2 (b) in Second and Third Year.

⁴

History of Art: History of Art may be taken with another subject in Group 2 in First Year only.

⁵

European Studies: This subject is available in First Arts and thereafter only as part of the BA (International). European Studies students wishing to transfer to the four-year BA (Hons) International must make an application seeking the approval of the College of Arts, Celtic Studies and Social Sciences. All such applications are subject to examination results and availability of places.

⁶

Chinese Studies: This subject is available in First Arts and thereafter as a 10-credit subject in the Single Subject Programme or as a 20-credit subject in the Major Subject Programme in the three year BA Degree. Students wishing to continue with Chinese Studies as a 30 or 40 credit subject must make an application seeking the approval of the College of Arts, Celtic Studies and Social Sciences to transfer to the BA (International). All such applications are subject to examination results and availability of places. These students will spend the third year of their degree studying at an approved university in China and return to UCC to complete their degree programme in Fourth Year.

⁷

German: Students wishing to select German Non-Beginners should have a minimum grade H4 in German in the Leaving Certificate Examination (or equivalent). Students wishing to take German (Beginners) are recommended to have a minimum of Grade H3 in another modern continental language, or Irish, or Latin, or Greek in the Leaving Certificate Examination (or equivalent). Students will be accepted to the Beginners group only if they have no prior German, or if they have reached a level no higher than Junior Certificate German.

⁸

Latin: This is available in First Arts and thereafter only as a 10 credit subject in the Single Subject programme.

⁹

Mathematical Studies: Students who wish to take Mathematical Studies must have achieved at least a H4 in Mathematics in the Leaving Certificate Examinations (or equivalent).

¹⁰

French: A student will not normally be allowed to select French unless s/he has attained a pass standard in French in the Leaving Certificate Examination (or equivalent).

¹¹

Studies in Music: This is available in First Arts and thereafter as a 10 credit subject in the Single Subject programme only.

¹²

Béaloideas: Students wishing to select Béaloideas should normally have a minimum grade H4 in Irish in the Leaving Certificate Examination (or equivalent). Lectures are through the medium of Irish. Students may not take both Béaloideas and Folklore. Students intending to apply to transfer to the BA (International) and take Chinese Studies, or continental languages at a Single, Major or Joint subject in second year, as part of it should note that they cannot also register for Béaloideas in second year.

¹³

Greek: This is available in First Arts and thereafter only as a 10 credit subject in the Single Subject programme.

¹⁴

Groups 6 (a) and 6 (b): From second year:

• students may combine Italian with Spanish.
• students may not combine Italian with Celtic Civilisation or Philosophy.
• students may not combine Geography with Celtic Civilisation, Philosophy or Spanish in second year.

¹⁵

Italian: Students wishing to take Beginners' Italian are recommended to have a minimum of Grade H4 in another modern continental language, or Irish, or Latin, or Greek in the Leaving Certificate Examination (or equivalent). Students wishing to take Non-Beginners' Italian are recommended to have a minimum of Grade H4 in Italian in the Leaving Certificate Examination (or equivalent).

¹⁶

Spanish: Students wishing to take Beginners' Spanish must have obtained a minimum Grade H4 in the Leaving Certificate (or equivalent) in another modern continental language, or Irish, Latin or Greek OR evidence of competence equivalent to Grade H4 in a foreign language other than Spanish. Students who have studied Spanish at second level and obtained a Grade below H4 can also join the Beginners' Spanish course. Students wishing to take Non-Beginners' Spanish must have obtained a minimum Grade H4 in Spanish in the Leaving Certificate Examination (or equivalent).

Quotas for Subjects

All students are guaranteed their four subject choices, provided any prerequisites are met.

Second and Third Arts

No student may register for Second or Third Arts until he/she has passed the First University Examination in Arts, or the Second University Examination in Arts, as appropriate. The selection of any module is conditional on the Professor or Lecturer concerned and the College being satisfied that a student is capable of profiting by attendance thereat. Students may not select modules which involve a timetable clash.

There are three kinds of BA (Hons): Single Subject, Major Subject and Joint Subject.

BA (HONS) (Single Subject)

The BA (Hons) (Single Subject) programme involves studying two subjects at honours level in both Second and Third Arts. Students should note that there may be minimum credit requirements for entry into some postgraduate programmes. Students must check such minimum requirements with individual departments.

Entry into Second Arts requires: (i) passing First Arts, and (ii) meeting any subject entry requirements (see Table 2).

Entry into Third Arts depends on passing the Second Arts Examination overall.

In each of Second and Third Arts, modules amounting to 60 credits will be studied, with 50 credits in one subject and 10 credits in the other to make up a Single Subject Degree.

BA (HONS) (Major Subject)

The BA (Hons) (Major Subject) programme involves studying two subjects at honours level in both Second and Third Arts. Students should note that there may be minimum credit requirements for entry into some postgraduate programmes. Students must check such minimum requirements with individual departments.

Entry into Second Arts requires: (i) passing First Arts, and (ii) meeting any subject entry requirements (see Table 2).

Entry into Third Arts depends on passing the Second Arts Examination in both subjects.

In each of Second and Third Arts, modules amounting to 60 credits will be studied, with 40 credits in one subject and 20 credits in the other to make up a Major Subject Degree.

BA (HONS) (Joint Subject)

The BA (Hons) (Joint Subject) programme involves studying two subjects at honours level in both Second and Third Arts.

Entry into Second Arts requires: (i) passing First Arts, and (ii) meeting any subject entry requirements (see Table 2 below).

Entry into Third Arts depends on passing the Second Arts Examination in both subjects.

In each of Second and Third Arts, modules amounting to 60 credits will be studied, 30 credits in each of the two subjects, to make up a Joint Subject Degree.

Subject Combinations

Table 2 outlines the range of subject combinations available for the three degree pathways. Notes on selection of subjects along with individual subject entry requirements are also provided in the table.

Table 2

BA (Hons) Programme (CK101) Subject Combinations

Note:

• Archaeology: Field Work is obligatory for students selecting Archaeology, subject to public safety guidelines in prevailing pandemic circumstances.
• English: Students who wish to register for English in Second Arts are strongly recommended to have achieved a minimum of 50% in English in the First University Examination in Arts.
• Geography: Field Work is obligatory for students selecting Geography, subject to public safety guidelines in prevailing pandemic circumstances.
• Latin: Latin is not available at 30 credits in final year for 2023/24.
• Mathematical Studies: Students who wish to register for Mathematical Studies in Second Arts are strongly recommended to have achieved a minimum of 50% in Mathematical Studies in the First University Examination in Arts.
• Philosophy: Students who wish to register for Philosophy in Second Arts are strongly recommended to have achieved a minimum of 50% in Philosophy in the First University Examination in Arts.

*** Only for Incoming First Years and Repeat First Years 2024/2025 ***
*** Click here for Marks and Standards for all other years ***

Marks and Standards

These Marks and Standards should be read in conjunction with the Programme Requirements and the Book of Modules.

Fitness to Practise

All students on programmes subject to Fitness to Practise in UCC will be required to comply with the Fitness to Practise Policy and meet the relevant Fitness to Practise standards, in order to progress to the next year of his/her/their programme. Click here for a list of programmes subject to the Fitness to Practise Policy.

Marks and Credits

Students are required to take modules to the value of 60 credits.
Total Marks for year: 1200.

First Year - Pass and Progression Criteria

To pass first year and progress to second year, students must achieve:

1. An aggregate mark of 40% across all modules,
2. A pass mark in at least three subjects (45 credits) with a mark of not less than 40% in each module and in each subject, and
3. A mark of not less than 30% in the remaining subject (15 credits).

Pass by Compensation: Students who satisfy each of the above criteria are allowed to compensate in a subject with modules to the value of 15 credits and pass the year overall.

Note: only subjects which are passed with at least 40% in each module in that subject may be continued in second and third year.

Students who pass a subject by compensation, can opt to resit this subject at the Autumn Supplemental Examination or in a repeat year if they wish to register for the subject in second year and third year. Students who do not reach the pass standard (at least 40% in the subject and at least 40% in each module in the subject) in Autumn, can use the result achieved in Summer to progress to Second Year but will not be allowed to register for this subject.

Award of Honours in the Degree Award

An honours classification is awarded for the final degree using the final year examination results and marks carried forward from the penultimate year. The aggregate of 33.33% of the penultimate year marks plus 66.67% of the final year marks will be used to calculate the final degree award.

Honours will be awarded as follows:

1. First Class Honours: ≥ 70%
2. Second Class Honours, Grade I: ≥ 60% and <70%
3. Second Class Honours, Grade II: ≥ 50% and <60%
4. Pass: ≥ 40% and <50%

Award of Honours when a student undertakes Study Abroad
When students study abroad as part of his/her/their degree programme, the calculation of the final degree award is based on modules in the Book of Modules only.

Examination Boards

• Provisional marks for Semester 1 examinations are released in January/February of each year. These marks are subject to approval at the University Examination Board.
• Marks for all modules taken in Semester 1 and 2, including those wholly assessed by Continuous Assessment, will be presented to the University Examination Board at the end of Semester 2.

Supplemental Examinations and Assessment

• Students who fail to achieve the progression standard for the year at the Summer Examination Board must complete Supplemental Examinations and/or Continuous Assessment for those specific module(s), where there is provision to do so.
• Please refer to the Book of Modules for requirements governing the Supplemental Examination and Assessment for individual modules. Note: For some modules there is no Supplemental Examination and Assessment.
• The marks achieved in the Supplemental Examinations and/or Continuous Assessment of a repeat module are considered at the Autumn Examination Board.
• The actual mark achieved by the candidate in the Supplemental or Repeat Year Examination will be recorded on the student record (Academic Transcript).
• The maximum mark that will be taken into account for aggregation and progression purposes is a pass level, unless the student has been granted a cap waiver or deferral by the University Mitigation Committee, or a University Examination Board, or has been approved to defer the previous attempt by the University Mitigation Committee.
• At the Autumn Examination Board, marks from all passed modules approved at the Summer Examination Board are carried forward and are combined with the marks achieved in Supplemental Examinations and/or Assessments. The pass and progression criteria are applied to the aggregate mark achieved.

Note: The mark achieved at the last examination/assessment attempt is the mark that is included in the calculation of the aggregate mark for pass and progression purposes.

Study Abroad

• When students study abroad as part of his/her/their degree programme, they will be assessed by his/her/their host university.
• To pass the study abroad period and progress to the subsequent year, a student must achieve a pass standard as applied by the host institution.
• A Pass/Fail judgement will be presented to the UCC Examination Boards:
  • At the Summer Examination Board for students spending Semester 1 abroad.
  • At the Autumn/Winter Examination Board for students spending the full academic year abroad or Semester 2 only.
• For students failing to achieve a pass mark, Supplemental Assessment will be prescribed by the School in UCC, and these results will be presented at a Winter Examination Board.

Exemptions

All passed modules carry an exemption, which is limited to a period of five academic years (or two in the case of Computer Science modules) subsequent to the award of the exemption.

Repeat Year Examinations

Students repeating the year may do so choosing one of the following mechanisms:

1. Students retain module exemptions, if any, and must repeat all failed/absent modules, including those modules where the failing mark previously achieved was greater than the level of compensation (≥ 30%) but who failed to achieve the progression standard for the year (see above). The pass and progression criteria are then applied to the combination of full marks achieved in modules passed at the first attempt, plus capped marks achieved in modules in the Repeat Year Examinations.​

Note: For students selecting different modules not previously taken, there are no restrictions on the marks awarded for those modules at the first attempt in a repeat year. The selection of different modules by the student means that the student foregoes any previous marks achieved in the original modules (including previously passed modules).

2. Students may forego all module exemptions achieved and repeat the year choosing modules to the value of the full 60 credits. In determining pass and progression, there is no restriction on the marks awarded for modules taken at the first attempt of the Repeat Year. Modules taken at the subsequent Supplemental Examination and Assessment are capped at the pass mark.

Subject to capacity, all students - whether they have failed or passed - are allowed to choose this second option, in an attempt to improve his/her/their grade.

Students repeating the final year are eligible for the award of Honours in the first Repeat Year only. Final year students wishing to repeat the year with a view to improving his/her/their degree result may do so only if they have not been conferred.

Three Year Rule

Students must pass/progress within three academic years of the date of first registration for a year, otherwise they cannot continue in the programme.

Terms and Definitions

Programme Description

• The programme description is outlined in the Programme Requirements tab.

Module Descriptions/Assessment

• Module descriptions, including the pass standard for a module, special requirements to pass a module, and assessment elements and their weightings, are contained in the Book of Modules.

Marks and Credits

• A maximum of 100 marks may be awarded for every five credits of a programme.
• Some modules are assessed on a Pass/Fail basis only, i.e. marks are not awarded.

Pass and Progression

• Progression is defined as the permission granted to a student to register in the subsequent academic year for the next set of modules within his/her/their programme of study.
• Compensation is defined as the process by which a student, who fails to satisfy some of the regulations for credit in a specific module, is nevertheless recommended for credit to be awarded on the grounds that the failure is offset by his/her/their performance in the other modules on his/her/their programme of study.