Overview
The BSc (Hons) in International Development is a four-year programme offered by the School of Business. The programme includes a 22-week period of Work Placement in the Third Year.
First Year - International Development
In order to be admitted to the First University Examination in International Development a student must have satisfactorily attended prescribed modules amounting to 60 credits comprising core modules to the value of 50 credits, and elective modules to the value of 10 credits.
Second Year - International Development
In order to be admitted to the Second University Examination in International Development a student must have satisfactorily attended prescribed modules amounting to 60 credits comprising core modules to the value of 45 credits, and elective modules to the value of 15 credits.
Third Year - International Development
In order to be admitted to the Third University Examination in International Development a student must have satisfactorily attended prescribed modules amounting to 60 credits comprising core modules to the value of 40 credits, elective modules to the value of 5 credits and a Development Work Placement module or Research Project to the value of 15 credits. The Third University Examination in International Development will be undertaken in March/April.
Work Placement
Students undertake the 22-week period of Work Placement (FE3013 - 15 credits) after the Third University Examination. In certain special extenuating circumstances as discussed and agreed by the Programme Director, a student may be able to participate in FE3355 (15 credits) in lieu of undertaking work placement.
Fourth Year - International Development
In order to be admitted to the Fourth University Examination in International Development a student must have satisfactorily attended prescribed modules amounting to 60 credits comprising core modules to the value of 40 credits and elective modules to the value of 20 credits.
Repeat Year Arrangements
The title of this programme changed from BSc (Hons) (International Development and Food Policy) to BSc (Hons) (International Development) for students entering the programme from 2020/21 onwards. The programme was also revised with changes being implemented on a phased basis with the new title. Students who entered the programme prior to 2020/21 and are required subsequently to repeat one or more modules in a repeat year will do so under the revised curriculum and associated regulations (detailed on the Programme Requirements tab). In the event that a student fails one or more modules that are not available in the repeat year, special repeat arrangements will be made for that student. This may entail studying new material (not previously covered in the old curriculum) in the repeat year, as part or whole substitution for the module(s) failed, and/or may require students to take equivalent credits in the repeat year and/or subsequent years. A similar arrangement will apply for students who take a year or more leave of absence.
Programme Requirements
For information about modules, module choice, options and credit weightings, please go to Programme Requirements.
Programme Requirements
Module List
| Code |
Title |
Credits |
| |
| FE1005 | Introduction to Development Studies | 10 |
| FE1008 | Data in Development Studies | 5 |
| FE1014 | Communication and Facilitation Skills in Development | 5 |
| FE1019 | Introduction to Food and Agricultural Economics | 5 |
| FE1023 | Socio-Economic Concepts for International Development | 5 |
| FE1024 | Introduction to Development Economics | 5 |
| FE1025 | Introduction to Sustainable Rural Development | 5 |
| GV1218 | International Politics | 5 |
| SC1012 | Introduction to Sociology (Part A) | 5 |
| 10 |
| |
| Introduction to French : Complete Beginners (5) 1 | |
| French for Near Beginners (5) 2 | |
| Threshold French (5) | |
| French for Reading Purposes I (5) | |
| Spanish Language (Beginner Level) (10) | |
| |
| Democracy, Ideology and Utopia (5) | |
| Introduction to Political Science (5) | |
| |
| Local Development and Public Health (5) | |
| |
| Principles of Management (5) | |
| |
| FE2002 | Globalisation, Trade and Development | 5 |
| FE2003 | Introduction to Sustainable Livelihoods Analysis | 5 |
| FE2201 | International Food Policy | 5 |
| FE2203 | Food Economics | 5 |
| FE2920 | Data for Development II | 5 |
| LW2216 | Humanitarianism and the Law | 5 |
| LW2217 | Introduction to Human Rights Law | 5 |
| SC2012 | Race, Ethnicity, Migration and Nationalism | 5 |
| FE2016 | Micro-Finance and Development | 5 |
| 15 |
| 3 | |
| Threshold French
and French for Reading Purposes I | |
| Towards Vantage French
and French for Reading Purposes II | |
| Spanish Language (Beginner Level) (10) 4 | |
| Spanish Language (Improver [01] Level) (10) |
| |
| Introduction to Business Statistics
and Methods of Business Statistics 5 | |
| |
| Citizen Participation (5) | |
| Public Management Concepts (5) | |
| Chinese Politics (5) | |
| International Security (5) | |
| |
| Introduction to Theories and Practices of Health Promotion (5) | |
| Public Health Issues (5) | |
| Fundamentals of Nutrition Part 1 (5) | |
| |
| FE3008 | Programme Planning and Management | 10 |
| FE3009 | Development Management and Organisations | 5 |
| FE3010 | Gender and Development | 5 |
| FE3013 | International Development Work Placement. 6 | 15 |
| FE3015 | Socio-Economic Research in Development | 10 |
| FE3018 | Agriculture and Natural Resource Use in the Developing World | 5 |
| FE3101 | SME and Local Development | 5 |
| 5 |
| Global Political Economy - Trade (5) | |
| Contemporary Ecological and Anti-Capitalist Politics (5) | |
| Conflict and Conflict Resolution (5) | |
| |
| FE4002 | Global Food Policy | 5 |
| FE4005 | Advanced Programme Planning and Policy Processes | 5 |
| FE4006 | Macro-Economic Issues and Development | 5 |
| FE4012 | Humanitarian Action in Development | 5 |
| FE4417 | Contemporary Issues in Development | 5 |
| FE4418 | International Development Dissertation | 15 |
| 20 |
| Co-operatives, Food and Rural Sustainability (5) | |
| Co-operative Banking (5) | |
| |
| Spanish Language (Beginner Level) (10) 4 | |
| Spanish Language (Improver [01] Level) (10) 4 | |
| |
| Global Governance (5) | |
| Contemporary Debates in the EU (5) | |
| European Security (5) | |
| |
| International Food Business (5) | |
| |
| Contemporary Global Health Issues (5) | |
| |
| Climate Change and Historical Climatology (5) | |
| Total Credits | 240 |
Examinations
Full details and regulations governing Examinations for each programme will be contained in the Marks and Standards Book and for each module in the Book of Modules.
Programme Learning Outcomes
Programme Learning Outcomes for BSc (Hons) (International Development) (NFQ Level 8, Major Award)
On successful completion of this programme, students should be able to:
1
1-1
Communicate and work effectively to a professional ethical standard;
1-2
2
Demonstrate analytical and problem solving skills associated with effective ethical practice;
1-3
3
Engage in the application of frameworks and techniques in organisational settings;
1-4
4
Demonstrate understanding of social and economic development in a global context;
1-5
5
Demonstrate ability to engage with key global issues from an inter-disciplinary perspective.
*** 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:
- An aggregate mark of 40% across all modules,
- A pass mark in modules to the value of at least 50 credits, and
- A module mark of at least 30% in any remaining modules.
Pass by Compensation: Students who satisfy each of the above criteria are allowed to compensate in modules to the value of 10 credits and pass the year overall.
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:
- First Class Honours: ≥ 70%
- Second Class Honours, Grade I: ≥ 60% and <70%
- Second Class Honours, Grade II: ≥ 50% and <60%
- 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
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.
