English
Our BA in English offers you the opportunity to explore books, films, and theatre under the guidance of world-class scholars. By studying English you will develop your knowledge, creativity, and writing skills, and get more from the literature you love.
| Award Name | Degree - Honours Bachelor (Level 8 NFQ) |
|---|---|
| NFQ Classification | Major |
| Awarding Body | National University of Ireland |
| NFQ Level | Level 8 NFQ |
| Award Name | NFQ Classification | Awarding Body | NFQ Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| Degree - Honours Bachelor (Level 8 NFQ) | Major | National University of Ireland | Level 8 NFQ |
Duration
3 or 4 Years
Specific Subjects or course requirements
Leaving Certificate Entry Requirements
At least six subjects must be presented. Minimum grade H5 in two subjects and minimum grade O6/H7 in four other subjects. English and Irish are requirements for all programmes unless the applicant is exempt from Irish. Applicants will need to meet the following minimum entry requirements:
English O6/H7
Irish O6/H7
Other Language O6/H7
Additional Requirements
There are further subject-specific requirements for subjects on offer through the BA in Arts. You can find out details on subject-specific entry requirements in the Academic Programme Catalogue.
Applied Mathematics (Group 2a)
Students who wish to take Applied Mathematics must have achieved at least a H3 in Mathematics in the Leaving Certificate (or equivalent).
French (Group 4)
A Student will not normally be allowed to select French unless they have attained a pass standard in French in the Leaving Certificate Examination (or equivalent).
German (Group 3)
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.
Italian (Group 6a)
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).
Mathematics (Group 3)
Students who wish to take Mathematics must have achieved at least a H3 in Mathematics in the Leaving Certificate Examination (or equivalent).
Portuguese (Group 1)
If you wish to take Beginners' Portuguese, you must have obtained a minimum H4 in the Leaving Certificate Examination (or equivalent) in another modern continental language, or Irish, Latin, or Greek.
Spanish (Group 6b)
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).
Leaving Certificate Vocational Progamme LCVP
UCC awards the following points to the Leaving Certificate Vocational Programme Link Modules:
Distinction 66 points
Merit 46 points
Pass 28 points
While Link Modules are counted for point scoring purposes they may not be counted as one of the six subjects to satisfy minimum entry requirements.
QQI FET Applicants General Information
Careers / Further progression
Skills and Careers Information
English is a flexible and attractive degree which can help you achieve success in such professions as:
journalism and broadcasting
teaching
publishing
theatre
public relations
arts management
marketing and information sciences
Graduates of the BA in English have a range of transferrable skills including the ability to:
Write clearly and effectively
Think independently and creatively
Organise and engage in research
Evaluate ideas and derive conclusions based on research
Craft well-supported, logical arguments
Apply theories to understand critical problems
Present information cogently and concisely
Collaborate and work as part of a team
The UCC BA in English supports and sustains a lifelong relationship with literature, and equips you with the skills and knowledge to become a critical thinker, an effective communicator, an elegant writer, and a creative person able to make a positive contribution to our society and culture.
Further information
Approximate Available Places 6
Find out about the mature entry requirements at https://www.ucc.ie/en/study/undergrad/entryreqs/matureapplicants/
Approximate Available Places Overall 55
Entry 2024
Early online application (discounted): Fee €30 Closing Date: 20 January 2024 at 5pm
Normal online application: Fee €45 Closing Date: 1 February 2024 at 5pm
Late online application - restrictions apply (see page 3 2024 CAO Handbook): Fee: €60 Closing Date: 1 May 2024 at 5pm
Change of Mind - restrictions apply (see page 3 2024 CAO Handbook): Fee: Nil Closing Date: 1 July 2024 at 5pm
Exceptional online late application (see page 34 of the 2024 CAO Handbook): Fee €60 Closing Date: 22 July 2024 at 5pm
Be sure to complete any action well in advance of closing dates. You should avoid making an application close to a closing date. No extensions to closing dates will be allowed and all application fees are non-refundable.
LATE APPLICATIONS
Late Applications are those which are received after 5pm on 1 February 2024. The closing date for late applications is 5pm on 1 May 2024, subject to the restrictions listed on page 3 of the 2024 CAO Handbook. The online facility for late applications opens on the 5 March 2024 at 12:00 noon - a fee of €60 applies.
Exceptional Late Applications (Exception to the timetable)
The exceptional closing date of 22 July at 5pm applies only to applicants who are registered as an undergraduate student on 1 May 2024 in any year in any one of the participating HEIs (subject to the exclusions listed below). In order to avail of the Exceptional Late Application facility you must have entered the HEI through the CAO system. This is an exceptional late closing date and all steps must be completed by 5pm on 22 July. No changes may be made after this date.
If you did not enter your current course through the CAO system, you must first contact the Admissions Office of the HEI to which you wish to apply and they will inform you if you may submit an application direct to the institution.
Exclusions:
You may submit a late application only for entry to courses other than your existing course. If you wish to repeat the year in the same course you must arrange this within your HEI.
Mary Immaculate College Limerick, Marino Institute of Education, Trinity College Dublin, University of Limerick and Maynooth University have special procedures in place in the case of current or previous students who wish to apply for entry to another course in the same HEI. Such applicants must contact their Admissions Office to determine the application procedure. However, if you are a student in another HEI and you wish to apply to any of these five HEIs, you should apply through CAO.
Refer to page 34 of the 2024 CAO Handbook on how to make an Exceptional Late Application.
Restrictions
As a CAO applicant you may experience one or more of the following restrictions based on your course choices, your category of application, or restrictions imposed by the HEIs that you wish to apply to. Please read the section on 'Restrictions' on page 3 of the 2024 CAO Handbook carefully. This section includes information on:
General Restrictions
1. Making a late application
2. Making changes to your course choices
Restricted Courses
3. Applying for a restricted course
Mature Applicants
4. Mature applicants
Supplementary Admissions Routes
5. Applying for DARE and/or HEAR
The English Department at UCC has a strong tradition of creativity and independent thinking. In choosing the BA in English, you will join a community of scholars who are passionate about literature and dedicated to helping you achieve your goals and reach your potential.
Our BA introduces you to the subject in its fullest sense. Through reading, writing, discussion, and group and independent research, you will learn about literary genres, movements, and historical periods and develop a deep understanding of critical theories and current debates. You will also have the option of studying creative writing and digital literacy. The programme enables you to gain invaluable experience and skills in research, creative and critical thinking, effective communication, presentation, and teamwork.
Modules
The programme offers a varied and stimulating introduction to literature and culture in the English language. You will be introduced to writing in a range of genres, including novels, poetry, and drama, from several historical periods, and will gain a solid foundation in key critical and cultural theories.
Year 1 Modules
EN1010 Critical Reading and Writing (5 credits)
EN1011 Literature in Time (5 credits)
EN1012 Literature in Question (5 credits)
EN1101 Contexts: the Production and Reception of Literature and Film (5 credits)
EN1103 Problems in Literature (10 credits)
In addition choose two subjects from the list below, with no more than one from each group.
Group 1: Applied Mathematics (Arts); European Studies; Folklore; Gaeilge/Irish; Greek and Roman Civilisation; History of Art
Group 2: Archaeology; Chinese Studies; German; Latin; Mathematics; Mathematical Studies; Politics
Group 3: French; Sociology
Group 4: Geography; Italian
Group 4b: Celtic Civilisation; Philosophy; Spanish
Year 2 Modules
Core: Critical Skills Seminars; Introduction to Old English Language; Special Topics in Literature and Culture.
Electives: Introduction to Renaissance Literature; Modern Drama; Adaptation, Literature and Culture; Romance and Realism; American Literature to 1900; Eighteenth-Century Literature; Chaucer: The Canterbury Tales and Related Texts; Women and Literature; DH2006 Curation and Storytelling in the Digital Age; LL2003 Aspects of the Classical Tradition.
Year 3 Modules
Core: Special Studies Seminars; Dissertation.
Electives: The Irish Literary Revival and Irish Modernism; Victorian Literature; Modernism; Romance: Medieval to Renaissance; Contemporary Irish Writing; Studies in Shakespeare; Contemporary Culture; Of Monsters and Men: Old and Early English Literature; Modern and Contemporary American Literature; Romantic Literature.
Academic Programme Catalogue
See the Academic Programme Catalogue for the complete and up-to-date content for this course. Note that the modules for all courses are subject to change from year-to-year. For complete descriptions of individual modules, see the Book of Modules.
Academic Programme Catalogue
See the Academic Programme Catalogue (https://ucc-ie-public.courseleaf.com/programmes/) for the complete and up-to-date content for this course. Note that the modules for all courses are subject to change from year-to-year. For complete descriptions of individual modules, see the Book of Modules (https://ucc-ie-public.courseleaf.com/modules/)
Contact Details For This Course
Dr Miranda Corcoran
miranda.corcoran@ucc.ie
+353 (0)21 490 2585
http://www.ucc.ie/english
English Department Office
englishdepartment@ucc.ie