UCC Postgraduate courses

Italian

Course Fact File
CodeHDAIT
Duration1 year Full-time; 2 years Part-time
Teaching ModeFull-time, Part-Time. See Additional Teaching Mode Information for more info.
QualificationsHDip in Arts
NFQ LevelLevel 8
Closing Date Rolling deadline. Open until all places have been filled. Early application is advised.
Non-EU Closing DateOpen until all places have been filled or no later than 30 June. Early application is advised.
Start Date9 September 2024

Course Outline

The Higher Diploma in Arts (Italian) is a conversion course for those with a prior knowledge of Italian who want to study Italian language and culture to honours degree level. Competence in Italian language on entry should be equivalent to the standard in Italian achieved at the end of First Arts.

It is aimed at graduates who may want to be considered for a master’s course in the subject area subsequently (but do not have an honours degree in Italian) or who may want to add Italian to their qualifications.

The course involves the study of Italian language to BA level and of Italian culture (literature, theatre, cinema, art, media) from Dante to Berlusconi.  The course consists of modules to the value of 60 credits taken from Levels II and III of the undergraduate BA degree in Italian.

The subject modules will be chosen by you in consultation with the Head of the Department of Italian or the course coordinator, taking into account timetable constraints and suitability of course combinations. In any case, you must include the 10-credit language module at BA level: the Department will determine, in consultation with you, if additional language study is necessary. The programme of study to be followed may differ for each individual student, depending on the your background, preferred area of specialisation, etc.

If you are applying for this course to gain a teaching subject please consult with the and Teaching Council subject Declaration form to view specific requirements for this subject.

If you are applying for this course for future eligibility into the Profession Master of Education, further information is available here.

Additional Teaching Mode Information

The part-time option will be taught during weekday working hours over 2 years.

Academic Programme Catalogue

See the Academic Programme Catalogue where you can search 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.

Course Practicalities

Full-time students may expect approximately 16 contact hours per week, divided between language tutorials and lectures/seminars for culture modules. You must also undertake independent study and complete language exercises out of class, for which you will receive regular feedback. Required reading must be completed in advance of classes.

Students who may not have the time to embark on full-time study can take up to 30 credits in the Flexi-Options scheme: Undergraduate Flexi-Options

Alternatively, those interested in studying Italian language only might want to consider the undergraduate Certificate in Languages, which involves the study of two languages (10 credits each), at a level appropriate to the individual student 

Assessment

Language skills are assessed by assignments and/or written and listening tests, which provide you with regular feedback on your progress. At the end of the year, you take written and oral examinations.

Courses on Italian culture are assessed by a combination of class tests, written assignments and end-of-year examinations. The Department of Italian places great emphasis on guiding students in the development of writing skills, and you are encouraged to engage in dialogue with lecturers during the drafting of essays and projects.

Who teaches this course

Staff in the Italian Department are all native speakers of Italian or have a near-native knowledge of Italian language. Courses are taught by the academic staff, by the three College language teachers, and by some of the department’s international group of PhD students.

Why Choose This Course

The Department of Italian is one of the smallest units in UCC, which means that as a student, you get the individual attention needed to help you progress from beginners’ level to degree standard. There are a high percentage of mature students in the BA undergraduate programme in Italian, which facilitates the integration of students of this course.

Skills and Careers Information

Italian is not widely taught in Irish schools and consequently our student numbers are small compared, for example, to those in French. Demand by employers in Ireland for graduates of Italian, with the strong language and analytical skills you can acquire with us, is currently greater than supply, but many of our graduates also choose to work in Italy or other countries.

The Department also has a LinkedIn Group exclusively for its graduates, where information on vacancies is exchanged.

Employers place a high value on graduates with strong language skills of the kind you can acquire by studying Italian at UCC. At a careers session in December 2012, Anne Gough, Grafton Recruitment and Cork Chamber Ambassador, told prospective students that a non-language graduate might start on €25,000, while, in the same company in the Cork area, a graduate with a language would start on €32,500.

Requirements

It is intended for those who already have a 3 or 4 year primary degree, preferably in the area of Arts or the Sciences, and who wish to study Italian intensively over one academic year.   

The Higher Diploma in Arts is a conversion programme and applicants would not normally have studied the relevant subject to Honours Degree level previously, but you must satisfy the Head of Department that, at the start of the course, your linguistic competence in Italian will allow you to draw benefit from courses at second-year and final-year undergraduate level.

For Applicants with Qualifications Completed Outside of Ireland

Applicants must meet the required entry academic grade, equivalent to Irish requirements. For more information see our Qualification Comparison page.

International/Non-EU Applicants

For full details of the non-EU application procedure visit our how to apply pages for international students.

  • In UCC, we use the term programme and course interchangeably to describe what a person has registered to study in UCC and its constituent colleges, schools, and departments.
  • Note that not all courses are open to international/non-EU applicants, please check the fact file above. For more information contact the International Office.
English Language Requirements

Applicants who are non-native speakers of the English language must meet the university-approved English language requirements. Vsit our PG English Language Requirements page for more information.

Fees and Costs

Postgraduate EU and International Fees 2024/2025

See our Postgraduate EU and Non-EU (International) Fee Schedule for the latest information.

Deposits 

If your course requires a deposit, that figure will be deducted from your second-semester fee payment in January.

Fee payment 

Fees are payable in two equal instalments. First payment is at registration and the balance usually by the end of January.

How can I pay? 

See different options on our How Do I Pay My Fees? page.

Any questions? See the 'Contact Us' section on the Fees Office page.

How To Apply

1. Check dates

Check the opening and closing dates for the application process in the fact file boxes at the top of the page.

2. Gather documents

Scanned copies of supporting documents have to be uploaded to the UCC online application portal and include:

  • Original qualification documents listed on your application including transcripts of results from institutions other than UCC.
  • Any supplementary items requested for your course if required.

3. Apply online

Apply online via the UCC online application portal. Note the majority of our courses have a non-refundable €50 application fee.

Any questions? Use our web enquiry form to contact us.

Additional Requirements (All Applicants)

Please note you will be required to provide additional information as part of the online application process for this programme. This will include the following questions:

  • You may enter the details of professional or voluntary positions held. We strongly encourage you to complete this section with all relevant work experiences that will support your application.

  • In addition to your previously declared qualifications, please outline any additional academic courses, self-learning and professional training relevant to this programme.

  • Please describe your motivation and readiness for this programme.

  • Please detail your computing/technical/IT skills.
  • Please indicate your level of foreign language expertise in any of the languages offered by the programme.

N.B. Please note that the Higher Diploma in Arts programme is NOT a teacher training programme.  Graduates must apply for the Postgraduate Master of Education teacher training programme to qualify as a secondary school teacher, please see http://www.ucc.ie/en/pec01

The closing date for non-EU applications is Open until all places have been filled or no later than 30 June. Early application is advised.

Apply Now

For queries regarding course content or timetables please contact

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