FAQs
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I find out what's happening in the Department of French?
How should I set about writing an essay?
What happens to my essay once I've written it?
What should I do if I'm having health problems?
What happens during the year abroad?
The Head of Department is Dr Paul Hegarty, who can be contacted via the departmental office (room 1.13, block A, O'Rahilly Building).
All lecturers and teachers of French are available to see students in their rooms at stated times each week. A list of these times will be available on noticeboards in the Department of French after the start of term. You should not hesitate to see members of staff about any aspect of your work which you would like to discuss, or about your progress in your programme.
How do I find out what's happening in the Department of French?
The official source of much information is the noticeboard. All notices and information regarding the organization of French are posted on noticeboards in block A. This includes timetables and class-lists, information on lectures and classes, public lectures and other events (including visits by French writers, plays and special lectures), as well as notices concerning assessment and examinations.
We aim to keep the website up to date, so follow the links on this and other pages.
We will also keep in touch with you by email. For this purpose, we will use the email address with which you're automatically provided when you register. This address takes the form: s[your student number]@student.ucc.ie. You should make sure to check this address regularly.
How should I set about writing an essay?
You'll get plenty of practice in the course of your degree. Each essay will be based on work covered in lectures and classes, and on the reading which you yourself carry out. The purpose of the essay is to give you the opportunity to demonstrate your understanding of the materials on which we have been working and to develop an argument of your own on the basis of your close reading of the text or texts under discussion. Precision, relevance, reasoned thinking, and clear writing are the signs of a successful essay.
A good way to think about how to write a critical essay is to read critical essays --- look again at your reading lists to identify sources that might be useful. When you begin to work on the essay itself, you will need to focus carefully on the topic. For more specific advice about planning and writing your essay, see the Department of French stylesheet.
What happens to my essay once I've written it?
You are required to submit two copies of each essay, complete with bibliography. You should complete a cover sheet for each essay and you will be given a receipt when you hand the essay over.
Your essay will usually be read by the lecturer concerned. One copy of your essay will be returned to you with a mark, together with some comments and advice. The mark that is given will correspond to the grading scales used in the Department. You should not hesitate to seek advice from lecturers about any aspect of the process of writing an essay. Details of when lecturers are available for consultation are available in the Department of French and are also displayed on lecturers' doors. You will receive comments and advice on your essay when it is returned to you and again you should feel free to go and discuss these with the lecturer concerned.
What should I do if I'm having health problems?
There are plenty of sources of help and support in the University, including the Student Health Department and the Student Counselling and Development Service.
If you're having difficulty in keeping up with your work because of health problems, you should seek advice from your lecturer or teacher about how you can try to catch up. You may be granted an extension to an essay deadline if you've been having health difficulties: you should approach the lecturer concerned in the first instance (bearing in mind that after a period of fourteen days an essay can only be accepted with the approval of the Head of Department).
Medical certificates should be submitted to the Student Record and Examination Office in the West Wing, Main Quadrangle.
What happens during the year abroad?
A year of study abroad is an element of the following degrees: B.A. in Language and Cultural Studies, B.A. in European Studies, B.C.L. in Law and French, B.Comm. European French. The third year of each programme is spent studying in a partner European university. Each student is assigned a place in a university in the course of the second term and a briefing for all students of French travelling to partner universities in their third year is held early in the year.
The third year is a fully recognized element of each of these programmes. This means that you will study approved courses, complete assessments and take examinations in the partner university, and that the results you obtain will form part of your student record here in U.C.C. Full information on what is involved is provided elsewhere on this site, including advice for students abroad now. Students in Year One may apply to join the B.A. in Language and Cultural Studies.