- English
- About the Department
- People
- Study
- Research
- News
- Media Gallery
- School Welcome Event 2016
- Edmund Spenser in Cork - School of English UCC
- Frank O'Connor: A man of many voices
- Mary Breen: Pride and Prejudice
- MA in Irish Writing and Film
- Ann Coughlan: The Irish Influence on America's Greatest Abolitionist
- MA in Modernities: Romanticism, Modernism, Postmodernism
- MA in American Literature and Film
- MA in English Texts and Contexts: Medieval to Renaissance
- PhD in English
- Prof. Claire Connolly
- Tonio Colona - PhD in the School of English, UCC
- Prof Patricia Coughlan
- Mike Waldron - PhD in the School of English
- Ken Rooney and Heather Laird Book Launch
- School Welcome Event September 2014
- Contemporary American Trauma Narratives Book Launch
- Staged Transgressions in Shakespeare's England
- Seamus Heaney Memorial Event September 2013
- Creative Writing
- Digital Arts and Humanities
- Current Students
- Student Achievements
- Digital Arts & Humanities
Current Students
First Year
First-Year Reading List 2021/2022
First Year Reading List 2021/2022
Documents for First Year Students
Contact details for English Staff (15.09.2020)
First-Year Extension Form 2021-2022
First year essay plagiarism form 2021-22
CK109 Booklet and Documents
CK109 BA English First Year booklet 2021-22 (14.01.2022)
Visiting Students Booklet
Visiting 2021-2022 booklet Semester 1 (13.09.2021)
Visiting booklet (semester 2) 2021-2022 06.01.2022
Visiting Student Extension Request Form
Skills Centre Sessions
If you are interested in improving your writing skills and developing related skills to help you with university study, such as note taking, time management, study skills, and exam preparation, you may be interested in the sessions offered by the Skills Centre, located in the Berkeley Centre, Q-1, Boole Library.
For details, visit: skillscentre@ucc.ie
Students can sign up here: http://skillscentre.ucc.ie/book-your-skills-session/
Second Year
Information Booklet for Second Year English 2021/22
CK101 Second Year Booklet 2021-2022 (23.11.21)
Second-Year Reading List 2021/2022
Second Year Reading List 2021 (23.08.2021)
Documents for Second Year Students
Second year essay plagiarism form 2021-22
Second Year Extension Request Form
Teaching Council (Essential Areas of Study)
PME - Essential Areas of Study (English)
CK109 2nd Year Booklet and Documents
CK109 Second Year Booklet 2021-22 (23.11.2021)
Third Year
Third-Year Information Booklet 2021/22
CK101 Third Year Booklet 2021-22 (14.01.2022)
Third-Year Reading List 2021/2022
Third-Year Reading List 2021/2022
Documents for Third Year
Extension request form - 3rd year (2021-2022)
Third Year Essay Plagiarism Form 2021-2022
Teaching Council (Essential Areas of Study)
PME - Essential Areas of Study (English)
CK109 3rd Year Documents
CK109 Third Year Booklet 2021-22 (14.01.2022)
Assessments and Examinations
The Department of English uses a variety of assessment methods, including take-home essays, in-class essays and end-of-year examinations. In seminar courses you may also be assessed on presentations, group projects and exercises such as journals. As a general rule, you will find that in second and third year, your year's work is in two parts. Lecture modules you take in Teaching Period 1 are assessed through one in-class test and one take-home essay. Lecture modules you take in Teaching Period 2 are assessed through an end-of-year exam in which, usually, you will answer two questions. If you are taking seminar courses, you may take your module in TP1 or TP2, or as a whole-year module. In seminar modules, attendance is compulsory and your participation will form part of your assessment and your overall mark.
Plagiarism Policy
The Department of English follows UCC’s Plagiarism Policy:
What is plagiarism?
Plagiarism is the presentation of work for credit without appropriate attribution. Types of plagiarism include:
- Presenting someone else’s work or ideas as your own without appropriate attribution.
- Copying one’s own work for one assignment and resubmitting it for another module is known as ‘self-plagiarism’. Self-plagiarism is where a student’s assignment is identical to an assignment previously submitted as part of their university studies. Even if cited correctly, it is still presenting work for credit more than once and cannot be accepted.
- Collusion between students, where work is permitted to be copied and presented as the work of one individual.
- Buying a paper from the Web or elsewhere and presenting it as your own work.
How to avoid it?
Be sure to follow standard referencing practices for English as set out in the Handbook. Incorrect referencing in assignments may be construed as plagiarism: you MUST USE QUOTATION MARKS to indicate precisely what you are quoting from secondary sources listed in your Works Cited.
If you are unsure about what plagiarism means or are confused by any aspect of the policy, please contact your lecturer prior to submitting any essays. You are responsible both for knowing what constitutes plagiarism and for ensuring that you have not plagiarised. You will be required to complete and submit a cover sheet with each essay declaring that your submitted work is in accordance with the plagiarism policy.
Procedures and outcomes
If a lecturer, examiner, invigilator, external examiner or other identifies a potential case of plagiarism, they will raise it with the Plagiarism Officer for consultation. The Department then follows these steps:
- If the Plagiarism Officer determines that the allegation does not amount to plagiarism, this will be notified to the student.
- If the Plagiarism Officer suspects that a breach of academic conduct has occurred, s/he will inform the student, in writing, of the allegation and prior findings, if any, of plagiarism and provide the student with an opportunity to provide an explanation via a meeting (in person or online). The Plagiarism Officer will consider the allegation, any personal statement made and any information available, including the student’s examination records, to take one of the following options:
- Make a full report in writing to the Student Records and Examination Officer, which will trigger the procedures for Breach of Examination Regulations and Procedures (see https://www.ucc.ie/en/media/support/academicsecretariat/policies/examinations/GuidetoExams-PGResearchAppealsupdate2021.pdf)
- Exercise discretion to pursue the matter independently of the Student Records and Examination Office, and impose an appropriate penalty, which will not exceed assigning a mark of zero for the piece of work to which the offence relates. Where a sanction results in a FAIL judgement for the module, capping will be applied to marks achieved at the Supplemental Examination.
- If the student agrees with the sanction of the Plagiarism Officer, the student will formally accept the outcome as a final decision in writing, and all documentation will be forwarded to the Student Records and Examination Office.
- If the student believes they have been treated unfairly then they have the right to formal appeal through the standard UCC Examination Appeals process. See Section 19 of University’s Guide to Examinations and Assessment for Staff and Students, found here: https://www.ucc.ie/en/media/support/academicsecretariat/policies/examinations/GuidetoExams-PGResearchAppealsupdate2021.pdf
You will find a video on Canvas that explains what plagiarism is and sets out the English Department’s expectations for clearly attributed and correct academic writing.
Supports and Services
Year Committees and Staff-Student Meetings
Within the Department, it is the responsibility of certain staff members to oversee each year group and to ensure that the teaching and assessment for all the courses in each year is administered and delivered efficiently and effectively. The Year Committees also arrange for students to act as representatives for the year group by attending staff-student meetings. Staff-Student meetings are an important way for students to voice their opinion and give feedback so why not consider becoming a rep? And do always remember that you should find out who your reps are, and let them know of any issues you think are important and need to be brought to the attention of the Department.
First Year Committee: contact Dr Maureen O'Connor Maureen.OConnor@ucc.ie
Second Year Committee: contact Dr Tom Birkett t.birkett@ucc.ie
Third Year Committee: contact Dr Ken Rooney k.rooney@ucc.ie
Teaching Officer
Dr Heather Laird (h.laird@ucc.ie) is the Teaching Officer, and one of her responsibilities is to advise students who may be having difficulty with their studies due to illness, family circumstances, etc.
Disability Officer
Dr Maureen O’Connor (Maureen.OConnor@ucc.ie) is the Department's Disability Officer, and she liaises with Disability Support Services.
Help & Support
Within the university, there are also a number of places to find help and support:
Student Counselling and Development
Lowercase Second Hand Book Service
Student Services Support Tree
UCC has many different supports in place for students who might be struggling in these difficult times. Our Support Tree shows the services available to students.
Click the link below to view an interactive Support Tree infographic with links to relevant services
Contact Us
All offices in the School of English, for academic and administrative staff, are located in the O’Rahilly Building (ORB) on the first floor.
Department Administrative Office: ORB 1.57
Office hours are restricted at present. Opening times are as follows:
From Monday, 20 September 2021: Monday-Tuesday-Wednesday, 9.30 am to 11 am and 2.30 pm to 4 pm
Enquiries can also be sent to englishdepartment@ucc.ie
In all communications, please clearly identify your name, student number, and year. You should also check Canvas regularly for Department information and updates.