Pre-Masters & Pre-PhD Pathway

UCC is pleased to announce its revised Pre-Masters & Pre-PhD Pathway which will allow students whose first language is not English the opportunity to develop English Language proficiency, whilst at the same time taking modules from those offered across the University in their chosen discipline. It will also allow students to adapt to a new educational and cultural environment and to integrate into life at University College Cork (UCC).

The course is intended for students who wish to pursue postgraduate studies at UCC.  It is aimed at those who meet the academic requirements of their chosen Master’s degree or PhD programme but who require additional support in English language skills, and/or have not yet met the UCC requirements in English Language.  Applications from our partner institutions are particularly welcome. 

To download the brochure, please click Pre-Masters Pathway Brochure 2019-2020.

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Entry Requirements:

Please see UCC’s offerings of taught postgraduate programmes at: http://www.ucc.ie/en/study/postgrad/taughtcourses/ which include specific academic entry requirements for your chosen postgraduate programme. For the English language requirements, please see the postgraduate section of the following page: https://www.ucc.ie/en/study/comparison/english/

There are two possible starting dates: September 2019 for Version 1, or January 2020 for Version 2. Students with an IELTS of at least 5.5, and no less than 5.0 in any section (or equivalent recognised English test for entry to UCC programmes), and who meet the academic requirements (that is, have a conditional offer letter) for their chosen postgraduate programme, may be offered a place on the Version 1 (2-semester) Pre-Masters & Pre-PhD Pathway, starting in September 2019.  Those with an IELTS of 6.0, and no less than 5.5 in any section, and who have a conditional offer letter, may be offered a place on the Version 2 Pathway starting in January 2020

Dates:

September 2019 to April 2020 for Version 1 (or January 2020 to April 2020 for Version 2)

Cost: €10,000 (Version 1) or €5,000 (Version 2)

Content:

Version 1 is taken on a full-time basis over one academic year and comprises 60 credits.  It combines English Language modules with academic modules from the University’s undergraduate degree programmes, chosen in consultation with the relevant head of the academic unit and the Head of the Graduate School in the relevant College.  The English Language modules will cover academic writing, reading, listening and speaking skills; grammar, vocabulary and pronunciation development; and preparation for the IELTS examination. 

Semester 1 (September – December 2019)

LC3001 English for Academic Purposes 1 (15 credits)

LC2004 English Academic Writing Skills 1 (5 credits)

and 10 credits to be chosen from modules available to Undergraduate Degree Programme students.

Semester 2 (January – April 2020)

LC3002 English for Academic Purposes 2 (15 credits)

LC2005 English Academic Writing Skills 2 (5 credits)

LC1006 Advanced English Grammar (5 credits)

and 5 credits to be chosen from modules available to Undergraduate Degree Programme students.

Version 2 is a full-time programme of 30 credits and consists of the content in Semester 2 shown above.

Progression

Students who achieve 700/900 marks in the English language modules in the Version 1 option, or 385/500 marks in the Version 2 option, may be exempt from the requirement to submit a satisfactory IELTS score for progression purposes. (This option is available in some UCC colleges/departments) The IELTS progression route (for all UCC colleges/departments) continues to be valid: i.e. students may progress by achieving the required IELTS scores - usually 6.5 overall, with no band less than 6.0. Results for the IELTS examination must be notified to the International Office in UCC by 30 June 2020. One IELTS examination fee is included in the course fee.

How to Apply:

For details on how to apply for this Pathway, please click Pre-Masters & Pre-PhD Pathway AppForm 2019-20 to download the form. Before you complete this form, you should have a conditional offer letter for a postgraduate programme at UCC.

Please return this completed form, together with a copy of your passport, a valid IELTS report, and a copy of your conditional offer, by the 30^th of July 2019 (deadline for Version 1) or by 15 November 2019 (deadline for Version 2) to the: 

Language Centre, G 36, O'Rahilly Building, University College Cork, Ireland

Email: info@langcent.ucc.ie

Please mark the envelope/message as 'Pre-Masters and Pre-PhD Pathway' 

Please check the following link for the  Payment Details

Please notify the Language Centre when the bank transfer has been made. You can scan a copy of the transfer receipt and send it to info@langcent.ucc.ie. Please reference the email with Pre-Masters and Pre-PhD Pathway on the subject line.

We are happy to also process credit/debit card payments but card details cannot be sent by email, so payment with card would either have to be made in person or card details given over the phone (‘customer not present’).