• 10 week course

22 classroom hours per week

& 6 hours of guided self-study

€2764

• 6 week course

20 classroom hours per week 

& 6 hours of guided self-study

€1630

• 2 week optional course

The aims of the Pre-Sessional are:

1. To raise your overall level of English
2. To improve your ability to write academic essays and papers
3. To develop your listening skills, in particular when listening to lectures
4. To develop your confidence in spoken English, while giving presentations and attending both seminars and tutorials
5. To improve your reading skills and to encourage critical thinking
6. To provide methods for independent study and research
7. To introduce students to life in Ireland and UCC

Course

Current English Language level

English language requirement

• 10 week course

IELTS Overall 5.5 (with no skill less than 5.0)

6.5

IELTS Overall 5.0 (with no skill less than 5.0)

6

• 6 week course

IELTS Overall 6.0 (with no skill less than 5.5)

6.5

IELTS Overall 5.5 (with no skill less than 5.0)

6

• *2 week optional  course

suitable for students who have attained their required level of English and have a full offer from UCC

There are 6 modules in the course:

• Academic Writing Skills
• Academic Reading Skills
• Academic Listening Skills
• Academic Speaking Skills
• Intercultural Communication Skills
• Independent Learning Skills

To see more detailed descriptions, please click Pre-sessional Course content for 2/6/10 weeks.

Within these modules, students will study areas such as writing coherently, developing critical thinking skills, improving active listening skills and giving effective presentations (please see Pre-Sessional Timetable 2020). 

Students will have regular face-to-face tutorials throughout the programme.

Academic writing skills

On successful completion of this course, students will be able to write a coherent and cohesive research paper of 1,500 words using both accurate and appropriate grammar and vocabulary.

Academic reading skills

On successful completion of this course, students will be able to understand academic texts, will have developed their knowledge of academic vocabulary and will have improved their ability to read critically.

Academic speaking skills

On successful completion of this course, students will be able to interact appropriately and effectively with both lecturers and peers. They will also be able to give an academic presentation.

Academic listening skills

On successful completion of this course, students will be able to recognise key points from a lecture and will have developed their note-taking skills.

Inter-Cultural Communication skills

On successful completion of this course, students will be aware of the culture of UCC and will be able to integrate into their new environment more effectively.

Independent Learning skills

On successful completion of this course, students will have the skills and strategies needed to become autonomous learners and therefore succeed in a university environment.  

For both the 6 and 10-week programme there are a number of continuously assessed tasks throughout the course. In addition to this, there is an assessed written task and a spoken presentation at the end of the course. There is also a final test of academic language  skills: reading, writing, listening and speaking. Results of all 3 methods of testing are combined to give an overall score.

In order to successfully complete the 6 and 10-week courses students need to achieve the following:

1. 90% attendance
2. 60% on all 3 testing methods i.e. continuous assessment tasks, summative tasks and end of course test.

There is no assessment for the 2-week course.