Module Requirements for Research Students at UCC

UCC is committed to developing talented graduates in support of existing and emerging industries that are equipped with a balanced set of specific, generic and transferable skills, underpinned by the National Framework for Doctoral Education. The Irish Universities Association (IUA) Doctoral Skills Statement outlines the desired learning outcomes and skills that doctoral students will have acquired during their doctoral education and training.  

PhD students at UCC are required to take a minimum of 15 credits of coursework and training, by registering for modules aligned with IUA Doctoral Skills Statement.

MD Students: Although MD students are not required to take any coursework or training, they can choose to take up to a maximum of 15 credits over the course of their MD programme, if they and their Supervisory Team agree that it is appropriate. 

Research Masters Students: Although Masters by Research students are not required to take any coursework or training, they can choose to take up to a maximum of 15 credits over the course of their Masters by Research programme, if they and their Supervisory Team agree that it is appropriate.  

Students registered on Thematic or Practitioner Doctorates or MRes programmes must follow their particular course curriculum which has specific module requirements.  Such course descriptions can be found in the Academic Programme Catalogue.   

Module Types

There are three module types that you can register for as a research student:

1. Postgraduate Training Modules: these are generic and transferable skills modules and are designed to train doctoral candidates with the expected generic and transferable skills necessary for a knowledge-based society aligned with the IUA Doctoral Skills Statement (2021).  These are the preferred modules for doctoral students.  
2. UCC Taught Modules: where the student is advised by their Supervisory Team to take modules from the UCC Book of Modules which have relevance for their personal learning plan and research.
3. Module(s) taught externally to UCC: these are modules that are undertaken at another institution during the period of registration in UCC. In this instance the student can apply for recognition of these modules for credits (max. 10 credits).  

Register for UCC Taught Modules

UCC research students can apply to register for a module(s) as listed in the Book of Modules having been advised to do so by their supervisory team.  This might occur where the content of a module has relevance for the personal learning plan and research of the student.  

To register for a UCC taught module please complete and submit this Module Registration Form.

Register for External Modules

These are modules which are taught externally to UCC.  They are modules that are undertaken at another institution during the period of registration in UCC. In this instance the student can apply for recognition of such modules for credits (max 10 credits).  

To apply for recognition of a module(s) taken externally to UCC please read the policy, complete the below form and submit it to the relevant College Vice Dean of Graduate Studies:

Recognition of Modules taken externally for Research Students