Studying Abroad as a UCC Student

brian1991

Hi, I've always found this board helpful with my UCC questions in the past, and now I'd like to get your view on studying abroad as a UCC student as part of a scholarship, exchange program etc.

I'm going into first year arts, planning to focus on history and religion and global diversity. I would prefer to go to North America, and have been looking at the different colleges in the US and Canada and how to get there.

I know I can't study abroad in first year as I read this on ucc.ie:

Please note that first year students are not eligible to apply to participate in the scholarship/exchange programmes. The university does not permit final year students to undertake part of their studies at a university abroad.

So has anyone here studied abroad as a UCC student? What was the process like? How long did you go for? What did you study? Did you feel it was worthwhile? I have this idea of just one extremely intelligent UCC student going on an exchange to Boston College every year.

Thanks in advance,
Brian

D-Generate

I know one person who went to a UC in California two years ago as part of that exchange within the biochemistry department for his third year. He was a damn good student which probably helped him land the place.

My department (Elec Eng) wasn't too down for those exchanges as I might miss material necessary for final year. Check with your department first to see if they encourage participation.

deisedude

I'm going into my final year of Commerce and i spent the last academic year at the University of Cincinnati. Personally i thought the experience was fantastic, the people were really nice, the college was nice, i got to travel and the academic standard was pretty easy. Second Class Honours was the only requirement to go. Any questions, fire away

Plautus

brian1991 wrote: »

Hi, I've always found this board helpful with my UCC questions in the past, and now I'd like to get your view on studying abroad as a UCC student as part of a scholarship, exchange program etc.

I'm going into first year arts, planning to focus on history and religion and global diversity. I would prefer to go to North America, and have been looking at the different colleges in the US and Canada and how to get there.

I know I can't study abroad in first year as I read this on ucc.ie:


So has anyone here studied abroad as a UCC student? What was the process like? How long did you go for? What did you study? Did you feel it was worthwhile? I have this idea of just one extremely intelligent UCC student going on an exchange to Boston College every year.

Thanks in advance,
Brian

Hi there. If you take a language on into second and third year you will be afforded the opportunity to register for the Languages and Cultures BA stream which will entail 1 year abroad under the ERASMUS programme. This would be fully counted as part of your degree (with the state paying fees as it would for any undergraduate course) learning the language in affiliate universities in France/the German-speaking countries/Italy or Spain.

As a History graduate I've heard of people in the department heading on exchange as part of Erasmus but I think it was within the context of learning history through the foreign language that formed their second subject. Could be open to correction. Otherwise, travel abroad for historians is subject to tricky research bursaries and grants: a postgrad game.

People do find the year abroad quite enjoyable, but obviously even with the Bologna process you'd find that courses can be structured very differently abroad. You'll get credits for them in any case because the grades in that university will be sent back to UCC.

Wasn't keen on the idea of heading abroad when I felt my language proficiency (German) was quite weak and I found it terrifying enough living away from home in Ireland! Don't let that stop you though.