What are classes like in Cork?
In this issue, I will discuss the credit requirements and the classes I took while studying in Cork! To start, all Holy Cross students must take 30 credits of Irish classes to equal our class credit requirements at Holy Cross. The 30 credits typically equal 6 classes; however, depending on the credit given, it could be 5. I took 6 classes this semester.
You choose classes once you are already in Cork through the UCC Visiting Students Module Portal. All platforms will be explained at orientation. Depending on your plan of study, you will have different goals for what you want to take and will probably end up taking some new classes as you need to fill the 30 credit requirement. That’s the fun of it, though, to try new things you couldn’t take while at Holy Cross.
All 13 of us in Cork come from many different majors, causing a difference in some of the classes we picked; however, we took many classes together to fill our 30 credits. The 6 classes I took were Celtic Saints, Introduction to Modern Irish, Ice Age Quaternary Environments and Geomorphology, People, Place, and Politics, Ireland, 1660-1960, Local Politics and Government of Ireland, and International Security. I chose my classes based on my degree requirements and pure interest. I wanted to take as many Ireland-focused classes to enrich my immersion. You do get an add/drop period, just like we do at Holy Cross, that lets you change your schedule before committing to it, which allowed me to try out a few classes and figure out which ones I liked best.
Assignments and class structure are a lot different than classes at Holy Cross. My classes tended to have 2-4 assignments, including the final. Many classes were one assignment during the semester and a final. Participation and attendance are not graded requirements; however, you will fall behind without attending as the two assignments are crucial and heavily weighted. Finals in Ireland are extremely formal exams. If held formally (and not informally by your professor during the last week of the semester), they will be sit-down exams held off-campus in venues with about 600 other students taking all different exams. While jarring at first, the finals are typical class exams and blocked to be shorter than Holy Cross exams.
I loved my classes in Ireland and am grateful for the experience of trying something completely new!
