interstudy: University College Cork - Ireland

  Ireland

Cork

Term: Academic Year, Fall, Spring 
Dates: Late September - Middle December, Early January - Late May

Description: University College Cork (UCC) was founded in 1845 and became part of the Queen's University in Ireland in 1850 (along with Galway and Belfast). In 1908, UCC became a constituent college of the National University of Ireland (along with Dublin and Galway) and in 1997 was established as a constituent university of the National University. Its degrees are conferred by the National University and are recognized internationally. The official name of the institution is now University College Cork - National University of Ireland, Cork, however, the title 'University College Cork' continues to be used on a day-to-day basis for obvious reasons of brevity! Since the 1960s the University has expanded rapidly, and now has over 13,000 undergraduate and postgraduate students studying in eight different Faculties; Arts, Celtic Studies, Commerce, Engineering, Food Science and Technology, Law, Medicine and Science. Always growing and improving, the campus is located close to the Cork city center on a hillside garden overlooking the River Lee.

Cork, situated on the south coast of Ireland 160 miles from Dublin, is the second largest city in the Republic of Ireland, with over 200,000 residents. A busy seaport and modern industrial center, Cork was originally the site of a monastery founded by St. Finbarr and subsequently settled by the Vikings in A.D. 917 as a trading center on the River Lee. Cork was granted its first charter by Henry II of England in 1172 and over the centuries has been Royalist, Jacobite, and Fenian, and played a prominent role in the War of Independence 1919-1921.

Cork's accessibility makes it an ideal place in which to live and study. Many buses and trains stop in Cork on their way through Ireland and there are ferry routes to France and the United Kingdom. Cork has it's own international airport as well, making longer trips to continental Europe simple and cost effective. But, you may not be so quick to leave as the city itself is richly endowed with cathedrals, castles and other historic monuments and also boasts an excellent shopping district, pubs, theaters, nightclubs, art galleries and museums, all within a compact city center.

Highlights: There are several aspects of the interstudy University College Cork program that set it apart from other study abroad experiences. Among these are:
- Academic flexibility - interstudy's open academic policy allows students to take virtually any course in the undergraduate course catalog, without imposing interstudy course requirements.
- Garden-like hillside campus overlooking the River Lee, within walking distance of bustling Cork city center.
- Full academic integration - courses are taught by Irish professors, in classes filled with Irish students
- Convenient access to sites such as Blarney Castle, St. Finbarr's Cathedral, and the Cork Public Museum
- Specific academic strengths in Archaeology, Classics, Early Start Programs, English, Folklore, and Irish Studies

Degree Level: Bachelors Degree (Undergraduate)

Cost in US$: See interstudy's website

Experience Required: no

This Program is open to American and Canadian Participants.

Participants Travel to Ireland Independently or in Groups

Scholarships are Available. interstudy awards scholarships each semester based on academic merit and/or financial need. Award amounts vary. Scholarship applications may be downloaded from the interstudy website, and must be submitted no later than May 1st for Fall Semester and November 1st for Spring Semester.

Application Process Involves:

• Letters of Reference
• Transcript
• Written Application

Post-Program Services Include:

• Alumni Network

Year Founded: 1980