University College Cork, a world-class university, was founded in 1845 and combines a rich tradition of teaching, research and scholarship.
UCC is unrivalled in the quality of its academic programmes. Its courses are internationally recognised and some approximately 22,000 students take its undergraduate and postgraduate programmes. International students are part of a dynamic, multi-cultural community of scholars, academics and professionals. UCC enjoys a global reputation which draws 3,400 students from over 104 countries across the world. The university offers a research-led curriculum that attracts the highest calibre of Irish and international students.
The university offers 130 degree and professional programmes based in it’s four Colleges:
Arts, Celtic Studies and Social Sciences
Business and Law
Medicine and Health
Science, Engineering and Food Science.
Situated in Cork, Ireland’s second city, UCC is the comprehensive globally-orientated research led university of the south of Ireland, providing a full range of internationally recognised programmes across all disciplines. UCC researchers work at the leading edge of high-impact academic scholarship, innovation, commercialisation, and industry collaboration. UCC is one of Ireland’s leading research institutions and its research income, collaboration rate with national and international industry is consistently very high. The university hosts several renowned research centres including the Tyndall National Institute, APC Microbiome Ireland, Environmental Research Institute, Boole Centre for Research in Informatics and Analytical and Biological Chemistry Research Facility, to name a few.
At UCC there is an emphasis on academic rigour, practical application and participation with many courses including work placements and industry input. It’s why we have graduate employment rates of 94% for undergraduate studies and 95% for postgraduate studies, it’s how UCC helps create graduates that are both work ready and world ready.
Our vibrant and modern campus is located in picturesque Cork, where students can combine heritage and a contemporary lifestyle. It offers students all the advantages of a bustling, vibrant and cosmopolitan city. Cork is permeated with parks, galleries, shops, restaurants, theatres and historical buildings so students are never short of recreational options. The city and university work well together in providing students with a rich academic and extra-curricular experience. It’s the perfect environment to succeed and excel.
Why UCC
An extensive range of highly ranked undergraduate and postgraduate courses to choose from
Excellent student services and peer to peer support throughout your time at UCC to ensure your success
A truly international student and alumni community that you will be part of for life, with over 200,000 alumni worldwide
Career guidance and support with an exceptionally high number of graduates securing employment within three months of graduation
A well rounded student experience with first class facilities and services
A highly respected university in the top 2% of universities in the world
A vibrant student experience, with over 53 sporting clubs and 104 societies to choose from
An extensive range of modern, purpose built campus accommodation for international students
Our performance across various global rankings and accreditations is testament to the quality of our degrees and calibre or our teaching, research and student experience:
Ranked in Europe's top 50 for teaching excellence as measured by Times Higher Education
Consistently graduate over 200 doctorate graduates per year
UCC has taken a lead role globally in relation to sustainability. This is evidenced by the following:
World's first Green Flag campus
Ranked 21st in the world and first in Ireland in the inaugural Times Higher Education Impact rankings for sustainable social and economic impact
Ranked 9th globally for sustainability as measured by the UI Green Metric Global university ranking
About University College Cork
University College Cork, a world-class university, was founded in 1845 and combines a rich tradition of teaching, research and scholarship.
UCC is unrivalled in the quality of its academic programmes. Its courses are internationally recognised and some approximately 22,000 students take its undergraduate and postgraduate programmes. International students are part of a dynamic, multi-cultural community of scholars, academics and professionals. UCC enjoys a global reputation which draws 3,400 students from over 104 countries across the world. The university offers a research-led curriculum that attracts the highest calibre of Irish and international students.
The university offers 130 degree and professional programmes based in it’s four Colleges:
Arts, Celtic Studies and Social Sciences
Business and Law
Medicine and Health
Science, Engineering and Food Science.
Situated in Cork, Ireland’s second city, UCC is the comprehensive globally-orientated research led university of the south of Ireland, providing a full range of internationally recognised programmes across all disciplines. UCC researchers work at the leading edge of high-impact academic scholarship, innovation, commercialisation, and industry collaboration. UCC is one of Ireland’s leading research institutions and its research income, collaboration rate with national and international industry is consistently very high. The university hosts several renowned research centres including the Tyndall National Institute, APC Microbiome Ireland, Environmental Research Institute, Boole Centre for Research in Informatics and Analytical and Biological Chemistry Research Facility, to name a few.
At UCC there is an emphasis on academic rigour, practical application and participation with many courses including work placements and industry input. It’s why we have graduate employment rates of 94% for undergraduate studies and 95% for postgraduate studies, it’s how UCC helps create graduates that are both work ready and world ready.
Our vibrant and modern campus is located in picturesque Cork, where students can combine heritage and a contemporary lifestyle. It offers students all the advantages of a bustling, vibrant and cosmopolitan city. Cork is permeated with parks, galleries, shops, restaurants, theatres and historical buildings so students are never short of recreational options. The city and university work well together in providing students with a rich academic and extra-curricular experience. It’s the perfect environment to succeed and excel.
Why UCC
An extensive range of highly ranked undergraduate and postgraduate courses to choose from
Excellent student services and peer to peer support throughout your time at UCC to ensure your success
A truly international student and alumni community that you will be part of for life, with over 200,000 alumni worldwide
Career guidance and support with an exceptionally high number of graduates securing employment within three months of graduation
A well rounded student experience with first class facilities and services
A highly respected university in the top 2% of universities in the world
A vibrant student experience, with over 53 sporting clubs and 104 societies to choose from
An extensive range of modern, purpose built campus accommodation for international students
Our performance across various global rankings and accreditations is testament to the quality of our degrees and calibre or our teaching, research and student experience:
Ranked in Europe's top 50 for teaching excellence as measured by Times Higher Education
Consistently graduate over 200 doctorate graduates per year
UCC has taken a lead role globally in relation to sustainability. This is evidenced by the following:
World's first Green Flag campus
Ranked 21st in the world and first in Ireland in the inaugural Times Higher Education Impact rankings for sustainable social and economic impact
Ranked 9th globally for sustainability as measured by the UI Green Metric Global university ranking
The Quercus Talented Students’ Programme is aimed at supporting and promoting excellence in academia, sport, creative and performing arts, active citizenship, and innovation/entrepreneurship for both prospective undergraduate/level 8 students and students already registered in UCC. In addition to the scholarships in these areas, we also offer three types of Quercus Academic Scholarship.
In 2018, UCC was designated University of Sanctuary status, and launched a Scholarship Scheme for Asylum Seekers and Refugees. The scholarships will cover full fees and tuition, in addition to a number of annual bursaries covering travel and expenses. UCC’s Sanctuary Status is a marker not just of what has been achieved in UCC, but an indicator of the need for sustained and creative work to support asylum seekers and refugees locally and internationally.
UCC has a strategic priority and a policy of widening access which has resulted in almost 25% of the current student population coming from under-represented areas including Disability Support Service; Mature Students; UCC Plus+.
The Disability Support Service provides support to over 1,500 students with disabilities and is a core element of Access and Participation in UCC. The Service works to increase access and retention of students with disabilities and specific learning difficulties and does this by delivering a very proactive and innovative pre-entry programme through which we engage with primary and secondary schools as well as students with disabilities and their parents.
UCC is the most successful university in Ireland in providing access to undergraduate programmes through admission from Further Education colleges (termed the QQI-FET (FETAC) route).
The Mature Student Office (MSO) works with full-time undergraduate students who are over the age of 23 (on 1 January of the year of entry to third level) and with QQI-FET students.
University Challenge: UCC's €450m investment to build for the future
Student Hub Project: This building redefines how the University engages with its student body in an exciting centre campus redevelopment of the historic Windle building. UCC's new €15m state of the art Student Hub opened its doors in January 2020. The six-storey building caters for 22,000 students and consists of zones focused on Teaching and Learning, Student Success, Employability, Student Life and a Welcome Zone which incorporates a Helpdesk facility. Planning permission for the project was achieved in May 2016 and enabling works were completed in summer 2016. Detailed design of the projected was progressed and tenders received in April 2017. Construction works for this €15m investment commenced in July 2017 and the project handover took place during the 19/20 academic year.
University College Cork is confident that this investment in our staff, students, and community will continue to improve the UCC experience, and will deliver a whole host of benefits, including:
· A range of UCC student services located under one roof providing a central reference and referral point for students and staff on campus
· Dedicated student project rooms and meeting spaces
· Access to next-generation innovative learning and teaching spaces
· New spaces for community organisations to use, furthering developing links between UCC and out community
Cork Science and Innovation Park – 1st Building Project: This is a project of national significance led by the Local Authority with the support of UCC/CIT and a number of other landowners. A precinct masterplan has been prepared for UCC’s lands and planning approval was received for a first building on the Science Park in March 2016. The building will incorporate a Health Innovation Hub Ireland and space for grow on companies that emerge from UCC’s research through GatewayUCC and other incubation initiatives across the region.
Cork University Business School (CUBS) Project: UCC has plans to develop a major city-centre located Business School. This would combine all aspects of undergraduate, postgraduate and research activities across the Business disciplines. This comes following an initial development, UCC acquiring the Cork Saving Bank building at Lapps Quay & developing the Continuous Professional Development and Executive Education (See below IMIM Building on Lapps Quay Executive Education Centre) aspects of the school following UCC’s recent acquisition of the Irish Management Institute. Planning approval was achieved for the Lapps Quay development in March 2017 and construction was completed and the building opened in November 2018.
Sports at Curraheen: UCC’s existing playing fields are zoned for a Science Park. It is proposed to relocate and develop a new high quality sports facility on lands acquired close to our existing facilities. A feasibility study for the development was completed in 2016. It incorporates new high quality grass and synthetic pitches and a major new pavilion building incorporating changing rooms, team rooms, catering etc. It is planned to progress a planning application for the proposed development following a major strategic review of all our sports facilities.
53 sporting clubs and 104 societies in UCC ranging from hurling, rugby, basketball, and academic, charitable, creative, debating, political, religious, and social.
Student Accommodation: The University is actively seeking to increase its provision of student accommodation through site acquisitiondevelopment or joint ventures with the private sector. UCC acquired the Victoria Mills development of 418 beds at Victoria Cross and a smaller unit at Mardyke Hall (50 beds) in 2018. UCC also acquired the Crow’s Nest site in 2016 and a planning application for a significant 255 bed development along with our student health centre was submitted in November 2017 under the Strategic Housing Development Act. It is expected to start on site in Summer 2020. and to be ready for students in 2021.
Medical & Dental School: It is proposed to develop a new state of the art Dental School and to develop, in conjunction with the HSE, a Medical School facility at Cork University Hospital to enhance the experience of our undergraduate medical students in a clinical environment. A design team for the Dental Hospital development was appointed in 2018, and a planning application was submitted for this major new facility on the Curraheen Science and Technology Park site in May 2019. It is expected to appoint a design team for the Medical School faculty in summer 2019 in conjunction with the HSE.
No. 5 Grenville Place: UCC and Cork City Council have joined forces to acquire and upgrade this property. It was home to George Boole, the first Professor of Mathematics at Queen’s College Cork (now UCC). Phase I of the refurbishment of the building was completed in April 2017.
Lir – National Ocean Test Facility: Ireland’s ocean energy test facility, Lir, was officially opened on 18th January at the Beaufort Building in Ringaskiddy, by Minister for Foreign Affairs Simon Coveney, TD. Located in the €20 million UCC ERI Beaufort building, Lir – the National Ocean Test Facility provides world-class laboratory testing for offshore wind, wave and tidal energy devices. As well as the ocean test infrastructure, Lir also offers a highly experienced team of researchers and operators.
16,235
85%
15%
3,002
61%
39%
1,592
61%
39%
Student life
UCC's Academic Strategy (2018 - 2022) sets out a roadmap for our academic ambitions over the coming years. It focusses on six key areas:
The Connected University programme is a five-year investment programme in our student and academic services that will create a truly connected university. This programme of work is informed by the goals and actions of the university’s strategic plan (2017–2022), and will deliver change and improvement through a number of individual strands i.e. The Academic Strategy, Student Central, Student Administration Systems, The Student Hub and the Virtual Learning Environment. Significant progress has been made in the programme.
New Virtual Learning Environment Introduced – Canvas
Canvas is a cloud-based Virtual Learning Environment (VLE) developed by a company called Instructure. Canvas is used by some 3,000 institutions globally, and it has been selected to replace Blackboard as UCC’s VLE.
UCC launched a new Sports Strategy on 27 February 2019. The four-year strategy was launched by Olympic rowing hero Paul O’Donovan and athlete Mary Fitzgerald, who recently won three gold medals at the 2019 IWAS World Games. This new strategy aims to develop a new UCC Sports Park in Curraheen to replace the current facilities at the Farm in Cork – a leading action in the University Strategic Plan. A new sporting club, ‘Sport for Life Club - Many Tribes-One Team’, will be launched to connect players, volunteers, sponsors, supporters and alumni. Other plans include the launch of a new #ActiveUCC sports participation programme, and an annual UCC Sport Hall of Fame Day. Also, a new line of UCC Sport Skull and Crossbones-branded apparel will be developed. With the year only in its second month, it has already been a phenomenal start for UCC sport. UCC completed the first Sigerson-Fitzgibbon cup double in 31 years this year, while earlier this year UCC beat UL to take the Collingwood Cup to clinch their 14th win in the competition. UCC also extended its partnership earlier this year with Cork City FC.
Equality Diversion and Inclusion: UCC launch its first ever Diversity Calendar for the third level sector in September. Based on submissions from UCC staff and students, this calendar marks significant religious events, internationally recognised dates (e.g. relating to civil rights) and national and local diversity-related events and dates. The calendar is proposed to create conversations about diverse religious and other events that affect students' and staff lives and their engagement with UCC duties and tasks. UCC is adopting the expanded Athena SWAN Charter Principles, which become mandatory in Ireland from 2019.
Autism Friendly University Initiative: A three year project to create an academic, social and physical environment that will support autistic students from pre-entry stage through to graduation and employment was launched by the Deputy President and Registrar on July 3rd 2018. The initiative, spearheaded by the UCC Students’ Union, is undertaken in collaboration with AsIAm.ie, the autism support and advocacy organisation. The initiative will deliver a state of the art building in the heart of the campus open to all students, which will provide an inclusive, quiet space, housing a sensory room, an eating area, a meditation room as well as accessible and gender neutral bathrooms.
Student Health
The Student Health Department provides a comprehensive range of student health care services to all registered students, during office hours, Monday to Friday, 12 months of the year. The Department has an FTE staff of 6.6 covering doctors, nurses, psychiatrist, physiotherapists and administration.
Student Counselling & Development
Student Counselling & Development (SCD) is a free confidential service to all students. The Service provides individual counselling and support to students with emotional, psychological, academic or personal development needs.
Peer Support programme
The Peer Support programme is a support service for students, by students.
Chaplaincy Services
UCC Chaplaincy - A Home Away from Home
As a UCC Department for Wellbeing & Health, we support all UCC Students & Staff, of any gender, age, disability, family status, sexual orientation, marital status, religion, or ethnicity.
The Skills Centre
The Skills Centre offers a free and friendly place for all students (undergraduate and postgraduate) to come and address any aspect of their study. This relaxed, friendly and non-judgemental resource is available to students even before term starts.
UCC Career Services exists to support the career development of UCC students through the provision of advisory, work placement and graduate recruitment services.
Our Mission: We help UCC students to achieve their career objectives by providing access to one to one careers advice and coaching, employability skills development classes, workshops and events, work experience placement opportunities and employment or postgraduate opportunities in Ireland and abroad.
We achieve our mission by:
Providing one to one and group career advice and coaching to students.
Working in partnership with academic departments and other University initiatives/units to deliver customised employability and career related workshops and events to meet the needs of the cohort of students of that department/initiative
Administering work placement modules on behalf of academic programmes
Providing Graduate Employers with opportunities to meet and communicate with UCC students and graduates so that our students and graduates can avail of employment opportunities both in Ireland and internationally.
Making UCC students aware of a wide range of postgraduate study opportunities.
University College Cork (UCC) graduates are highly sought-after by employers: 94% of our undergraduates are in employment or further studies within nine months of graduating. We attribute this success to the approach to employability and employment that we demonstrate as a research-intensive university. UCC prioritises a holistic approach to the development of professional skills and a strong work ethic that will enable our students to chart progressive, fulfilling career paths. Our degree programmes provide an intellectually rigorous, research-based education of the highest standard that is grounded in practice. Our employability and career development initiatives are delivered through curricular, co-curricular and extra-curricular activities and are supported by multiple units across the university.
UCC Partners with Industry in the Regional Skills Forum
UCC is a partner in the South West Regional Skills Forum together with:
· Education & Training partners: CIT, IT Tralee, Cork ETB, Kerry ETB, Skillnets
· Statutory Agencies: Enterprise Ireland, IDA, Cork City & County Councils & Local Enterprise Offices (LEOs), Kerry County Council & LEOs, Dept of Social Protection, South West Action Plan for Jobs
· Industry Associations: Cork Chamber, Cork Business Association, Ibec, Construction Industry Federation, Irish Hotels Federation
UCC’s Graduate Attributes Programme.
As a socially-minded, civically-engaged institution, our core values and graduate attributes are the bedrock of our student experience. Graduate attributes refer to the skills, knowledge and abilities of our graduates, beyond disciplinary content knowledge, that are applicable in a range of contexts in their lives. They advance the development of academic, specialist and technical skills. Based on extensive consultation with stakeholders, the following core values and graduate attributes will be prioritised for the lifecycle of this Academic Strategy.
A successful application to support this priority was made to the HEA Innovation and Transformation Programme 2018. The funding provided through this HEA scheme will support the development of a pilot Graduate Attributes Programme, which will be predominantly targeted at BA Arts students. Delivery of a suite of initiatives within the programme will focus on the different stages of students’ Transition In, Through and Out of the university. The overarching objective of the programme is to enable a successful student journey, which will prepare students for their future through three main projects.
1. Transition In initiatives will guide students into the right programme of study for them, whilst simultaneously widening access of under-represented cohorts and improving first year retention rates.
2. Transition Through initiatives will provide targeted supports, deliver skills training and develop graduate attributes that go beyond disciplinary content knowledge and can be applied in life-wide contexts.
3. Transition Out initiatives will prepare final year students to transition into professional environments, delivering on the ambitions of our Institutional Employability and Employment Guide.
This initiative will advance the development of students’ academic, specialist and technical competencies, equipping them with transferrable skills that can be applied in different environments. With a focus on developing core values and graduate attributes, these initiatives will integrate with the academic curriculum, taking a holistic educational approach to develop character, professionalism and the capacity for critical and creative thought. UCC graduates will be recognised as well-rounded, curious, self-aware, individuals who continually learn new skills, are open to new ideas, and make things happen
The UCC Works Award is a professional skills development programme, and demonstrates that you have engaged in, and developed professional skills through extra-curricular activies and work experience, all of which will help you to stand out from the crowd when applying for graduate roles and internships.
One of the important factors when considering a master's degree is the cost of study. Luckily, there are many options available to help students fund their master's programme. Download your copy of the Scholarship Guide to find out which scholarships from around the world could be available to you, and how to apply for them.
University College Cork
Western Road, Cork, IE, Cork Ireland
# 303QS World University Rankings
3002International students
Follow University
About University College Cork
University College Cork, a world-class university, was founded in 1845 and combines a rich tradition of teaching, research and scholarship.
UCC is unrivalled in the quality of its academic programmes. Its courses are internationally recognised and some approximately 22,000 students take its undergraduate and postgraduate programmes. International students are part of a dynamic, multi-cultural community of scholars, academics and professionals. UCC enjoys a global reputation which draws 3,400 students from over 104 countries across the world. The university offers a research-led curriculum that attracts the highest calibre of Irish and international students.
The university offers 130 degree and professional programmes based in it’s four Colleges:
Situated in Cork, Ireland’s second city, UCC is the comprehensive globally-orientated research led university of the south of Ireland, providing a full range of internationally recognised programmes across all disciplines. UCC researchers work at the leading edge of high-impact academic scholarship, innovation, commercialisation, and industry collaboration. UCC is one of Ireland’s leading research institutions and its research income, collaboration rate with national and international industry is consistently very high. The university hosts several renowned research centres including the Tyndall National Institute, APC Microbiome Ireland, Environmental Research Institute, Boole Centre for Research in Informatics and Analytical and Biological Chemistry Research Facility, to name a few.
At UCC there is an emphasis on academic rigour, practical application and participation with many courses including work placements and industry input. It’s why we have graduate employment rates of 94% for undergraduate studies and 95% for postgraduate studies, it’s how UCC helps create graduates that are both work ready and world ready.
Our vibrant and modern campus is located in picturesque Cork, where students can combine heritage and a contemporary lifestyle. It offers students all the advantages of a bustling, vibrant and cosmopolitan city. Cork is permeated with parks, galleries, shops, restaurants, theatres and historical buildings so students are never short of recreational options. The city and university work well together in providing students with a rich academic and extra-curricular experience. It’s the perfect environment to succeed and excel.
Why UCC
Our performance across various global rankings and accreditations is testament to the quality of our degrees and calibre or our teaching, research and student experience:
UCC has taken a lead role globally in relation to sustainability. This is evidenced by the following:
About University College Cork
University College Cork, a world-class university, was founded in 1845 and combines a rich tradition of teaching, research and scholarship.
UCC is unrivalled in the quality of its academic programmes. Its courses are internationally recognised and some approximately 22,000 students take its undergraduate and postgraduate programmes. International students are part of a dynamic, multi-cultural community of scholars, academics and professionals. UCC enjoys a global reputation which draws 3,400 students from over 104 countries across the world. The university offers a research-led curriculum that attracts the highest calibre of Irish and international students.
The university offers 130 degree and professional programmes based in it’s four Colleges:
Situated in Cork, Ireland’s second city, UCC is the comprehensive globally-orientated research led university of the south of Ireland, providing a full range of internationally recognised programmes across all disciplines. UCC researchers work at the leading edge of high-impact academic scholarship, innovation, commercialisation, and industry collaboration. UCC is one of Ireland’s leading research institutions and its research income, collaboration rate with national and international industry is consistently very high. The university hosts several renowned research centres including the Tyndall National Institute, APC Microbiome Ireland, Environmental Research Institute, Boole Centre for Research in Informatics and Analytical and Biological Chemistry Research Facility, to name a few.
At UCC there is an emphasis on academic rigour, practical application and participation with many courses including work placements and industry input. It’s why we have graduate employment rates of 94% for undergraduate studies and 95% for postgraduate studies, it’s how UCC helps create graduates that are both work ready and world ready.
Our vibrant and modern campus is located in picturesque Cork, where students can combine heritage and a contemporary lifestyle. It offers students all the advantages of a bustling, vibrant and cosmopolitan city. Cork is permeated with parks, galleries, shops, restaurants, theatres and historical buildings so students are never short of recreational options. The city and university work well together in providing students with a rich academic and extra-curricular experience. It’s the perfect environment to succeed and excel.
Why UCC
Our performance across various global rankings and accreditations is testament to the quality of our degrees and calibre or our teaching, research and student experience:
UCC has taken a lead role globally in relation to sustainability. This is evidenced by the following:
University information
The Quercus Talented Students’ Programme is aimed at supporting and promoting excellence in academia, sport, creative and performing arts, active citizenship, and innovation/entrepreneurship for both prospective undergraduate/level 8 students and students already registered in UCC. In addition to the scholarships in these areas, we also offer three types of Quercus Academic Scholarship.
In 2018, UCC was designated University of Sanctuary status, and launched a Scholarship Scheme for Asylum Seekers and Refugees. The scholarships will cover full fees and tuition, in addition to a number of annual bursaries covering travel and expenses. UCC’s Sanctuary Status is a marker not just of what has been achieved in UCC, but an indicator of the need for sustained and creative work to support asylum seekers and refugees locally and internationally.
UCC has a strategic priority and a policy of widening access which has resulted in almost 25% of the current student population coming from under-represented areas including Disability Support Service; Mature Students; UCC Plus+.
The Disability Support Service provides support to over 1,500 students with disabilities and is a core element of Access and Participation in UCC. The Service works to increase access and retention of students with disabilities and specific learning difficulties and does this by delivering a very proactive and innovative pre-entry programme through which we engage with primary and secondary schools as well as students with disabilities and their parents.
UCC is the most successful university in Ireland in providing access to undergraduate programmes through admission from Further Education colleges (termed the QQI-FET (FETAC) route).
The Mature Student Office (MSO) works with full-time undergraduate students who are over the age of 23 (on 1 January of the year of entry to third level) and with QQI-FET students.
University Challenge: UCC's €450m investment to build for the future
Student Hub Project: This building redefines how the University engages with its student body in an exciting centre campus redevelopment of the historic Windle building. UCC's new €15m state of the art Student Hub opened its doors in January 2020. The six-storey building caters for 22,000 students and consists of zones focused on Teaching and Learning, Student Success, Employability, Student Life and a Welcome Zone which incorporates a Helpdesk facility. Planning permission for the project was achieved in May 2016 and enabling works were completed in summer 2016. Detailed design of the projected was progressed and tenders received in April 2017. Construction works for this €15m investment commenced in July 2017 and the project handover took place during the 19/20 academic year.
University College Cork is confident that this investment in our staff, students, and community will continue to improve the UCC experience, and will deliver a whole host of benefits, including:
· A range of UCC student services located under one roof providing a central reference and referral point for students and staff on campus
· Dedicated student project rooms and meeting spaces
· Access to next-generation innovative learning and teaching spaces
· New spaces for community organisations to use, furthering developing links between UCC and out community
Cork Science and Innovation Park – 1st Building Project: This is a project of national significance led by the Local Authority with the support of UCC/CIT and a number of other landowners. A precinct masterplan has been prepared for UCC’s lands and planning approval was received for a first building on the Science Park in March 2016. The building will incorporate a Health Innovation Hub Ireland and space for grow on companies that emerge from UCC’s research through GatewayUCC and other incubation initiatives across the region.
Cork University Business School (CUBS) Project: UCC has plans to develop a major city-centre located Business School. This would combine all aspects of undergraduate, postgraduate and research activities across the Business disciplines. This comes following an initial development, UCC acquiring the Cork Saving Bank building at Lapps Quay & developing the Continuous Professional Development and Executive Education (See below IMIM Building on Lapps Quay Executive Education Centre) aspects of the school following UCC’s recent acquisition of the Irish Management Institute. Planning approval was achieved for the Lapps Quay development in March 2017 and construction was completed and the building opened in November 2018.
Sports at Curraheen: UCC’s existing playing fields are zoned for a Science Park. It is proposed to relocate and develop a new high quality sports facility on lands acquired close to our existing facilities. A feasibility study for the development was completed in 2016. It incorporates new high quality grass and synthetic pitches and a major new pavilion building incorporating changing rooms, team rooms, catering etc. It is planned to progress a planning application for the proposed development following a major strategic review of all our sports facilities.
53 sporting clubs and 104 societies in UCC ranging from hurling, rugby, basketball, and academic, charitable, creative, debating, political, religious, and social.
Student Accommodation: The University is actively seeking to increase its provision of student accommodation through site acquisitiondevelopment or joint ventures with the private sector. UCC acquired the Victoria Mills development of 418 beds at Victoria Cross and a smaller unit at Mardyke Hall (50 beds) in 2018. UCC also acquired the Crow’s Nest site in 2016 and a planning application for a significant 255 bed development along with our student health centre was submitted in November 2017 under the Strategic Housing Development Act. It is expected to start on site in Summer 2020. and to be ready for students in 2021.
Medical & Dental School: It is proposed to develop a new state of the art Dental School and to develop, in conjunction with the HSE, a Medical School facility at Cork University Hospital to enhance the experience of our undergraduate medical students in a clinical environment. A design team for the Dental Hospital development was appointed in 2018, and a planning application was submitted for this major new facility on the Curraheen Science and Technology Park site in May 2019. It is expected to appoint a design team for the Medical School faculty in summer 2019 in conjunction with the HSE.
No. 5 Grenville Place: UCC and Cork City Council have joined forces to acquire and upgrade this property. It was home to George Boole, the first Professor of Mathematics at Queen’s College Cork (now UCC). Phase I of the refurbishment of the building was completed in April 2017.
Lir – National Ocean Test Facility: Ireland’s ocean energy test facility, Lir, was officially opened on 18th January at the Beaufort Building in Ringaskiddy, by Minister for Foreign Affairs Simon Coveney, TD. Located in the €20 million UCC ERI Beaufort building, Lir – the National Ocean Test Facility provides world-class laboratory testing for offshore wind, wave and tidal energy devices. As well as the ocean test infrastructure, Lir also offers a highly experienced team of researchers and operators.
Student life
UCC's Academic Strategy (2018 - 2022) sets out a roadmap for our academic ambitions over the coming years. It focusses on six key areas:
The Connected University programme is a five-year investment programme in our student and academic services that will create a truly connected university. This programme of work is informed by the goals and actions of the university’s strategic plan (2017–2022), and will deliver change and improvement through a number of individual strands i.e. The Academic Strategy, Student Central, Student Administration Systems, The Student Hub and the Virtual Learning Environment. Significant progress has been made in the programme.
New Virtual Learning Environment Introduced – Canvas
Canvas is a cloud-based Virtual Learning Environment (VLE) developed by a company called Instructure. Canvas is used by some 3,000 institutions globally, and it has been selected to replace Blackboard as UCC’s VLE.
To watch a short video on UCC’s Sports Strategy please click here: https://youtu.be/ApNnaJg7eO4/
UCC launched a new Sports Strategy on 27 February 2019. The four-year strategy was launched by Olympic rowing hero Paul O’Donovan and athlete Mary Fitzgerald, who recently won three gold medals at the 2019 IWAS World Games. This new strategy aims to develop a new UCC Sports Park in Curraheen to replace the current facilities at the Farm in Cork – a leading action in the University Strategic Plan. A new sporting club, ‘Sport for Life Club - Many Tribes-One Team’, will be launched to connect players, volunteers, sponsors, supporters and alumni. Other plans include the launch of a new #ActiveUCC sports participation programme, and an annual UCC Sport Hall of Fame Day. Also, a new line of UCC Sport Skull and Crossbones-branded apparel will be developed. With the year only in its second month, it has already been a phenomenal start for UCC sport. UCC completed the first Sigerson-Fitzgibbon cup double in 31 years this year, while earlier this year UCC beat UL to take the Collingwood Cup to clinch their 14th win in the competition. UCC also extended its partnership earlier this year with Cork City FC.
Equality Diversion and Inclusion: UCC launch its first ever Diversity Calendar for the third level sector in September. Based on submissions from UCC staff and students, this calendar marks significant religious events, internationally recognised dates (e.g. relating to civil rights) and national and local diversity-related events and dates. The calendar is proposed to create conversations about diverse religious and other events that affect students' and staff lives and their engagement with UCC duties and tasks. UCC is adopting the expanded Athena SWAN Charter Principles, which become mandatory in Ireland from 2019.
Autism Friendly University Initiative: A three year project to create an academic, social and physical environment that will support autistic students from pre-entry stage through to graduation and employment was launched by the Deputy President and Registrar on July 3rd 2018. The initiative, spearheaded by the UCC Students’ Union, is undertaken in collaboration with AsIAm.ie, the autism support and advocacy organisation. The initiative will deliver a state of the art building in the heart of the campus open to all students, which will provide an inclusive, quiet space, housing a sensory room, an eating area, a meditation room as well as accessible and gender neutral bathrooms.
Student Health
The Student Health Department provides a comprehensive range of student health care services to all registered students, during office hours, Monday to Friday, 12 months of the year. The Department has an FTE staff of 6.6 covering doctors, nurses, psychiatrist, physiotherapists and administration.
Student Counselling & Development
Student Counselling & Development (SCD) is a free confidential service to all students. The Service provides individual counselling and support to students with emotional, psychological, academic or personal development needs.
Peer Support programme
The Peer Support programme is a support service for students, by students.
Chaplaincy Services
UCC Chaplaincy - A Home Away from Home
As a UCC Department for Wellbeing & Health, we support all UCC Students & Staff, of any gender, age, disability, family status, sexual orientation, marital status, religion, or ethnicity.
The Skills Centre
The Skills Centre offers a free and friendly place for all students (undergraduate and postgraduate) to come and address any aspect of their study. This relaxed, friendly and non-judgemental resource is available to students even before term starts.
UCC Career Services exists to support the career development of UCC students through the provision of advisory, work placement and graduate recruitment services.
Our Mission: We help UCC students to achieve their career objectives by providing access to one to one careers advice and coaching, employability skills development classes, workshops and events, work experience placement opportunities and employment or postgraduate opportunities in Ireland and abroad.
We achieve our mission by:
University College Cork (UCC) graduates are highly sought-after by employers: 94% of our undergraduates are in employment or further studies within nine months of graduating. We attribute this success to the approach to employability and employment that we demonstrate as a research-intensive university. UCC prioritises a holistic approach to the development of professional skills and a strong work ethic that will enable our students to chart progressive, fulfilling career paths. Our degree programmes provide an intellectually rigorous, research-based education of the highest standard that is grounded in practice. Our employability and career development initiatives are delivered through curricular, co-curricular and extra-curricular activities and are supported by multiple units across the university.
UCC Partners with Industry in the Regional Skills Forum
UCC is a partner in the South West Regional Skills Forum together with:
· Education & Training partners: CIT, IT Tralee, Cork ETB, Kerry ETB, Skillnets
· Statutory Agencies: Enterprise Ireland, IDA, Cork City & County Councils & Local Enterprise Offices (LEOs), Kerry County Council & LEOs, Dept of Social Protection, South West Action Plan for Jobs
· Industry Associations: Cork Chamber, Cork Business Association, Ibec, Construction Industry Federation, Irish Hotels Federation
UCC’s Graduate Attributes Programme.
As a socially-minded, civically-engaged institution, our core values and graduate attributes are the bedrock of our student experience. Graduate attributes refer to the skills, knowledge and abilities of our graduates, beyond disciplinary content knowledge, that are applicable in a range of contexts in their lives. They advance the development of academic, specialist and technical skills. Based on extensive consultation with stakeholders, the following core values and graduate attributes will be prioritised for the lifecycle of this Academic Strategy.
A successful application to support this priority was made to the HEA Innovation and Transformation Programme 2018. The funding provided through this HEA scheme will support the development of a pilot Graduate Attributes Programme, which will be predominantly targeted at BA Arts students. Delivery of a suite of initiatives within the programme will focus on the different stages of students’ Transition In, Through and Out of the university. The overarching objective of the programme is to enable a successful student journey, which will prepare students for their future through three main projects.
1. Transition In initiatives will guide students into the right programme of study for them, whilst simultaneously widening access of under-represented cohorts and improving first year retention rates.
2. Transition Through initiatives will provide targeted supports, deliver skills training and develop graduate attributes that go beyond disciplinary content knowledge and can be applied in life-wide contexts.
3. Transition Out initiatives will prepare final year students to transition into professional environments, delivering on the ambitions of our Institutional Employability and Employment Guide.
This initiative will advance the development of students’ academic, specialist and technical competencies, equipping them with transferrable skills that can be applied in different environments. With a focus on developing core values and graduate attributes, these initiatives will integrate with the academic curriculum, taking a holistic educational approach to develop character, professionalism and the capacity for critical and creative thought. UCC graduates will be recognised as well-rounded, curious, self-aware, individuals who continually learn new skills, are open to new ideas, and make things happen
The UCC Works Award is a professional skills development programme, and demonstrates that you have engaged in, and developed professional skills through extra-curricular activies and work experience, all of which will help you to stand out from the crowd when applying for graduate roles and internships.
Tuition fee and scholarships
One of the important factors when considering a master's degree is the cost of study. Luckily, there are many options available to help students fund their master's programme. Download your copy of the Scholarship Guide to find out which scholarships from around the world could be available to you, and how to apply for them.
In this guide you will find:
Where to look for scholarship opportunities
How to apply to scholarships relevant to you
A list of available scholarships around the world
A scholarship application checklist
Rankings & ratings
University College Cork is one of the top public universities in Cork, Ireland. It is ranked #303 in QS World University Rankings 2023.
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