Pre-Masters Programme
ENTRANCE REQUIREMENTS
GPA equivalent to upper second class degree; IELTS 6 or equivalent. In the absence of an IELTS or other internationally recognised English language qualification, UCD may examine applicants’ English language level.
PROGRAMME SCHEDULE
Semester 1: Sept. 2009 – December 2010
Semester 2: January 2010 – May 2010
COSTS
Tuition fees: € 9,000
Living expenses: € 7,000 - 9,000 (est.)
ENQUIRIES
E-mail: china@ucd.ie
Telephone: +353 (0) 1716 4747
English | Chinese
About the Programme
The Pre-Masters Studies Programme is the result of agreements between UCD and various quality universities in China. The course features several innovative solutions to the problems Chinese students may face in deciding whether, when, and where to study abroad at postgraduate level. Firstly, it allows Chinese undergraduates to spend their 4th year of study at UCD and graduate at the end of that year with a bachelor degree from their home university. This is achieved through the recognition by their home university of academic modules and credits obtained during the Pre-Masters Studies year. In addition to this, the course provides the best possible preparation for Master degree study at UCD. Within UCD itself, there are agreements between the various schools and The Irish Institute for Chinese Studies (which coordinates the programme) to accept students onto Master degree courses after they have successfully completed Pre-Masters Studies and met the entry prerequisites for their chosen Master Degree subject. Thus Pre-Masters Studies is an integral part of a 3+1+1 model: 3 years of undergraduate study at university in China, 1 year of Pre-Masters Studies at UCD, and a final year of postgraduate Master Degree study at UCD.
The programme is also open to graduates from China who wish to prepare for Master Degree study at UCD.
Module Information
Semester 1 modules:
  1. International and Social English for Chinese Students (3 hours per week)
  2. Language and Culture: Content, Form and Function (6 hours per week)
  3. English for Specific Academic Purposes (6 hours per week)
  4. Study Skills (3 hours per week)
NB: Students will take an IELTS examination at the end of Semester 1.
Semester 2 modules:
  1. English for Specific Academic Purposes: direct and relevant content-based language support for academic modules (6 hours per week)
  2. International and Social English for Chinese Students (3 hours per week)
  3. Three academic modules from the subject area of their choice, in accordance with their education in China: Business, Law, Accounting, Sciences, Arts, Engineering (at least a further 6 hours up to 12 hours per week)
The second semester involves fully authentic academic study of credit-bearing modules alongside final year undergraduates of UCD. It is these credits which allow students to graduate from China on the Pre-Masters Studies Programme, but it should also be noted that if credits are required, they have to be earned through the same assessment procedures as local students: coursework and exams.
Pre-Masters Studies students also enjoy participation in weekly Social-Bilingual Workshops throughout the course, in which they have the opportunity to meet Irish, European and other international students of Chinese language and culture.
About University College Dublin
UCD, consistently ranked in the top two universities of Ireland, is one of the great universities of the English-speaking world. The university has played a major role in Irish history since its foundation in 1854, producing several prime ministers of the country as well as numerous other leading figures in Arts, Science, Economics, Sport, Business and Politics. The main university campus at Belfield is situated less than 4km from the centre of Dublin, one of Europe’s most popular and charming capital cities. Students at UCD enjoy facilities and teaching at the highest international standards, and graduates of UCD are to be found working in many different fields and in many different countries. In the 21st century, UCD has become increasingly internationalised and studying is now supported by the latest technological systems and e-learning.
The Irish Institute for Chinese Studies at UCD is a centre of excellence for teaching, research and consultation work across a range of China-related areas and one of its key aims is to promote cultural, educational, linguistic and commercial links between Ireland and China. UCD also hosts the very first Confucius Institute in Ireland. In short, the university is a place where Chinese students find a warm welcome, the feeling of a home from home, a quality of life at the very top of the global rankings, the chance to gain internationally recognised qualifications which are respected and admired throughout the world, and optimum opportunities for employment following graduation.
© 2009 Irish Institute for Chinese Studies