Planning Your Degree

In Stage 1 you will be pre-registered to the two subjects you chose on your CAO Application.  This means that you are already registered to the core modules for these two subjects and you should now choose option modules in both subjects to ensure you are prepared for Stage 2.  You will then choose a third and possibly a fourth subject if you want – though we do advise you not to spread yourself too thinly across too many subjects. 

To complete Stage 1, you need to obtain 60 credits.  However you may progress to Stage 2 with 50 credits if you meet your Stage 2 subject requirements.  If you do not have enough credit to progress, please talk to the School and College Office for advice and support. 

In Stage 2 you will decide which two subjects from Stage 1 you wish to continue studying as Joint Major combination and both subjects have equal weight. 

Please note:

• Not all subjects are available in Joint Major combinations.   It is important that you read and understand the section below “Subject Combinations” which sets out the restrictions (i.e. the combinations not available because of timetable or programme restrictions).
• You cannot take up a subject in Stage 2 without first having the required credits from Stage 1. If you wish to take up a new subject, there will be progression, time, and fee implications, for example, normally you will need to add at least one extra trimester to your degree if you decide to take up a new subject at the end of Stage 1.  You should contact the College Office for further information if you make the decision to change a subject at the end of Stage 1. 

In Stage 3 you will continue with the subject combination you chose in Stage 2 along with elective modules.  

As a student on the BA Arts Joint Hons degree programme, you may consider the option of completing a year studying abroad in a partner university and if you are successful you will then graduate with a BA Arts (International) Joint Hons degree (240 credits over 4 stages).  The Year Abroad is usually taken during the third year and students then return to UCD for a fourth year to complete the programme.  If you choose to go abroad, you must complete all that your host university and UCD require of you and UCD Global and your School will advise you on this. 

Completing Your Degree

To complete your degree, you must have achieved the required amount of credits which includes all core modules and the specific combination of modules that have been set out by the subjects that you are taking.  You must also have the correct combination of modules from different levels. At least 40 programme credits must be taken at Level 3 or above. You should note that this requirement is an overall one. You are not required to have the same mix in each subject.   For the BA Arts (International) programme, you must meet all the requirements set out by UCD and the host University – UCD International Office and your School will provide you with this information. 

Your degree GPA will be based on your performance in the modules that you take at Stages 2 and 3.  Your Grade Points for Stage 2 will be weighted by a factor of 3 and your Grade Points for Stage 3 will be weighted by a factor of 7.  So, Stage 2 is worth 30% of your overall degree result and Stage 3 is worth 70% of your overall BA Arts Joint Hons degree result. 

The modules you take in Stage 1 form the foundation of your degree and are critical to your smooth progression through your degree, so while they do not contribute to your final GPA, they require the same level of commitment and effort as modules that you will take later on.