Course Information
BA (Hons) (NFQ Level 8)
Full Time - Undergraduate Studies
CAO Code: DN520
CAO Points Range 2019: 336
Length of Course: 3 Years
Average Intake: 420
O6/H7 in English, Irish, a third language and three other recognised subjects.
Why is this course for me?
Irish Studies is an interdisciplinary programme that examines the variety and diversity of Irish history, society, cultural practice and the complex processes through which Ireland and Irish identities have been constructed. It asks a series of provocative and stimulating questions about ideas of Ireland and Irishness, such as how can we understand the ways in which place, history, culture and society have shaped Ireland, past and present? How do processes of emigration and immigration impact on Irish culture, society and identity? What influence have identity categories such as gender, sexuality, ethnicity and class had on Irish culture, society and identities?
Career & Graduate Study Opportunities
Irish Studies graduates can find employment in:
- Journalism and the media
- Tourism
- Heritage
- Advertising
- Business
- The Arts
- Public Relations
- Public service
- Politics
- 3rd Secretary
- Radio/TV Producer
- Policy & Research Officer
- Education & Outreach Officer
- Museum Curator
- Gallery Manager
- Policy Analyst
- Media Coordinator
- Arts Manager
- Campaign Officer
- Principal Officer
- Archivist
Graduates are also eligible to apply for UCD MA Programmes including Irish Studies, History and English.
Specialise: MA (Taught):
- MA Irish Folklore & Ethnology
- MA Irish Studies
- MA Cultural Policy & Arts Management
- MA Public History
Convert:
- MSc Management
- MSc Digital Marketing
- MA Archives & Records Management
- Masters in Common Law
- Graduate Entry Medicine
- Masters in Library & Information Studies
What Will I Study
Students take core Irish Studies modules alongside designated option modules from other Arts & Humanities & Social Sciences programme subject areas, including Irish Folklore, Celtic Civilization, Archaeology, Art History, English, Geography, History, Music and Sociology.
Core modules include:
First Year
- Introduction to Irish Studies
- Introduction to Irish Cultural Studies
- Folklore & the Imagination.
- Vikings in the Celtic World
- Contemporary Irish Writing
- Dublin: Its Museums & Collections
Second Year
- Reading Irish Studies: Place People & Identities
- Irish Studies Readings Seminar
- Irish Literature in English
- Poets, Power & Performance
- Material Culture
- Music in Ireland
Third/Fourth Year
- The Forgotten Irish
- Irish Studies Research Skills
- Reading the Irish Revival
- Collectors of Song and Music
- Georgian Dublin
- Irish Presence in America
- Textual Analysis of the Irish Oral Tradition
- Irish Foreign Policy, 1919-73
Students attend lectures and tutorials and undertake independent study. Assessment is through a combination of end-of semester written examinations and continuous assessment
Sample Irish Studies module options
- Ireland Uncovered
- Exploring Ireland
- Gender, Culture and Society
- List of module options from all other Schools in the College of Arts and Humanities.
How Will I Study
| Studying Irish Studies (BA Arts) |
|---|
as a Joint Major with one of the subjects below:
| Studying Irish Studies (BA Humanities) |
|---|
| Celtic Studies, Art History & History |
International Study Opportunities
Exchange opportunities available to third year students have included:
- Edinburgh University, UK
- Glasgow University, UK
- University of Toronto, Canada
- University of Otago, New Zealand
Irish Studies is a growing discipline building on other possible international study opportunities in the US, Canada, UK, China, Australia, Europe and South Africa.
Testimonial
“Irish Studies provides many vantage points from which to expand and challenge the concept of Irishness. It fosters a historical background, which encourages you to think critically about Irish culture. I explored alternative narratives, including literature produced by people in direct provision, as well as contemporary film analysing the impact of the recession in Ireland. These were grounded in an understanding of classical Irish literature. I have thoroughly enjoyed my first two years of study and am excited to discover what comes next.”
Catherine Ryan, Irish Studies & Irish Folklore Student
