Irish with Education - BA (Hons)

Program Overview

This four-year program in Irish Studies and Irish Language and Literature provides a comprehensive education in the Irish language, its literature, and its role in education. Students develop fluency in spoken and written Irish, explore Irish folklore and heritage, and gain practical experience in educational settings. Graduates pursue careers in education, interpretation, community development, and other fields related to the Irish language.

Program Outline

Outline:

Year One:

• Contemporary Educational Issues: Introduces central educational concepts and values.
• Facilitating An Effective Learning Environment: Explores approaches to teaching and learning in creating effective learning environments.
• An Ghaeilge Scríofa 1: Focuses on written communicative skills in Irish, enabling confident expression in everyday and academic contexts.
• Labhairt na Gaeilge 1: Takes students to C1 level in spoken Irish, focusing on fluency and communication skills.
• Léamhthuiscint na Gaeilge 1 (Optional): Develops active reading skills and critical thinking essential for academic progression.
• Léamhthuiscint na Gaeilge 2 (Optional): Further refines reading skills, explores dialect differences, and expands knowledge of Irish idiom.
• Labhairt na Gaeilge 2 (Optional): Consolidates fluency and communication skills at C1 level in spoken Irish.
• Stair Shóisialta is Liteartha na Gaeilge (Optional): Examines the political, socio-economic, and cultural factors influencing the decline and revival of Irish and the emergence of modern Irish literature.

Year Two:

• Industrial Educational Placement: Provides practical experience in an educational setting, contributing to development and delivery of projects and fostering communication with staff and learners.
• Béaloideas agus Staidéar Oidhreachta: Explores Irish folklore, oral tradition, and literary heritage.
• An Ghaeilge Scríofa 2: Builds on writing skills, enabling confident and accurate expression in written Irish for various purposes.
• Learning and Teaching with Technology (Optional): Equips students with skills to collaborate online, apply ICT in teaching and learning, and develop research and communication skills for online presentation.
• Physical Health and Wellbeing (Optional): Introduces students to theories of physical health and well-being in children's education, focusing on practical applications and exploring issues through workshops.
• Irish Translation Studies (Optional): Introduces theoretical approaches in Translation Studies, familiarizes students with terminology, and refines discourse analysis and translation skills for professional application.
• Forbairt Theangeolaíoch na Gaeilge (Optional): Examines diachronic aspects of the Irish language.
• Litríocht Ré na bPéindlithe (Optional): Explores the literary tradition of 18th and 19th century Ireland, studying poetry and prose, and analyzing works in their historical context.
• Nuafhilíocht na Gaeilge (Optional): In-depth study of modern Irish poetry from the beginning to the end of the twentieth century.
• An Ghaeilge Ghairmiúil (Optional): Enhances understanding of the Irish language sector in a professional context, incorporating experience from work-based settings and potentially serving as a precursor to a placement-inspired research project in year 3.

Year Three:

• Inclusive Educational Practices: Explores inclusive education in a diverse world, focusing on practical and theoretical knowledge, exploring theories, and identifying pedagogies and approaches for inclusive educational settings.
• Multicultural education and language learning: Explores learning and teaching in a diverse world, focusing on multilingual
and multicultural education settings, exploring links between language, culture, and identity, and identifying pedagogies for these settings.
• Scéim Mhalartaithe.
• Teanga agus Litríocht na Gaeilge Thar Lear (Optional): Extended period of study outside the UK, enhancing understanding of Celtic Studies and generating educational and cultural networks.

Year Four:

• Miontráchtas/Tionscadal: Individual research project on a topic related to Irish Studies/Irish language and literature.
• Canúineolaíocht na Gaeilge: Examines synchronic and diachronic aspects of the Irish language.
• An Nua-Ghaeilge Luath agus an Ghaeilge Chlasaiceach (Optional): Introduces students to Classical Irish and the Irish of the seventeenth century, studying Bardic poetry, learned love poetry, and key prose texts of the period.
• Próslitríocht agus Drámaíocht na Gaeilge san Fhichiú hAois (Optional): Analyzes modern prose and drama in Irish, with a particular focus on the novel.
• Léann agus Scileanna an Aistriúcháin (Optional): Introduces grammar, syntax, and phonology in Irish translation, studying discourse of contemporary Irish translation and engaging with key concepts in the field.

Assessment:

Assessment methods vary by module and are defined explicitly in each module. Assessment can be a combination of examination and coursework, or may be only one of these methods. Assessments may include essays, reports, seminar papers, tests, presentations, dissertations, designs, artefacts, portfolios, journals, or group work. The precise form and combination of assessment will depend on the module and course.

Teaching:

The program is taught by experienced academic staff, with 60% having PhDs and many holding professional body recognition. Most academic staff (82%) are qualified to teach in higher education. Teaching may be supplemented by qualified part-time staff and specialist guest lecturers. The program employs a blended learning approach, combining traditional lectures and seminars with online learning and independent study.

Careers:

Graduates of this program pursue careers in various fields related to the Irish language, including education, interpretation, community development, and formal educational roles. Many students continue their studies with postgraduate programs like the PGCE in Irish or Primary Education. The increasing number of students in Irish Medium Education creates a growing demand for qualified teachers.

Other:

The program offers an optional Industrial Educational Placement in year two, providing practical experience in an educational setting.

Northern Ireland, Republic of Ireland and EU Settlement Status Fees

£4,750.00

England, Scotland, Wales and the Islands Fees

£9,250.00

International Fees

£16,320.00