Program Overview

Irish

Overview

The emphasis in this course is on the modern language and culture. A range of modules will provide you with a broad understanding of diverse aspects of Irish culture and society and include the short story, the novel, and modern poetry. The growth of Gaelic identity is also explored and insight into the country’s wider heritage is developed through the study of mythology, folklore and Scottish Gaelic.

Course Highlights

• Professional Exemptions: The BA Irish will exempt you from examinations for An Teastas Gaeilge do Mhúinteoirí Iarbhunscoile for teaching in the Republic of Ireland.
• Global Opportunities: Queen's University Belfast is committed to providing a range of international opportunities to its students during their degree programme. Current and past students have studied and taught in the USA as part of the Study USA and Fulbright Programmes.
• Industry Links: We have former students in senior positions in various Irish language sectors and we maintain strong links with media production companies, the translation sector and language promotion agencies.
• World Class Facilities: Queen’s has an excellent library for Irish materials and an outstanding collection of resources relating to Ireland.
• Internationally Renowned Experts: Queen’s has world-leading experts in the history of the Irish language and literature, Irish linguistics and Gaelic names. Queen’s had the highest ranked research unit including Irish and Celtic languages in the most recent Research Excellence Framework. (REF 2014)

Course Structure

• Stage 1: Students must take a core double module on Gaelic language, plus at least two further Gaelic / Celtic modules. Students can also choose two further modules from a wide range available from across the Faculty, allowing them to follow their interests as well as developing the skills needed to succeed at University level study.
• Stage 2: Students must take one core double module in the Irish language, which builds on the skills and knowledge gained in year 1. They also take four further optional modules, examining Irish literature and culture in further detail.
• Stage 3: Students will take one core double module, plus a range of optional modules which are rooted in staff research expertise. They may also opt to undertake a dissertation in Irish language or literature, and/or a work placement module.

People Teaching You

• Professor Greg Toner: Professor of Irish, Subject Lead

Contact Teaching Hours

• Large Group Teaching: 4 hours of lectures (25-50 students) per week
• Small Group Teaching/Personal Tutorial: 6 hours of tutorials or small group teaching per week; for your dissertation you will have a mixture of small group teaching and personal tutorials
• Personal Study: 24 hours studying and revising in your own time each week, including independent reading, language practice, vocabulary development, guided study, online activities, coursework preparation etc

Learning and Teaching

At Queen’s, we aim to deliver a high quality learning environment that embeds intellectual curiosity, innovation and best practice in learning, teaching and student support to enable our students to achieve their full academic potential.

Assessment

• The way in which you will be assessed will vary according to the learning objectives of each module. Language modules are assessed through a variety of written tasks, class tests, a formal written examination and an oral exam at the end of the year. All other modules are assessed through a variety of forms of coursework which may include book reviews, projects, creative writing, presentations, essays and language tasks.

Feedback

• As students progress through this course they will receive general and specific feedback about their work from a variety of sources including lecturers, module convenors, personal tutors, advisers of study and your peers.

Career Prospects

• Studying for a degree in Irish at Queen‘s will assist students in developing the core skills and employment-related experiences that are valued by employers, particularly in a world where critical thinking, cross-cultural awareness and communication skills are at a premium.
• Careers pursued by graduates in Irish can include teacher, language development officer, translator, manager, TV presenter, producer, writer and researcher. Graduates may also enter careers in business, management consultancy and software development.

Employment Links

• Queen’s has strong links with a number of employers including the Department for Communities, the BBC, Irish Language Broadcast Fund and other media companies, and employers are routinely invited to address the Irish students.

Prizes and Awards

• Donohoe Prize: awarded for the highest mark in the oral examination at Stage 2.
• Emrys Evans Book Prize: awarded at Stages 1 + 2 for the best performance in the written language examination.
• Foundation Scholarships: recognise outstanding achievement in Stage 1.
• John Devlin Fund: Awarded annually to the Final Year student with the highest overall mark in the Irish Language module at Stage 3.

Degree Plus/Future Ready Award for extra-curricular skills

• In addition to your degree programme, at Queen's you can have the opportunity to gain wider life, academic and employability skills.

Tuition Fees

• Northern Ireland (NI): £4,855
• Republic of Ireland (ROI): £4,855
• England, Scotland or Wales (GB): £9,535
• EU Other: £20,800
• International: £20,800

Additional Course Costs

• Single Honour Irish students are required to spend 2 periods of residence in the Gaeltacht between Years 1 and 2 and between Years 2 and 3. The trips are subsidised by the School but each student is required to pay a contribution per residency (currently £180, i.e. £360 in total).

How to Apply

• Application for admission to full-time undergraduate and sandwich courses at the University should normally be made through the Universities and Colleges Admissions Service (UCAS).

Entrance Requirements

• ABB including A-level Irish
• A maximum of one BTEC/OCR Single Award or AQA Extended Certificate will be accepted as part of an applicant's portfolio of qualifications with a Distinction* being equated to a grade A at A-level and a Distinction being equated to a grade B at A-level.
• H3H3H3H3H3H3/H2H3H3H3H3 including Higher Level grade H3 in Irish
• A minimum of a 2:2 Honours Degree, provided any subject requirement is also met

International Students

• Our country/region pages include information on entry requirements, tuition fees, scholarships, student profiles, upcoming events and contacts for your country/region.

English Language Requirements

• An IELTS score of 6.5 with a minimum of 5.5 in each test component or an equivalent acceptable qualification.

Scholarships

• Each year, we offer a range of scholarships and prizes for new students.

International Scholarships

• Information on scholarships for international students.

Modules

• Gaeilge 1
• Language Politics and Conflict
• Nualitríocht na Gaeilge ó 1916 go dtí an lá inniu
• Celtic Mythology
• Gaeilge 2
• Cearta an Duine agus Nualitríocht na Gaeilge
• An Gearrscéal sa Ghaeilge
• Kings and Warriors
• Scottish Gaelic Language 1
• Gaeilge 3
• An Miontráchtas: Dissertation
• An Béal Beo
• Gairmeacha le Gaeilge
• Language and Literature in the Gaelic World
• Nuafhilíocht na Gaeilge

Module Details

• Gaeilge 1: This module aims to consolidate and develop the students’ existing written and oral language skills as well as their knowledge of Irish society and culture.
• Language Politics and Conflict: This module will examine the role of language in politics and conflict in the broad historical context of Ireland and Scotland.
• Nualitríocht na Gaeilge ó 1916 go dtí an lá inniu: This module will provide an introduction to modern literature in Irish.
• Celtic Mythology: This module will explore the evidence for the mythology of the Celtic-speaking peoples from the earliest times as found in ancient and medieval sources in Ireland, Britain and the Continent.
• Gaeilge 2: Building on skills acquired at Level 1, this module aims to develop further competence in spoken and written language using a broad range of tasks and assessment methods in keeping with the National Syllabus for Irish Language Teaching at 3rd Level.
• Cearta an Duine agus Nualitríocht na Gaeilge: This interdisciplinary module critically engages with the theoretical frameworks of human rights and considers how human rights discourses since the Second World War have informed writing in Irish.
• An Gearrscéal sa Ghaeilge: This module will examine the short story as a distinct genre within the Irish-language literary canon.
• Kings and Warriors: In this module, you will read and analyse a selection of key, early medieval Irish myths and sagas.
• Scottish Gaelic Language 1: The module is designed for beginners and aims to teach all four key language skills, namely listening, speaking, reading and writing.
• Gaeilge 3: Building on skills acquired at level 2, this module aims to develop the skills and understanding that will be required to deal with a broader variety of language tasks.
• An Miontráchtas: Dissertation: The dissertation (4000 words) will demonstrate a capacity for independent research, thought, judgment, and writing.
• An Béal Beo: This course will explore the phraseology of Irish.
• Gairmeacha le Gaeilge: The work internship module will provide students with a practical exposure to working in an Irish-language setting.
• Language and Literature in the Gaelic World: An introduction to the classical literary language and culture of Gaelic Ireland and Scotland in the early modern period, c. .
• Nuafhilíocht na Gaeilge: This module examines the evolution of modern Irish poetry from 1940 to the present day.