Most international students take courses in the Irish Studies program. International students are also welcome to take a wide range of courses in any of the six colleges at the University of Limerick, including:
College of Business
Accounting and Finance, Communications, Economics, Insurance,
Management and Marketing
Faculty of Education
Education, Engineering and Physical Education
College of Engineering
Industrial Design, Industrial Engineering, Mechanical Engineering
and Materials Technology
College of Humanities
Culture and Society, Geography, Irish Studies, Languages, Literature,
History, Public Administration, Politics, Social Sciences and
Computers and Sociology
College of Informatics and Electronic Engineering
Computer Engineering, Computer Systems, Electronic Engineering
and Mathematics
College of Science
Biochemistry, Biology, Chemistry, Environmental Science, Equine
Science, Food Technology, Microbiology, Physical Education, Physics
and Sports Science
Details on these and other unique offerings, as well as courses in other disciplines, are available by request from AIFS.
Unique Course Offerings
The University of Limerick is the only Irish university to
offer these subjects at the undergraduate level: Aeronautical Engineering; Equine Science; Insurance; Physical Education and Sports Science, and Public Administration.
Please note: Students wishing to take Equine and Sports
Science classes must meet with the Course Leader upon
arrival at the University. This meeting is arranged for you
by the International Education Division to determine if you
are eligible to enroll for particular classes.
Popular Courses selected by previous AIFS students have included:
Please note that the University course numbers are in parentheses after the American equivalent.
| Fall Courses | |
| Course Code and Credits: | Cultural Studies 314 (CU4121) (3) |
| Course Title: | Introduction to New Media and Cultural Studies |
| Course Description: | |
| This module introduces students to the fields of cultural studies to develop an understanding of culture from a European perspective. Areas covered include; the concept of culture, the English language tradition, German theories of culture, French theories of culture, gender and race, psychoanalysis, and culture and communication. Tutorials will take the theoretical aspects and apply them to present day cultural phenomena. | |
| Course Code and Credits: | Literature 315 (EH4145) (3) |
| Course Title: | American Literature |
| Course Description: | |
| A study of major texts in American literature, 17th century to present day; concepts of colonial and post colonial writing; the relationship between literature and history; issues of language and identity. | |
| Course Code and Credits: | Management 316 (MG4035) (3) |
| Course Title: | International Management |
| Course Description: | |
| The domain of international management, concepts of industry, location and specific advantage models of cross-border business, managing multinationals, mergers and acquisitions and strategic alliances, international business networks, coordinating international value chains, extended supply chain management, technology diffusion, subsidiary initiatives, political and cross-cultural issues, managing in developing countries. | |
| Course Code and Credits: | Psychology 314 (PS4031) (3) |
| Course Title: | Psychology and Everyday Life |
| Course Description: | |
| This module will introduce students to a range of fundamental theoretical perspectives and issues in general psychology through examining their relevance in everyday life. Through exploring everyday issues students will not only learn about theoretical perspectives but will also gain a basic knowledge of how psychology may be applied. In addition, through exploring some key studies in psychology, students will gain a basic understanding of the main investigative techniques used by psychologists. The range of topics will include; definitions of psychology; attachment; sleep, eating aggression and biological basis of behavior. | |
| Course Code and Credits: | Sociology 319 (S04033) (3) |
| Course Title: | Sociology of Media |
| Course Description: | |
| Sociology and the analysis of media and communications; The Conflict Perspective: Ideological analyses of the media; The Interactionist Perspective: Analyses of message production; Users and Gratification’s and Reception Analysis approaches to the Media Audience; The Politics of the Popular: TV Drama and the coverage of social issues with specific reference to Feminist Perspectives on the media. Media Representation of the Economy: The work of the Glasgow Media Group; Media Representation of Poverty and Inequality; Media Globalization: More Choice or Just More Channels. | |
| Spring Courses | |
| Course Code and Credits: | History 307 (HI4082) (3) |
| Course Title: | Europe: Society and Governance |
| Course Description: | |
| War, revolution, restoration 1914-24; democracy/dictatorship and war 1924-44; American money and reconstruction; decadent decade? depression and sobriety; political mobilization and violence; authority restored; conservatism/fascism/Stalinism; the twenty-year crisis: international relations; the Nazi new order and total war; Holocaust; reconstruction and Cold War; 1945: Europe’s ‘zero hour’? re-establishing order: the European economy and culture; the ‘second sex’: youth, political protest and cultural revolt; the post-post war society and state; rebuilding the European house: Thatcher and Gorbachev; race, ethnicity, and memory; after the Wall: the return of ‘Europe’. | |
| Course Code and Credits: | Literature 317 (EH4148) (3) |
| Course Title: | Science Fiction: Literature and Film |
| Course Description: | |
| In this module, students engage with key science fiction texts and critical statements on the genre. Science Fiction’s aesthetic forms and historical development are examined to discern its complex and multifaceted relationships to contemporary society. Through various methods, students will attend to the ways in which Western (especially Anglo-American) economy, politics and culture inform and shape specific texts and will explore how Science Fiction shapes and critiques societies in which its producers and readers live. | |
| Course Code and Credits: | Marketing 327 (MK4438) (3) |
| Course Title: | Electronic and International Marketing |
| Course Description: | |
| Electronic marketing, introduction to marketing on the internet, product and pricing on the internet, the internet as a distribution channel, marketing communications on the internet, interactive advertising, relationship marketing through online strategies, developing a website and designing a web presence, online marketing strategies; introduction to international marketing, the international marketing environment, market entry strategies, developing products for international markets, pricing in international markets, managing international channels, international promotion strategies, planning and organising for international marketing. Prerequisite: students must have taken other specified University of Limerick marketing courses in the fall semester. | |
| Course Code and Credits: | Sociology 318 (WS4011) (3) |
| Course Title: | Feminist Perspectives: An Introduction |
| Course Description: | |
| The nature of women’s studies; an introduction to the main theoretical frameworks (viz Liberal; Radical; Psychoanalysis; Marxist and socialist; Existentialist and post-modern); exploration of topics (paid work; motherhood; violence etc.) in the context of these frameworks; a critical evaluation of multifactorial frameworks and their relevance in understanding the position of women in Irish society. | |
Irish Studies
This multi-disciplinary program provides a comprehensive overview of Irish life and culture including Irish language and literature, history, folklore, traditional music, politics and sociology. Scheduling is organized so that conflicts are unlikely for students pursuing these courses.
| Fall Courses | |
| Course Code and Credits: | Gaelic 101 (GA 4115) (3) |
| Course Title: | Irish Language – Elementary Level |
| Course Description: | |
| Vocabulary, verbal forms and syntactical patterns used frequently in conversational Irish. History of the Irish language and an introduction to early Irish literature. | |
| Course Code and Credits: | History 303 (HI 4053) (3) |
| Course Title: | Ireland: 1750-1850 |
| Course Description: | |
| Discusses Ireland’s diverse societies economies and cultures; the disunited kingdom and discontented colony. The modernization of industry, breaking and making of the union as well as Anglicization 1750-1914 and the failure of economic capacity through to the triumph of capitalism will be examined. | |
| Course Code and Credits: | Literature 301 (EH 4111) (3) |
| Course Title: | The Irish Literary Revival |
| Course Description: | |
| Examines Irish writing in English at a crucial stage in its development. It concentrates on poetry and drama with special attention to the work of W.B. Yeats; the fiction-writing tradition is also studied. Background and context form an integral part of the course. | |
| Course Code and Credits: | Literature/Sociology 307 (GA 4105) (3) |
| Course Title: | Irish Folklore |
| Course Description: | |
| Definitions of folklore, collection and classification, verbal arts, minor genres, storytelling and narrative genres, indigenous and international tale types in Ireland, customs and beliefs. | |
| Course Code and Credits: | Literature 320 (EH 4158) (3) |
| Course Title: | From James Joyce to Maeve Brennan: 20th century Irish Fiction |
| Course Description: | |
| The intersection of Irish cultural and social identities and the texts of James Joyce, Elizabeth Bowen, Franc O’Connor, Kate O’Brien and their less well known counterparts such as the recently rediscovered Maeve Brennan is addressed. The efforts to create an “Irish national culture” in the period will be examined through contemporary perspectives in literary and cultural theory. | |
| Course Code and Credits: | Music 309 (MU 4135) (3) |
| Course Title: | Irish Traditional Music I |
| Course Description: | |
| Sources of traditional music in Ireland, composition and improvisation as creative process, dance music tradition, tune types, instruments, stylistic features, contemporary developments, changing concepts of harmony, emergence of formal group playing and dynamics by incorporating practical instruction in traditional music, dance and song performance. | |
| Course Code and Credits: | Political Science 323 (PO 4023) (3) |
| Course Title: | Comparative European Politics |
| Course Description: | |
| Introduction to comparative European politics, a basic understanding of the organization of European governmental systems, the role of political parties, party families, voting behavior, majoritarian and consensual Democracies and the politics of individual European states. | |
| Spring Courses | |
| Course Code and Credits: | Gaelic 201 (GA 4116) (3) |
| Course Title: | Irish Language – Intermediate Level |
| Course Description: | |
| Based on texts and other materials used in Irish post-primary schools. Content includes aspects of Irish culture. | |
| Course Code and Credits: | Geography 312 (GY 4018) (3) |
| Course Title: | Historical/Cultural Geography of Ireland |
| Course Description: | |
| Interpretation of cultural markers. Study themes of decoding the landscape, names of places, signatures and people, signs and symbols, landscape as a clue to culture, seeing things and history matters. | |
| Course Code and Credits: | Literature/Sociology 307 (GA 4105) (3) |
| Course Title: | Irish Folklore |
| Course Description: | |
| Definitions of folklore, collection and classification, verbal arts, minor genres, storytelling and narrative genres, indigenous and international tale types in Ireland, customs and beliefs. | |
| Course Code and Credits: | Literature 316 (EH 4126) (3) |
| Course Title: | Imagined Spaces: Irish Cultural Texts |
| Course Description: | |
| Provides a critical and theoretical examination of Irish culture (both literary and media) ranging from early 20th century efforts to create an “Irish national culture” to contemporary ways of imagining contemporary Irish identities within culture. | |
| Course Code and Credits: | Literature 318 (EH 4116) (3) |
| Course Title: | Contemporary Irish Writing in English |
| Course Description: | |
| Contemporary Irish writing as it relates to the literary scene of the early part of the century. Major literary, political and social forces that helped shape it since then. Selections from contemporary poetry, drama and fiction. | |
| Course Code and Credits: | Music 322 (MU 4136) (3) |
| Course Title: | Irish Traditional Music II |
| Course Description: | |
| Regional styles in instrumental and vocal traditions in Irish song tradition—repertoire and style, tradition and change in the music of the Irish harp, traditional music and society in contemporary Ireland. Practical instruction in traditional music, dance and/or song performance. | |
| Course Code and Credits: | Political Science 311 (PO 4013) (3) |
| Course Title: | Government and Politics of Ireland |
| Course Description: | |
| Economic, social and political change, political culture, constitutional development, evolution of the party system, electoral behavior, social bases of party support and an overview of principal political institutions including the presidency, oireachtas, government, taoiseach and civil service. | |
| Course Code and Credits: | Political Science 315 (PO 4015) (3) |
| Course Title: | Government and Politics of the European Union |
| Course Description: | |
| Development of the European Community/European Union (EC/EU) as a political system from the aftermath of the Second World War until the Maastricht Treaty. The institutional system of the EC/EU including the decision-making procedures, the interaction between the EC/EU and the politico-administrative systems of the member states and the ongoing debate on institutional reform in the EC/EU. | |
| Course Code and Credits: | Sociology 326 (SO 4016) (3) |
| Course Title: | Issues in Contemporary Irish Society |
| Course Description: | |
| Power, control and legitimacy in Irish society, social differentiation, the media and social control and processes of empowerment, forms of social conflict, dispute processing, dispute context and the public sphere. | |
