Irish Studies in Belfast, Northern Ireland

Located at the historic Queen’s University Belfast, the Institute for Irish Studies hosts this summer school, an interdisciplinary program exploring several aspects of Irish history and culture from an Irish and Northern Irish perspective.

Students on this program attend lectures by internationally acclaimed scholars on a variety of subjects, including history, politics, anthropology, film and theater, language and literature. The summer program also offers the unique opportunity for students to meet and have discussions with representatives of Northern Ireland’s political parties. A series of fieldtrips to locations such as Stormont Parliament Building and the burial place of St. Patrick ensures that students will experience the history of Ireland firsthand. The Institute for Irish Studies aims to enhance traditional learning through fieldwork and social activity.

Belfast and Queen's University

Queen’s University hopes to expose students to Ireland’s extraordinary cultural heritage. Founded by Queen Victoria, Queen’s University was designed as a non-denominational alternative to the Anglican-controlled Trinity College in Dublin. The beautiful campus contains more than 250 buildings, 120 of which are famous for their architectural merit. Famous graduates of the University include actor Liam Neeson and Republic of Ireland President Mary McAleese.

The Queen’s University campus is located in the beautiful south side of Belfast, right beside the “Golden Mile.” This is the city’s best-known and most lively thoroughfare, packed with restaurants, bars, cafes, and cinemas. The Times of London describes Belfast as one of its top 12 world travel destinations. The city has experienced a resurgence of public and private development, an optimism fueled by the peace process. That same optimism continues to bring more and more visitors from around the world to experience this vibrant, culturally rich city and its beautiful surrounding countryside.

New York Times Belfast Travel Guide:
http://travel.nytimes.com/travel/guides/europe/britain/northern-ireland/belfast?scp=3&sq=belfast&st=cse

Program Director

Erin Conley is a Graduate Teaching Assistant in the Department of English and a scholar of environmental literature and postcolonial studies with particular emphasis on Northern Ireland and Nigeria. She will participate in many of the program’s activities along with KU students and meet with participants regularly to informally discuss their experiences of Northern Ireland.

Academic Program

Students can choose to enroll for the course under any of the following course numbers:

ENG 530/EURS 511/HWC 555/HIST 510: Irish StudiesStudents who enroll in the course as ENGL 530 can take advantage of a partnership with the Seamus Heaney Centre for poetry; students choosing this option have the opportunity to participate in 5 days of literary discussions and writing workshops with established Northern Irish writers and critics.

Program Activities

Students will have several opportunities to see the city of Belfast up close, including tours of Belfast’s famous wall murals, the shipbuilding district where the Titanic was built, and Belfast’s public art.

Field trips outside of Belfast offer students a taste of the rest of Northern Ireland. Students will visit the Antrim Coast, the Glens of Antrim, and the Giant’s Causeway, following sixty miles of gorgeous coastline; the vibrant and historically rich city of Derry / Londonderry; and the Centre for Migration Studies and Ulster American Folk Park, which tell the story of emigrant life on both sides of the Atlantic.

Throughout the program, the cultural heritage of Northern Ireland will be an integral part of the experience. Lectures on Northern Irish literature, art, music, theatre, and film will provide an historical context for viewing the contemporary art that can be seen on Derry’s walls, heard in Belfast’s pubs, and read in books published internationally by Northern Irish writers. The Seamus Heaney Center for Irish Poetry will also give students the chance to meet notable Northern Irish poets and to create some verse of their own.

The program explores Northern Irish politics from many angles. One highlight is the tour of Stormont Parliament Building that culminates in meetings with representatives of major Northern Ireland political parties. Students will also take a field trip to the Antrim police station to meet officers from various units including the Tactical Support Group.

Social events have included both a ceilidh (Irish dancing) and a wine social in Queen’s University’s iconic Lanyon Building as well as an evening at the John Hewitt pub in the Cathedral quarter.

Accommodations

The Institute for Irish Studies houses students in The Queen’s Elms Halls of Residence, a quiet location just a 15-minute walk away from the Queen’s campus. Entertainment is also not far off, since the city center is only two miles away. A daily continental breakfast and self-service laundry are included.

Dates

Depart US: Friday, July 16, 2010
Arrive Belfast: Saturday, July 17, 2010
Classes begin: Monday, July 19, 2010
Classes End: Friday, August 6, 2010
Depart Belfast: Saturday, August 7, 2010

Eligibility

Open to students from any accredited U.S. college or university. Minimum 2.5 GPA required (exceptions considered after submission of a petition).

Credit

Three hours of undergraduate credit are granted by the University of Kansas upon successful completion of the program.

Cost:

Program Fee: Approximately $3,560 ($3,760 for non-KU students). The program fee includes dormitory accommodations, breakfasts, all fieldtrips and visits, at least three group dinners, KU orientation, and emergency medical evacuation and repatriation services.

Tuition and Fees: Estimated tuition and fees for 3 credit hours (based on standard tuition rate): $657 *

* Actual expenses for KU students will vary by the student’s individual tuition compact. Non-KU students will pay the standard tuition rate listed above. (KU students enrolled in the Graduate School will pay approximately an additional $155.)

Estimated Additional Expenses: Airfare, most meals, insurance, passport fees, visa fees (if applicable), books, and personal expenses. Estimated $2,700.

Note

All dates, costs, and program information are subject to change as necessary due to fluctuations in the exchange rate or other reasons.

Financial Aid

KU students who qualify for summer financial aid in the form of Stafford and/or other loans, Pell or SEOG Grants, and scholarships may apply the aid to the cost of a Study Abroad Program.

Limited supplemental scholarships are available to KU undergraduates. Applications are available at the Office of Study Abroad. You can also download the scholarship application. The scholarship application deadline is March 1.

Non-KU students should check into the financial resources available to them at their home institutions.

Application Procedures

Application Deadline: March 1, 2010. Early application is strongly encouraged.

Applications are available in the KU Office of Study Abroad. You can also download the application.

(Adobe Acrobat Reader is required to download an application. If your computer does not have Acrobat Reader you can download it for FREE.)

Useful Websites

Queen's University Belfast, Institute of Irish Studies

Northern Ireland Tourism

Belfast Telegraph newspaper

For more information contact:

Erin Conley
Department of English
1445 Jayhawk Blvd, Room 2030
Phone: 785-864-2562
e-mail: econley@ku.edu

The University of Kansas
Office of Study Abroad
Lippincott Hall
1410 Jayhawk Blvd. Room 108
Lawrence, KS 66045-7515
phone: 785-864-3742
fax: 785-864-5040
e-mail: osa@ku.edu