Irish Foreign Studies Program

  Ireland

• Other Cities in Ireland: 
Galway,  Derry
• Dublin: 
Dublin

Term: Summer 
Dates: May 27 - June 18

Description: The GRCC Irish Foreign Studies Program provides students with unique academic and travel opportunities each year during May and June. The program is designed for all those interested in studying Ireland and its history, archaeology, economics, politics, conflicts, and peace processes. Participants in the program can be traditional or nontraditional students actively pursuing degree requirements or seeking personal enrichment.

Grand Rapids Community College has a long tradition of excellence in education and the Irish Foreign Studies Program continues that tradition by providing enriched opportunities and allowing students to delve deeper into the subject matter of their courses. All participants will have the opportunity to observe first-hand the rich panorama of Irish culture as well as to explore the complexities of Ireland's past, present, and future.

Being a part of the Irish Foreign Studies Program is an interdisciplinary experience. Students will explore Ireland though coursework in different subject areas, such as history, economics, politics, archaeology, and conflict resolution. Each student in the program will take three classes, earning a total of nine credit-hours.

Highlights: The Irish Foreign Studies Program runs each year during May and June. In May, the program classes are conducted online via the GRCC Blackboard system. During this time, students enjoy the usual flexibility of online distance learning courses and will complete key reading assignments and online coursework, view films, turn in written assignments, and interact with faculty and other students in the online discussion boards. By the time the group departs for Ireland at the end of May, students will have an excellent background in Irish studies that will allow them to get the most out of their time abroad.

During the GRCC group's time in Ireland (the first three weeks in June), we will visit both Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland, staying in South Armagh, Donegal, Galway, and Dublin. The program will also include trips to Belfast, Derry, and other cities. The GRCC group will visit and study Neolithic tombs, forts, medieval castles, cathedrals, monasteries, sites dating from every period of history, as well as modern monuments, cities, villages, parliament buildings, murals, and museums.

Along the way, the GRCC group pursues a rigorous academic program, and again students have unique opportunities to meet and have guided tours by people who experienced and influenced the Troubles and peace process, political leaders, community workers, police officers, former prisoners and hungerstrikers, and distinguished scholars. Depending on availability, we may have opportunities to meet notable political leaders such as Gerry Adams, Martina Anderson, Martin McGuinness, Connor Murphy, Bernadette Devlin McAliskey, Sean Farren, and John Hume, Nobel Peace laureate and architect of the current peace process in Northern Ireland.

Degree Level: Bachelors Degree (Undergraduate)

Minimum Education: High School

Cost in US$: 4,200

Experience Required: no

This Program is open to American, Asian, Australian, Canadian, European, Kiwi, South African and Worldwide Participants.

Participants Travel to Ireland in Groups

Typically Participants Work in Groups

Application Process Involves:

• Essay
• Letters of Reference
• Other
• Transcript
• Written Application

GRCC Irish Foreign Studies Program's Mission Statement: It is the mission of Grand Rapids Community College to provide the community with learning opportunities that enable people to achieve their goals.

Year Founded: 2004