Welcome toIrish Studies

The Irish Studies Program offers an interdisciplinary minor in the history and culture of Ireland and the Irish Diaspora, from the early Christian period to the present.  Contemporary trends underscore the extraordinarily diverse character that Irish Studies has assumed in the last two decades.  Scholarship on Ireland has yielded rich dividends in our understanding of the experience of colonialism, literature, music and national identity, the significance of emigration and diasporic communities, economic modernization, the role of women, and finally the difficulty of effecting lasting peace between bitterly divided peoples.

The aim of the program is to provide the student with a comprehensive appreciation of the Irish experience through a range of courses drawn from different disciplines and reflecting the richness and complexity of this field of study.

Study Abroad in Ireland

Students taking a minor in Irish Studies may take advantage of our cooperative Study Abroad Program with the National University of Ireland in Galway.  Appropriate credits may be transferred with the approval of the director.

Cultural Study Tour of Ireland

A 7-9 day Study Tour of Ireland during Spring 2008 is planned, with such an opportunity to be made available every second year thereafter.  The Study Tour may be taken for three credits.