Jump to Content

Visiting Students

Fáilte! | Fàilte! | Failt ort! | Croeso! | Degemer mat! | Dynnargh dhis!

Céad fáilte romhat go dtí clár na Sibhialtachta Ceiltí ag Ollscoil na Gaillimhe.

Welcome to the Celtic Civilisation programme at the University of Galway.

Celtic Civilisation is the study of the legacy of the Celts in the world, examining the history, archaeology, languages, literatures, mythologies and cultures of these people through the centuries.

Each semester, we welcome a significant number of Visiting Students to our Celtic Civiliation programme, and hope you will have a positive and worthwhile experience here studying this unique subject at the University of Galway.

Celtic Civilisation is a subject in the School of Languages, Literatures and Cultures and is offered as part of the Bachelor of Arts (Joint Honours) programme and on several denominated programmes. The subject is administered by the Discipline of Irish (Roinn na Gaeilge), and the teaching and administrative staff for this subject are mostly based in Áras na Gaeilge.

What Celtic Civilisation modules are available to Visiting Students?

We offer various modules to both Erasmus+ and International/Study Abroad Students each semester. The majority of modules across all programme years in the Celtic Civilisation programme are available to Visiting Students - although there are exceptions for modules that are taught across two semesters, or that have linguistic pre-requisites. All modules are delivered through the medium of the English language.

Please see the links below for descriptions of modules that are available to visiting students each semester. You can also find module descriptions in our course booklets (in pdf format) - available here.

Upon your arrival to Galway, printed copies of course booklets including lecture timetables can be collected from upstairs in Áras na Gaeilge at the Celtic Civilisation notice board.

View Semester One modules here

View Semester Two modules here

If you have any additional queries about our subject, please email the Discipline Administrator, who can direct your query to an appropriate member of the academic staff.

Note that Acadamh na hOllscolaíochta Gaeilge offers classes in the Irish language (Gaeilge/Gaelic) to visiting students each semester. More information about these courses can be found here.

How do I register for Celtic Civilisation modules?

You may choose from any of the modules listed (bearing in mind linguistic pre-requisites for SG222) and add them to your profile, using the appropriate module code during the registration process. You will also have the opportunity to change your mind within the first two weeks of the semester, so please attend as many of the scheduled Celtic Civilisation lectures as you would like during the first two weeks of term. Timetables are available in the course booklets (see link above) and on this webpage.

Registration is the responsibility of the student and you should choose and register your own modules during the registration process, ensuring you have sufficient credits to satisfy your programme/home university requirements. You do not need to register your interest directly with the department/module lecturer.

How will I be assessed?

Assessment usually consists of continuous assessment (mid-term review articles, presentations, essays, etc.) but note that some modules are assessed by in-house departmental exam or formal examination at the end of term. Consult course booklets and module descriptors for specific information on the assessment methods used in each module.

What do our visiting students say?

Jo Moore (Visiting Student)

"While studying Celtic Civilisation at NUI Galway, I enjoyed the breadth of subjects I was able to explore! Something very important to me is the approachability of the department at NUI Galway, which is not overwhelmingly large but rather a smaller but intellectually deep one, which enabled me to form a more personal connection with my lecturers.

From historical linguistics to mythology, every class was engaging – and I encountered a fantastic blend of literary and archaeological history, along with important attention to how these historical elements are present in today’s world. That attention to the connection between the past and present really captured my interest: learning the degree to which the presence of ancient Celtic civilisations is felt in the modern day helped contextualise my other studies. It also emphasised for me the relevance of studying Celtic Civ in college, because learning about past cultural and societal climates is the only way to truly understand the modern ones.

I particularly liked the multi-angle approach to our study of Early and Medieval History of the Celts, for example, because my personal interest in languages was fuelled by referencing linguistic evidence for the history of the Celts alongside archaeological studies and literary or oral evidence. It is truly a well-rounded approach, which engaged students of many varied interests, meaning there were a wide range of experiences in the classroom which added depth to the course!

Galway city, with its history so visible, was an especially good place to dive into Celtic Civilisation, and NUI Galway couldn’t have been a better place for me."