Short Courses (non-accredited)

*The Galway Hooker course is €75 and runs for 4 weeks.

Our short courses will start the week of the 10th of February and are offered online or in person (classroom) on campus. The short (non-accredited) courses run for 8 weeks - one evening per week. On Campus classes run from 7pm to 9pm and online classes run from 7:30pm to 9pm. See full listing below:

Short Courses 2025

Monday

SNAS – Gearrchúrsa Gaeilge  |  Ar Líne/Online

Tutor: Daithí Ó Madáin

Is gearrchúrsa Gaeilge ar líne ag an meánleibhéal é SNAS atá dírithe ar fhoghlaimeoirí a rinne an Ardteist am éigin agus atá ag iarraidh snas a chur ar a gcuid Gaeilge. Cuirtear béim ar scileanna éisteachta agus labhartha chomh maith le straitéisí foghlama teanga le linn an chúrsa. Múinteoir 8 n-aonad thar thréimhse 8 seachtaine.

SNAS is a short on-line Irish-language course at intermediate level that is aimed at learners who completed the Leaving Cert at some stage and want to brush up on their Irish. Listening and spoken skills are emphasised during the course as well as language-learning strategies. Eight units are taught over an eight-week period.

An Introduction to Gemmology: understanding the science behind a gem  |  Online*

Tutor: Dr. Alessandra Costanzo

This short course aims to provide students with a comprehensive introduction to the fascinating world of gemmology including the earth processes that create minerals and organic gemstones, the study of minerals and gemstones, gemmological theory and testing and diamond grading. The overall objective of the course is to give students the required knowledge about minerals, their occurrences, their physical and chemical properties and the internationally employed scientific methods for the identification and grading of gem materials. At the end of the course you will be able to work with and buy gems with increased confidence, identify the characteristics and features of commonly available gemstones, and explore other gem-related topics such as responsible sourcing and sustainability.

The course is open to everyone as there are no specific entry requirements, only a general interest in geology, mineralogy and gemmology is necessary. The course is designed for those with no previous training in gemmology: it is ideal for those starting a career in the industry or for gem enthusiasts looking to expand their knowledge. Online webinars will take place on Mondays on the following dates: 17 Feb, 24 Feb, 03 March, 10 March, 24 March and *one onsite practical lab workshop on Saturday 29 March on campus at University of Galway.

Tuesday

Brush Up Your French  |  Online

Tutor: Marie Biscio

Brush up your French is a course taught by a native tutor, aimed at intermediate and advanced levels (B1 to C2). If you want to improve your communicative skills, expand your vocabulary, and want to learn and talk about the country’s lifestyle, culture, history, politics, literature, art or music, this course if for you. Each week will focus on a different topic of your choice. If you are looking for a space to practice your everyday French, whether it is for work, for a holiday in a Francophone country or just to be able to converse about a film or a book with friends, this class is the best practice and occasion to speak, speak and speak some more in a friendly atmosphere! A variety of tasks will be employed to revise and consolidate your prior knowledge of the language and each lesson incorporates sufficient time for feedback on grammar and pronunciation.

Trainer Skills: A Beginners Guide  |  On Campus

Tutor: Dr. Marie Morrissey

This course is designed to enable participants to understand and acquire the knowledge, key skills and competencies that are essential components of a training course. Participants will learn how to identify a training need and then plan, design and implement a training course with an emphasis on hands-on-practical group work. You will learn delivery skills for effective training, create positive learning environments and develop techniques for analysing group dynamics for effective group learning within the training course. The course will interest you if you are involved in community/voluntary groups or are involved in training in your profession.

Wednesday

Seven Ages, Eight Taoisigh: Irish political history, 1922-1992  |  On Campus

Tutor: Dr. Séan Ó Duibhir

Recalling the popular RTÉ documentary from the 1990s, this short course seeks to provide a survey history of Ireland’s development in the 20th century. Focusing on the personages that occupied the Office of the Taoiseach (Prime Minister), students will have the opportunity to engage with the major political, societal and legal changes that occurred during the tenures of each of Ireland’s eight leaders between 1922 and 1992. Learn about Cosgrave’s stabilisation of the state; deValera’s broadening of Ireland’s sovereignty; Costello’s constitutional conundrum; Lemass’ expansion of the economy; Lynch’s battle for political survival, and for the soul of Fianna Fáil; FitzGerald’s ‘republican crusade’; Haughey’s contribution to the ‘Celtic Tiger’, and much more besides.

An Introduction History to Western Philosophy  |  On Campus

Tutor: Dr. Rachel Coventry

How does the history of philosophy inform how we think today? This course will illuminate critical figures and movements from the ancient Greeks to Existentialism. Each week will focus on a separate figure/or movement in Western Philosophy, including Plato, Descartes, Kant, and Nietzsche, allowing for discussion on how these ideas ground the Western consciousness and are still evident today. We will consider how to read philosophy and engage in reading exercises designed to open up the world of philosophical texts. The course is a beginner-level course, and no previous knowledge of philosophy is required.

The Galway Hooker: Enabler of life in the 19th and early 20th Century Galway Bay  |  Online

Tutor: Dr. Pádraig Ó Sabhain

The short course shall examine the relational nature of the Galway Hooker, a traditional carvel-built wooden sail-boat described by Scott (2004) as “The Workhorse of Galway Bay” (Scott, 2004, p.22). It will focus on the integral part played by the hooker in enabling the isolated communities of South West Conamara to dwell in the outer regions of Galway Bay in West Connacht, during the 19th and early 20th centuries. The Galway Hooker provided these communities with the opportunity to travel, trade and ferry into the region all of the provisions that were necessary to live there.

In week one we shall look at the Galway Hooker itself and examine its suitability for its role in Galway Bay. In week two we shall examine the Hooker’s impact from a Local, Regional and Community Perspective. Week three will allow us to view the interactions with the hooker at both a family and an individual level. In the final class in week four, we shall examine the decline and revival in the fortunes of the Galway Hooker.

NB: This course runs for 4 weeks and costs €75.

Thursday

Irish Literature: from Moore to Enright  |  Online

Tutor: Dr. Martin Keaveney

This carefully structured course is a general introduction to critically reading some of Ireland’s best known literature in the context of a progressing Ireland and also focussing on the locations of the novels.

We will begin at the turn of the 20th century with Mayoman George Moore’s The Untilled Field, then proceed through the next century with James Joyce’s Dubliners, John McGahern’s Amongst Women, set in the midlands, and Pat McCabe’s The Butcher Boy as a representative of Ulster. We conclude with newer works in Claire Keegan’s Foster, set in Wexford, Ann Enright’s south-west in The Green Road, Eimear McBride’s west of Ireland background of A Girl is a Half-Formed Thing, and Galway’s Mary Costello who provides an Irish narrator in the New York setting of Academy Street.

By the end of the course, participants will have read and discussed a number of Ireland’s best-known authors and critically analysed their geographical settings and foundations. An exciting new course which would be ideal for the literary enthusiast or anyone preparing to study English at third level.

‘The Little Things’: 20th Century Irish Political Crises  |  On Campus

Tutor: Dr. Séan Ó Duibhir

"It's amazing. You cross the big hurdles, and when you get to the small ones, you get tripped up." These were the now infamous words of the late Albert Reynolds, as he reflected on his brief, but consequential, tenure as Taoiseach. The demise of his Fianna Fáil-Labour coalition in 1994 saw the first change of government without an election in the state’s history; but it was not the first administration to have faced challenges that threatened its hold on power. Ranging from ‘Border Battles’ to ‘Courtroom Chicanery’, in this course we shall discuss eight political crises that almost brought – and in some cases did bring – Irish government’s down.

The Practice of Poetry  |  On Campus

Tutor: Dr. Rachel Coventry

This short course will combine workshopping with a detailed consideration of the craft. Using examples from contemporary poetry, we will examine how form, sound, and meaning combine to make a poem. Participants will be given weekly prompts based on the topics covered in class. In this context, practice extends to submitting work for publication and performing at readings. We will consider what it means to present one’s work in 2025. The course will culminate with a group reading. This class is suitable for all levels, from beginners to those who have already begun publishing in journals and those working towards a first collection.

Mediating Texts: Irish mythology and folklore made visible  |  Online + On Campus

Tutor: Dr. Nikita Koptev

Stories about Irish gods, heroes, monsters, lovers, the good people, the Devil, St. Patrick, Brídeog or changelings.  This course will introduce Irish mythology, folklore and customs accompanied by different types of media to better visualise and understand the texts. 

We will begin by exploring the context of Medieval literature that features mythological elements, as well as the folklore of the 20th century. Following this introduction, we will delve into three mythological themes/lectures: Wars of the Gods, All We Need is Love, and Two Heroes – Two Fates. This approach will provide a comprehensive understanding of the repertoire and themes that characterise Irish mythology. The course will follow with four lectures focused on folklore and folk religion, covering topics such as saints, cross-quarter days, life cycle rituals, and supernatural beliefs, specifically regarding Bean Sí and The Good People. 

By the end of the course, participants will have a nuanced understanding of the intricate nature of Medieval Irish literature infused with mythological components, along with the rich diversity of folklore and customs in Ireland.  No prior knowledge is required. All texts will be studied in English.

Saturday (1st & 8th March, 10am-4pm)

Alexander Technique  |  On Campus

Tutor: Richard Brennan

The Alexander Technique is a method of self-awareness on many levels. It is very simple and can be understood by anyone, yet at the same time it is very profound. It is a way of improving balance, posture and co-ordination. Many people think that the Alexander Technique involves improving posture by ‘sitting up straight’. Nothing could be further from the truth. It involves being aware and releasing the unconscious tension from our body allowing us to move through life with greater ease.

It can dramatically help prevent or alleviate backache, neck pain, arthritis, insomnia, depression as well as a whole range of physical aches and pains that are so common in our society today. Many people find that the Alexander Technique helps their confidence and self-esteem, spontaneity, leading to greater contentment and happiness. 

The workshop will cover the needs of the group, but the following topics are usually covered:

• Easing back and neck pain
• Improving posture without effort
• Improving breathing
• Reducing stress
• Sitting, standing and walking with ease
• Mind/body/emotional unity