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Courses
Courses
Choosing a course is one of the most important decisions you'll ever make! View our courses and see what our students and lecturers have to say about the courses you are interested in at the links below.
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About University of Galway
About University of Galway
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Business & Industry
Guiding Breakthrough Research at University of Galway
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Community Engagement
Community Engagement
At University of Galway, we believe that the best learning takes place when you apply what you learn in a real world context. That's why many of our courses include work placements or community projects.
Accessibility & LanguageEducation in Ireland
Course Overview
This Continuing Professional Development programme is designed to offer teachers the opportunity to study particular aspects of the Irish education system and, concurrently, to study the history, literature and culture of Ireland. It is suitable for elementary and secondary teachers, adult learning practitioners, STEM, minority language and special education teachers, those involved in school administration and graduate researchers.
Course Faculty includes members of the University; additionally guest educational practitioners contribute substantially to the course.
Teaching is by means of lectures, seminars, meetings with Irish educators and visits to educational institutions, as well as guided cultural tours which facilitate contact with the music, language and people of Ireland. Students are provided with informal opportunities to view and study relevant resources from the University Library. Facilities and time for private study as well as touring and sightseeing at weekends are offered. Assessment for those requiring credits is carried out on a continuous basis.
Course Modules
SS123 The Education System of Ireland (6 Graduate Credits/12 ECTS Credits)
A review and analysis of the Irish educational system – its origins, development, structure and organisation – from early childhood to adult provision. Topics for special study may be selected for elementary, secondary or tertiary education; adult and continuing education; special education; vocational training. Participants will have an opportunity to meet with Irish educators during seminars and during visits to educational and social institutions in urban and rural settings.
Special arrangements for informal meetings between individual participants and their counterparts in Ireland will be facilitated during the course. For participants whose primary interest is Special Education, arrangements will be made for meetings with Irish practitioners in this field.
The course includes:
- An overview of Irish History from the time of the famine, with particular emphasis on emigration and the factors leading up to the current political situation in Ireland
- A review of the literature and theatre of Ireland with emphasis on the distinctive achievements of 20th Century and contemporary writers
- An introduction to the music and folklore of Ireland as well as the Irish (Gaelic) language
- Field trips are an important part of the Education in Ireland course. Students will visit The Irish Workhouse Centre, Clonmacnoise Monastic Site, Inis Mor on the Aran Islands, Coole Park, Thoor Ballylee, Kilmacduagh . Field trips provide exposure to Irish history, archaeology, literature and our natural habitat. Cultural excursions to the theatre and Trad on the Prom also form part of the course.
Course Dates
- Arrival, check into accommodation: Sunday 29 June 2025
- Closing of summer school: Friday 20 July 2025
- Departure: Saturday 19 July 2025
Tuition & Accommodation Costs
- Tuition Cost: €2,390.00
- Accommodation Cost: €960.00 for duration of 20 nights, single ensuite room, self-catering in shared apartment in Student Residence | Goldcrest Village (campusaccommodation.ie)
Apply
Applicants must be university graduates. The programme is particularly suitable for practicing teachers, graduate students and post-doctoral researchers focusing on:
- Global perspectives in education
- International education and curriculum
- Comparative and international education
- Intercultural education
- International training and education
- International perspectives in education policy, planning and practice
- Teacher research (Kindergarten, Elementary, Middle, and High School)
Required Application documentation
- A copy of your birth certificate or passport
- Resumé/Curriculum Vitae
- Transcript of Results
- Statement of Motivation
- A digital image/passport photo for your student identity card (headshot)
Further Information
Course Administrator
International Summer School Programme
NUI Galway, Galway, Ireland
Tel: +353 91 495442
Fax: +353 91 525051
Email: summerschool@universityofgalway.ie
