What You’ll Study
TOTAL CREDITS - 12-15 credits per semester
API students who choose to study abroad in Dublin at Maynooth University choose from a range of undergraduate courses as offered in the Faculty of Arts, Celtic Studies and Philosophy, the Faculty of Science and Engineering, and the Faculty of Social Sciences. Courses are arranged in the seminar and lecture styles, and grades are based predominantly on one final exam.
SPECIALTY PROGRAMS
In addition to the normal class offerings at Maynooth University, API semester students may participate in one of several certificate programs offered during the semester or academic year. These may include:
- Certificate in Irish Cultural Heritage
- Certificate in International Business
MAYNOOTH UNIVERSITY MENTOR PROGRAM
API students at Maynooth University have the exciting opportunity to participate in a university-sponsored mentoring program. Maynooth University’s Mentoring Program facilitates intercultural exchange by matching full-time Irish students with recently arrived study abroad students. It is a program with mutual benefits! The local Irish student mentors are eager to share the area they know so well with their API student mentee, and the API students are encouraged to integrate with local students and learn more about Irish life, both inside and out of the university setting.
TRANSCRIPTS
Students will receive their transcript from Maynooth University (formerly known as the National University of Ireland, Maynooth) upon completion of their program.
Courses
COURSE OFFERINGS
CREDIT INFORMATION
API partner universities in Ireland operate on the European Credit Transfer System (ECTS). It is generally accepted that in order to convert from ECTS to U.S. credits, one should divide the ECTS total by 2. Most courses at Maynooth University are equivalent to 2.5 U.S. semester credits. Students take up to 6 courses and receive 15 credit hours per semester. Not all courses are offered every semester or every year. The course selection may vary, and no course is guaranteed. Some courses may have prerequisites, and some courses may require minimal additional fees for labs, equipment, etc. Registration takes place upon arrival; however, we recommend that after consulting the API website for course listings, students have 10 courses approved by their home university prior to departure, in order to allow for scheduling conflicts and the possible unavailability of certain classes. There is a 1-week add/drop period at the beginning of the semester at Maynooth University.
IRISH STUDIES OPTIONS
Maynooth University offers a flexible Irish Studies pathway designed specifically to introduce international students from all disciplines to Ireland’s history, literature and culture. API students may opt to take a one-semester, introductory module in Irish Studies, or to enroll for the wider-ranging Certificate in Irish Studies, which can be taken over one or two semesters.
INTRODUCTION TO IRISH STUDIES 2.5 CREDITS (SEMESTER).
Coordinated by An Foras Feasa: the Institute for Research in Irish Historical and Cultural Traditions, this module draws on a number of academic disciplines, including literature, film, and music. No previous knowledge of these subjects is required as this introductory course caters for study abroad students from all academic backgrounds. Weekly classes, led by subject specialists and conducted through the medium of English, are complemented by field trips that introduce students to issues, trends, and debates relating to Irish society, cultural heritage, and national identity. Tracing a number of key themes across a range of twentieth-century and contemporary texts and films, students are encouraged to explore and debate what it means and have meant, to be Irish.
CERTIFICATE IN IRISH CULTURAL HERITAGE 10 CREDITS (SEMESTER OR ACADEMIC YEAR)
This certificate on Irish Cultural Heritage is available to students visiting Maynooth University for a single semester and for the full academic year. The program offers an interdisciplinary evaluation of early Irish cultural history with particular emphasis on archaeological, literary, historical and linguistic evidence. Modules are delivered by academic experts while there is an exciting program of Field Seminars that bring students to some of the most iconic archaeological and historical sites. There are no prerequisites and no exams: all assessment is through written assignments. Semester students may take other courses at Maynooth University for additional credits in order to retain full-time status (12-semester credits).
Modules:
- Students choose one core module and three optional ones:
- ID001 Introducing Irish Cultural Heritage (core)
- ID003 The Cultural Heritage of Newgrange (optional)
- ID004 Cultural Heritage & the Irish Literary Tradition (optional)
- ID005 Cultural Heritage & the Early Irish Heroic Tradition (optional)
- ID013 The Cultural Heritage of ‘Royal Sites’ (optional)
- LC101 Irish Language 1 (optional)
- PH204 Medieval Philosophy (optional)
CERTIFICATE IN INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS 10 CREDITS SEMESTER
The objective of this certificate is to provide visiting international students with a grounding in the functional principles of international business. Upon completion of the certificate, students will demonstrate an intermediate knowledge of the fundamentals of business and management in general, as well as a solid grounding in international business specifically. In particular, the program will challenge cultural and management stereotypes and question the application and appropriateness of frameworks established under more traditional perspectives. Semester students may take other courses at Maynooth University for additional credits in order to retain full-time status (12-semester credits).
Modules:
- MN215 International Business (Fall)
- MN313 International Marketing (Fall)
- MN322 Managing Multinational Cooperations (Fall)
- MN224 International Marketing (Spring)
- MN214 International HR Management (Spring)
- MN 323 International Corporate Entrepreneurship (Spring)
CREDIT INFORMATION
Maynooth University awards credit based on the European Credit Transfer System (ECTS). Semester courses at the university are usually awarded 5 or 10 ECTS credits. Universities in the U.S. typically award .5 credit hour for every 1 ECTS credit. For example, a course worth 5 ECTS would transfer to the U.S. as 2.5 semester credit hours. It is very important that students planning on studying at Maynooth University discuss the transfer of credits with an advisor at their home university – some universities have different standards for transferring ECTS credits. Based on the ECTS credits awarded per course, students usually take 5-6 classes in order to receive 12-15 credit hours per semester. Students are responsible for ensuring that they are enrolled in the required amount of semester credits to meet the requirements of the home university. Most courses at Maynooth University do not have specific prerequisites, though certain disciplines may (languages, mathematics, and sciences). Courses offered on a year-long basis can only be taken by students visiting for the full academic year.
Highlights
- Courses with Irish and other international students
- Best of both worlds – small Irish community on the outskirts of Dublin City
- Ireland’s only university town
- Beautiful old campus buildings mixed with modern architecture
- Many scenic trails and country walks
- Charming small town feel
- Vibrant campus community
- Approximately twenty miles from Dublin city center
- International excursion
Faculty
