Enrollment

The Irish Studies Minor is open to all enrolled undergraduate students at Catholic University who have declared a major. As students consider pursuing this course of study, the faculty in Irish Studies strongly encourage them to consult with the Director of Irish Studies as well as the academic adviser in their major area of concentration.  

Course of Study

To successfully complete the Minor, a student must pass a total of 6 approved Irish Studies courses. No Irish Studies course is specifically designated as required. Students must instead take at least 1 approved Irish Studies class across 3 areas of study: English, History and Modern Languages.
 
This structure allows students with differing academic interests to tailor their Irish Studies Minor more effectively with their chosen major. For example, if a student were especially interested in taking a language intensive route to the Minor degree, he or she could complete 4 Irish language courses offered by Modern Languages while fulfilling the other distribution requirements with 1 class in History and 1 in English. Conversely, a student with an especially strong interest in Irish history or Irish literature could fulfill the 6 courses by taking only 1 Irish language class and fulfilling the 5 remaining courses with classes offered by History and English.

Classes for the Irish Studies Minor typically originate from these cooperating departments: English, History, Modern Languages and Politics. Sometimes these classes are cross-listed in Cardinal Station with the Irish Studies designation, IRSH. It should be noted, however, that not all approved courses carry this designation. Students are strongly encouraged therefore to contact the Director of Irish Studies to discuss course selection when they enroll for classes. All courses for the Minor must be taken for a letter grade.

Progress and Advising

Students are strongly encouraged to meet with the Director of Irish Studies each semester to discuss course selection as well as their progress towards fulfilling the requirements of the Minor. Here linked are current courses approved for the Irish Studies Minor.

Study Abroad and Internships

The faculty in Irish Studies strongly encourage students enrolled in the Minor to study abroad in Ireland. Students may consult with the Director of Irish Studies in planning this aspect of their study. Students may also seek course credit for completing an internship with a distinctively Irish focus, either in the US or elsewhere abroad. Students who complete a study abroad program or an internship should meet with the Director of Irish Studies to plan to have these approved for credit as elective courses in the Minor.