Irish Studies Minor
The Minor in Irish Studies at Sacred Heart University is designed to offer students an opportunity for an in-depth interdisciplinary study of Irish and Celtic culture, history, language, literature, music, politics, and society. Distinctive features of the program include study at SHU’s program in Dingle, Ireland and an emphasis on patterns of sociocultural and political change in contemporary Ireland and the place of Ireland in the modern world.
Requirements
Students are required to take a minimum of 18 credits (6 courses) to complete the minor in Irish Studies. The 18 credits include two required foundation courses and a minimum of four designated Irish Studies electives.
The required and elective course requirements are distributed as follows:
| HI 255 | Celtic & Irish History | 3 |
| An approved course in Irish/Celtic literature, religion, or spirituality | 3 |
| Four Irish Studies courses (12 credits) selected from an approved list of designated Irish Studies courses | 12 |
| At least one 3-credit course in SHU’s Ireland program in Dingle | 3 |
In order to provide students with the opportunity to pursue a special area of interest not represented in the Irish Studies curriculum, one 3-credit independent study course may be substituted for one of the four Irish Studies electives. Independent study courses for the Irish Studies minor must be approved in advance by the director of the Irish Studies minor.
The following courses have been preapproved for the minor in Irish Studies:
Anthropology
| AN 204 | Introduction to Irish Archaeology | 3 |
| AN 220 | Ethnography of Ireland | 3 |
| SO 220 | Ethnography of Ireland | 3 |
| AN 299 | Special Topics in Anthropology | 3 |
Communication
| CM 299 | Special Topics in Communication & Media Studies | 3 |
CM 384
| | |
Foreign Languages
History
| HI 256 | Thousands are Sailing: The Irish at Home & Abroad 1798-1922 | 3 |
| HI 257 | History & Memory in Modern Ireland | 3 |
| HI 299 | Special Topics in History | 3 |
Literature
| ENG 299 | Special Topics in Literature | 3 |
ENG 299: 3 credits, i.e. The Roots of Irish Literature—Myths, Sagas, & Folktales, Modern Irish Literature
Music
| MU 106 | Introduction to Irish Traditional Music | 3 |
Political Science
Religious Studies
| TRS 271 | Celtic Religious Traditions | 3 |
| TRS 299 | Special Topics in Theology & Religious Studies | 3 |
| TRS 336 | Theology & Native Irish Spirituality | 3 |
Sociology
| AN 220 | Ethnography of Ireland | 3 |
| SO 220 | Ethnography of Ireland | 3 |
| SO 299 | Special Topics in Sociology | 3 |
SHU in Dingle
Sacred Heart University operates its program in Ireland through a partnership with the Díseart Institute of Education and Celtic Culture, located in Dingle, County Kerry, Ireland (in one of Ireland’s officially-designated “Gaeltacht,” or Irish-speaking, districts). Through this partnership, SHU in Ireland offers short-term and semester programs of study. Course offerings include anthropology, archaeology, Gaelic language, history, literature, media studies, music, political science, and religious studies.