The Dublin Internship program offers undergraduate students the opportunity to study and participate in an internship for the fall and spring semester in one of Europe’s most vibrant and cosmopolitan cities. Students will select from courses in Irish history, Irish sociology, the arts, economics, healthcare, human rights, literature and media. As part of their program, students are also placed in internships within Irish organizations. During their time in Ireland, students live in modern student accommodations in central Dublin. They commute to classes on the campus of Dublin City University (DCU) and to their internships which are located throughout the city.
Requirements & Considerations
- All students must enroll according to, and remain in compliance with, the Boston University Study Abroad Course Load Policy.
- All students must complete the full 16-credit program and cannot enroll in more or fewer credits.
- Admissions requirements for all programs
- Non-US citizens are strongly encouraged to apply early in order to allow sufficient time to secure a visa. Obtaining visas may not be possible for applications received within 14 weeks of the program start date. Non-US citizens may contact BU Study Abroad prior to submitting an application to determine if they require a visa for Ireland.
Curriculum
Note: Syllabi are for course approval and reference only. Students will receive up-to-date syllabi when their courses begin.
Required Course
The required course takes place during weeks 2-7.
- CAS SO 341 Contemporary Irish Society (4)
- This course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas:
- Global Citizenship and Intercultural Literacy
- Individual in Community
- This course aims to introduce students to the salient cultural, political and economic narrative threads that underpin contemporary Irish Society. Within those threads, it will be suggested that there are tensions between contesting modernist and conservative strands. During this course, students will be provided with an introduction to foundational evidence and also to theoretical sociological structures that have a bearing on the construction of this specific national identity. Further, the aim as a consequence, is for students to reflect on their own national identities.
- Syllabus
- This course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas:
Elective A Course
Students enroll in one of the following intensive elective courses that take place during weeks 2-7. Some have a limited enrollment and will be filled on a first-come, first-served basis.
- CAS HI 254/PO 231 The History of Ireland (4 credits)
- This course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas:
- Historical Consciousness
- Social Inquiry I
- This course provides an introduction to the major themes and events that have shaped modern Irish history. Each lecture focuses on a seminal moment in the history of modern Ireland - examining its background, and assessing its impact on the country, its people and the often-troubled relationship with Great Britain. The lectures begin with the impact of French and American revolutions on Ireland in the late eighteenth century, and then focus on the seismic events of the nineteenth and twentieth centuries - from the Great Famine to the War of Independence. The course concludes with an evaluation of the on-going peace process in Northern Ireland.
- Syllabus
- This course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas:
- CAS EC 372 The Irish Economy (4)
- This course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas:
- Historical Consciousness
- Social Inquiry I
- Research and Information Literacy
- The Irish economic experience has been historically characterised by turbulence, excitement, optimism and despair. While world-leading in some aspects of our economic development, we are also severely lacking in other vital areas. We examine the history of Irish economic development from a rural farming-based economy to a leading export-led services economy. We analyse the key drivers of economic success, while critically evaluating the role of government policy and regulation, taxation, spending, and welfare. We also focus on social justice in Ireland from an economic perspective.
- Syllabus
- This course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas:
- SAR HS 422 Ethics in Health Care (4)
- This course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas:
- Ethical Reasoning
- Critical Thinking
- Offered in the fall only.
- Introductory course developing a critical awareness of issues arising in biomedical ethics. Contemporary issues will be used to examine ethical reasoning, ethical theories, ethical principles, and cases and narratives in ethics. Special attention will be paid to developing skills of critical thinking through an examination of philosophical arguments and practical exercises. Learners are also provided with a theoretical grounding in classical and contemporary schools of ethical reasoning.
- Syllabus
- This course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas:
Elective B Course
Students enroll in one of the following elective B courses, that are taught over 13 weeks of the program (weeks 2-14). Some have a limited enrolment and will be filled on a first-come, first-served basis.
- CFA AR 340 The Arts in Ireland (4)
- This course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas:
- Aesthetic Exploration
- Historical Consciousness
- Offers students the opportunity to study and experience the most vibrant aspects of visual art and music in Ireland. The music strand provides an introduction to the structure, characteristics, scope, and history of Irish traditional music. The areas of rhythm and melody and the methods by which Irish music is taught will be covered in the practical workshop section of each class. For part two of the course, students study visual arts, which affords students an opportunity to study and experience the most vibrant aspects of the visual arts in Ireland. Padhraic Egan (Music), Caoimhghin O Croidheain (Visual Arts).
- Syllabus
- This course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas:
- CAS EN 392 Modern Irish Literature (4)
- This course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas:
- Aesthetic Exploration
- Global Citizenship and Intercultural Literacy
- This course will introduce students to key writers in modern Irish Literature concentrating on the cultural, political and historical contexts of each of the works we examine. We will explore prose, poetry, drama and the short story. Students will be introduced to the discipline-specific terms of Literary Studies and will employ analytical and interpretive skills in evaluating the literary and the socio/historical significance of these works.
- Syllabus
- This course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas:
- CAS IR 306 International Human Rights Law (4)
- This course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas:
- Ethical Reasoning
- Writing-Intensive Course
- Critical Thinking
- An introductory course detailing global, regional, and domestic legal frameworks for the protection of human rights. Learners marshal knowledge and perspectives gleaned from source materials to gain ethical reasoning, discernment, and advocacy skills with reference to contemporary issues.
- Syllabus
- This course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas:
- COM FT 415Screening Ireland (4)Effective
Fall '23- This course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas:
- Aesthetic Exploration
- Teamwork/Collaboration
- Writing-Intensive Course
- This course provides a developmental and thematic overview of media in Ireland, we will discuss film, television, animation, digital games and Web 2.0. Different theoretical approaches are incorporated, including socio-historical perspectives, industrial contexts, globalization and cultural studies. Students will be actively encouraged to research and develop critical perspectives on areas of particular interest to them, while developing their own media praxis. Whether these perspectives are informed by theories of colonialism, race or gender, students will learn how to utilise these critical models in the creation of media texts that both educate and innovate. The combination of critical theory and media practice will provide not only an introduction to screen media in Ireland but to prepare students to be the next generation of influential media producers that shape public discourse.
- Syllabus
- This course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas:
- SAR HS 425 Health Care Policy and Practice in Ireland (4)
- This course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas:
- Social Inquiry I
- Global Citizenship and Intercultural Literacy
- Offered in the fall only.
- How can healthcare policy and practice in Ireland be described? What are its origins and how has it evolved, specifically related to cultural, political, social and economic developments? How can the current fragmented and two-tiered system be improved? These are key questions, especially following the launch in 2017 of the ten-year Sláintecare healthcare programme. During this course students will discuss these questions, using the six building blocks of the World Health Organisation (WHO) health system framework, comparing the Irish health systems with other health systems.
- Syllabus
- This course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas:
- QST FE 445 Investment Analysis and Portfolio Management (4)
- Prerequisite: QST FE 323
- This course is designed to provide an introduction to the investment environment - the science and art of combining assets into portfolios with desired risk/return characteristics. The overall objective is to provide an introduction to the framework of modern portfolio theory and investment analysis with which one can critically evaluate alternatives relating to investments in financial securities and to the construction of portfolios with desired risk/return characteristics.
- Syllabus
Internship Placement
During the final seven weeks, students work full time, four days per week, in internships with organizations in the greater Dublin area. Study Abroad will enroll students in a non-credit Hub co-curricular and a four-credit internship course, which includes a classroom component. Placements are contingent upon the student’s past experience, professional interest, and available opportunities in any given semester; flexibility is essential. Upon successful completion of the internship experience, students will receive a Hub unit in the area Individual in Community from the co-curricular HUB SA 330.
Below is a list of internship areas where students have been placed. While BU Study Abroad guarantees an internship to program participants, specific placements vary from semester to semester and may not always be available. Likewise, internship placements may be available in academic areas not listed.
Political Science & International Relations
- Work in social activist organizations, environmental organizations, human rights organizations, and associated government departments. Students have also worked with members of State and Federal Parliament and their staff. Past internships have included Irish Heart Foundation, WALK, GOAL Global, and Coastwatch Europe
Internship Courses
- Non-credit Hub Co-curricular: HUB SA 330 Study Abroad Internship
- This course fulfills a single unit in the following BU Hub area:
- Individual in Community
- This course fulfills a single unit in the following BU Hub area:
- CAS PO 401/IR 451 Internship in Politics/International Relations (4)
- CAS PO 405/IR 455 Internship in International Organizations (4)
Housing & Student Services
Effective Fall 2023
Program Residence
- Students on the semester internship program live in modern student housing in central Dublin, in single en suite rooms, with shared kitchens. Students commute to classes and to internships.
- Board is not included in this program. Students are responsible for budgeting their own cost of meals. There are grocery stores close to student housing.
- Coin- and/or card-operated laundry facilities are available. Cost of laundry is not included in the program fee.
Program Dates
- Fall Semester: early September to mid December
- Spring Semester: mid January to late April
Application Timeline
This program follows rolling admissions and may fill before the official deadline.
Fall Semester
- Applications Open December 15
- Applications Deadline March 15
Spring Semester
- Applications Open June 1*
- Applications Deadline October 1
This program is rolling admissions; applications are reviewed once all application materials are received, prior to all deadlines. It is the student’s responsibility to ensure that all required materials are received by the BU Study Abroad office. Students are encouraged to apply as early as possible as some programs and internship tracks have limited space and may fill up before the deadline. Submitting a complete application prior to the application deadline, does not guarantee acceptance. Students will be emailed an admissions decision within three weeks of a completed application.
Information for BU Students Awaiting an Admissions Decision and exceptions to the standard admission calendar for all students can be found here.
Cost & Financial Considerations
- 2024/2025 Tuition and Fees: $26,282
Cost includes tuition, housing, program related activities, administrative fee, overseas medical insurance, and emergency evacuation coverage. - Estimated program budget, including cost of living expenses.
- Grants and Scholarships available
