Dublin: Good for self-starters Past Review
By Patrick L (Government, Harvard University) for
Boston University: Dublin - Internship Program, Summer
My study abroad experience was worthwhile in that it confirmed my interest in Irish history and reinforced my desire to write my senior thesis on the conflict in Northern Ireland.
Personal Information
| How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? | 2 weeks - 1 month |
Review Your Program
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* Overall educational experience
Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc. |
My contemporary Irish history course's workload was light to moderate, involving about 75 pages of reading a week and studying for regular quizzes. The course had one essay and a final exam. The grading system was virtually the same as my home institution. My Irish history professor's lectures were not as tightly focused as the lectures professors give at the American University I attend. The lectures were rather disjointed, but involved a great deal of participation from the class. |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
The quality of the course was a disappointment. It did not encourage critical thinking, nor did it require any significant consumption of assessments of Irish history. The professor and the administration were quite accessible. The program did a good job introducing the students to Irish customs and to the greater Dublin area. Many people I talked to on the program were dissatisfied with the internship experience either because their host institutions did not match their interests or because they felt underutilized. The program had about 50 students spread out over a variety of courses and internships, so every setting was intimate enough that no student was disengaged. |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
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| * Food: |
I did my own cooking, which proved a good learning experience. There are not a lot of dining options in the area and it is very expensive to eat out in Dublin. |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
I really enjoyed a two hour historical walking tour of Dublin. It was both educational and entertaining. The program had a rather laissez-faire approach to social life. It simply encouraged us to get out into Dublin and to see the rest of the country. |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
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| * Safety: |
The program did a very good job preparing us for the health/safety risks posed by Dublin city. Dublin is a relatively safe city, though as with any city there are certain areas that should be avoided. Students should also avoid riding public transportation at night or sitting on the top level of the bus at anytime (it tends to attract youths looking for a fight). |
| If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? |
No
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Finances
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* Money: How easily were you able to live on a student's budget?
(1 = not very easy/$200+ on food & personal expenses/week, 2.5 = $100/week, 5 = very easily/minimal cost) |
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| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | Try to set a budget for each week and find cost-saving measures like walking instead of taking the bus. Dublin is a really expensive city, but going to certain super market chains can make a huge difference. Visitors should also take advantage of student discounts. |
Language
| How would you rate your language skills at the beginning of the program? | None |
Other Program Information
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* Where did you live?
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* Who did you live with?
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* Who did you take classes with?
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A Look Back
| * What did you like most about the program? |
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| * What could be improved? |
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Individual Course Reviews
| Course Name/Rating: |
Modern Irish History |
| Course Department: | |
| Instructor: | Caroline Connolly |
| Instruction Language: | English |
| Comments: | The course was surprisingly easy. It offered a variety of field trips relevant to modern Irish history. The field trips did a good job at contextualizing the lectures. The teacher was not as knowledgeable as I had expected. She frequently made factual errors, which undermined the integrity of the course. I participated in class more often than I would have at my home institution simply because of the laid-back atmosphere and the small class size. |
| Credit Transfer Issues: |
