Study Abroad at St. Patrick's College of Education Past Review
By Melanie R (Interdisiplinary Elementary Teaching, University of Northern Colorado) for
Dublin City University: St. Patrick's Campus - Direct Enrollment & Exchange
I absolutely loved my experience abroad. Even though the program was not always the best, I would never trade the experience I had at all. Going to classes provided a great insight to the culture and I learned a lot. One of the best parts of my time abroad was getting into the culture and taking the time to travel around the country. The most important thing about studying abroad is finding the balance between school and travel. Both make up the experience and neither should be disregarded. Take all the opportunities open to you for travel and adventure!
Personal Information
| The term and year this program took place: | Fall 2009 |
Review Your Program
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* Overall educational experience
Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc. |
Overall, the courses and teachers were great! Most were very welcoming and excited to have an international student in their class to provide a differnet point of view. |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
There were two primary international administrators and their information seemed to contradict one another, so it was often hard to determine which person was correct. They were very helpful and concerned when someone was sick or hurt. |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
This is also described above, but the dorm (Moville) was not as nice as the dorms on the UNC campus. They had the bare minimum available. Also, international students were separate from the Irish students and were put with some of the faculty offices. Also, the school would not allow visitors to stay overnight, even if there was someone visiting from another country. The location of the dorm was really nice. It was right next to the campus so it was very easy to get to class. It was also really nice to get to meet students from other countries and it was great getting to know them. <br /><br /> The neighborhood of St. Patrick's was very safe. I never felt unsafe. The housing was very close to classes and the college is in a fairly good location in Dublin. It is easy to get to the city centre and there was a lot of local, student-centered night life nearby. |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
The non-academic experiences put together by the school were minimal, but were a lot of fun. There was a course required by international students which focused on the Irish culture and the important cultural aspects such as dance, music, and sports. While it still had academic ties, it was great to learn about the culture. The international students took it upon ourselves to immerse ourselves in the culture and went all over the country for weekend trips. The Cliffs of Moher and the Blarney stone were great attractions as well as the cultural museums around Dublin. |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
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| * Safety: |
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| If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? |
Yes
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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? | Cost of living in Ireland is higher than it is in the States, especially Greeley, so it is something to consider before leaving. Certain things, like shampoo and conditioner are very expensive and are packaged in smaller bottles, so if they can be brought from home, it is a lot cheaper. |
Language
| How would you rate your language skills at the beginning of the program? | None |
Direct Enrollment/Exchange
| * Did you study abroad through an exchange program or did you directly enroll in the foreign university? | Exchange |
Other Program Information
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* Where did you live?
Select all that apply |
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* Who did you take classes with?
Select all that apply |
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A Look Back
| * What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? | Be prepared for the laid-back nature of the school. It is not like American schools, where the deadlines are strictly followed and everything is done in a very linear fashion. |
Individual Course Reviews
| Course Name/Rating: |
Statistics |
| Course Department: | Math 306 |
| Instructor: | Maurice O'Rielly |
| Instruction Language: | English |
| Comments: | The course work was very heavy and Dr. O'Rielly was not very willing to accommodate an international student. He expected me to take the final at the same time as the Irish students after I returned to UNC, which was not a feasible option to me. He made it seem like it was a huge inconvenience to have me in the course, even though he approved my admittance. |
| Credit Transfer Issues: |
