Ireland Dublin Internship

All students in the Internship Program take two courses during the first seven weeks.

• CAS HI 254/ PO 231: The History of Ireland (4 credits)
  • Formerly CAS HI 325/PO 381.
  • This course provides an introduction to the major themes, personalities, and events that have shaped modern Irish history. Each lecture focuses on a seminal period or event in the history of modern Ireland, examines its background, and assesses its impact on the country, its people and the often-troubled relationship with its nearest neighbor, Great Britain. Although the course focuses on the nineteenth and twentieth centuries, the impact of the American and French revolutions on Ireland in the late eighteenth century will be examined as a starting point. Topics covering the nineteenth century include the campaign to eradicate the anti-Catholic penal laws by Daniel O’Connell, the Great Famine, and the emerging struggle for Home Rule. The next phase of the course examines the constitutional and militant traditions in Irish nationalism, the 1916 rising, and the republican campaign for Irish independence. The political, cultural, and economic development of the Irish Free State is then compared with that of Northern Ireland as a means to understand the underlying reasons for the violent ‘troubles’ of the 1970s and 1980s. The course concludes with an evaluation of the on-going peace process in Northern Ireland. Kennedy.
  • Syllabus
• CAS SO 341 Contemporary Irish Society (4)
  • Provides students with an understanding of modern Ireland, its people, and its role in the 21st century. The course starts with a brief overview of Ireland’s location in the world and a snapshot of those strands of Irish history that contribute to the character of the modern nation. Topics covered include political structures, including the Constitution, the system of government, and the political party system; the social structure of Irish society, including demography, emigration/immigration, class, family, and the urban/rural divide; and social government in Ireland, including the education system, religion, popular culture, social protection, and health. Byrne.
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Students choose one of the following electives that run through the duration of the semester:

• CAS EC 372 The Irish Economy (4 credits)
  • Explores the history of Irish economic development and analyzes the current economy’s main strengths and weaknesses, considering factors such as government policy and regulation, taxation, welfare, international trade, and the role of the EU. Includes guest speakers and field visits. Dowling.
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• CAS EN 392 Modern Irish Literature (4)
  • Introduces students to the rich heritage of modern Irish literature. Beginning with the work of the literary revival of the late 19th century, students investigate the literary achievements of such seminal figures as Oscar Wilde, W.B. Yeats, James Joyce, Elizabeth Bowen, and Samuel Beckett. In the latter part of the course, students read some of the most exciting contemporary Irish literature, including the poets Seamus Heaney and Eavan Boland, and selected dramatists and novelists. Key recurring themes will include the importance of literature in fashioning and re-imagining the national identities; the relationship between literature and politics; and the role of the writer as social critic. Taaffe.
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• CAS IR 306 International Human Rights Law (4)
  • Examines the history, development, structure, and efficacy of international human rights law. Students investigate the legal framework of the United Nations and regional systems relating to the protection and promotion of, inter alia, the rights of minorities and indigenous peoples, women’s rights, the rights of migrants and refugees, children’s rights, cultural rights, and the emerging field of rights relating to the environment. Students assess the remedies that exist for violations of human rights law in the various systems and examine practical case studies where relevant. Provides a platform through which students can explore international human rights norms thematically. Reference is made throughout the course to the Irish context. Smyth.
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• CFA AR 340 The Arts in Ireland (4)
  • 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).
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• COM FT 415 Film and Television Drama in Ireland (4)
  • Ireland has a rich production history of film and television drama, stretching back to the early twentieth century. However, Ireland’s peripheral position both geographically and culturally between Europe and the US means that the film and television of other countries has had a disproportionate effect on how the Irish see themselves and others. This module provides a contextual and thematic overview of film and television drama in Ireland. By necessity this includes not only indigenous productions, but also those of other countries that deal with Ireland/Irishness and other foreign film and television that has shaped the expectations and aesthetic sense of successive Irish audiences. The course incorporates numerous theoretical approaches to film and television studies, including political economy, social history, mass communication theory, and cultural studies. It is hoped that this approach will provide not only an introduction to film and television drama in Ireland but will also provide a firm basis for further general study of film and television. Sweeney.
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Syllabus

• CAS AH 505 Internship in Arts/Architecture/Arts Administration
• CAS EC 497 Internship in Business/Economics
• CAS HU 426 Internship in Visual/Performing Arts
• CAS PO 401 Internship in Politics/International Relations
• CAS PO 403 Internship in Comparative Law
• CAS PO 405 /IR 455: Internship in International Organizations
• CAS PS 495 Internship in Health/Human Services
• COM CM 471 Internship in Advertising/Marketing/Public Relations
• COM FT 493 /494: Internship in Film/Radio/Television
• COM JO 411 Internship in Journalism
• SAR HS 405 Practicum in Health Sciences (internship for the Health Science Track)
• SHA HF 390 Field Placement in Hospitality Administration

Internship Components

• Paper relating to professional field of internship placement
• Attendance and participation in seminars and meetings, and appropriate cognizance of supervisor's evaluation
• Reflection on the student's personal and professional objectives
• A SWOT analysis of the internship organization

• Advertising, Marketing & Public Relations
  • Work in marketing, public relations, design, and presentation for specific advertising agencies or public relations departments of larger organizations. Past internship placements have included Ogilvy & Mather, McConnell’s Advertising Service, Quintessentially, and Presence Communications.
• Arts & Arts Administration
  • Work in music, dance, literature, architecture, education, visual arts, or multimedia for architectural firms, museums, theaters, performing companies, or galleries. Past internship placements have included the James Joyce Centre, the Gallery of Photography, the National Museum of Ireland, and the Improvised Music Company.
• Business & Economics
  • Work in the finance, accounting, legal, marketing, information technology and telecommunications, and research departments of Irish or multinational corporations, as well as smaller, specialized firms. Past internship placements have included Citigroup, Bank of Ireland, Cúram Software, JP Morgan, Citco, Free Hotspot, Bella Makeover, and XS Direct.
• Film/Radio/Television
  • Work in writing, research, and broadcasting for radio and television stations, or film and production companies. Though the Irish media market is small by American standards, past internship placements have included Gillian Reynolds Casting, TV3, Subotica, The Farm, City Channel, and the North American Sports Network.
• Health & Human Services
  • Work in hospital rehabilitation, therapy, or education programs; health center administration; social service departments; community care centers; or social activist organizations. Past internship placements have included the Royal Hospital Donnybrook, the Coombe Women’s Hospital, the Solas Centre, James Connolly Memorial Hospital, Beaumont Hospital, and Release Speech Therapy.
• Hospitality Administration
  • Work in the hospitality industry in such fields as hotel and restaurant management or event management. Past internship placements have included the Westin Hotel Dublin, the Four Seasons, Xena Productions, and The Helix.
• Journalism
  • Work in writing, research, design, marketing, and production for magazines, newspapers, or small publishing houses. Past internship placements have included Children's Books Ireland, Hot Press, and The Dubliner.
• Politics/International Relations
  • Work with an NGO, the press, humanitarian organizations, or a political party. Past internship placements have included the Institute of European Affairs, Fine Gael, Amnesty International, the Irish Council for Civil Liberties, the Department of Foreign Affairs, and Fianna Fáil.
• Pre-Law
  • Work in research and documentation for local Dublin law firms specializing in civil, criminal, or corporate law. Past internship placements have included Philip Lee & Associates, Terence Lyons & Co Solicitors, and the Free Legal Advice Centre.

Students enroll in the following three courses.

• CAS SO 341 Contemporary Irish Society (4 credits)
  • Provides students with an understanding of modern Ireland, its people, and its role in the 21st century. The course starts with a brief overview of Ireland’s location in the world and a snapshot of those strands of Irish history that contribute to the character of the modern nation. Topics covered include political structures, including the Constitution, the system of government, and the political party system; the social structure of Irish society, including demography, emigration/immigration, class, family, and the urban/rural divide; and social government in Ireland, including the education system, religion, popular culture, social protection, and health. Byrne.
  • Syllabus
• SAR HS 422 Ethics in Health Care (4)
  • Offered in the fall only.
  • This course provides an introduction to ethics and common ethical issues in health care. Lectures will address several topics specific to biomedical ethics, including end of life issues, reproductive technologies, and issues in biomedical research. These issues will be used to examine ethical reasoning, ethical theories and principles, and the use of cases and narratives in ethics. Special attention will be paid to developing skills of ethical analysis through an examination of philosophical arguments. When appropriate, any distinctively Irish dimensions to the ethical issues or cases will be examined. O’Mathúna.
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• SAR HS 425 Health Care Policy and Practice in Ireland (4)
  • Offered in the fall only.
  • This course introduces students to the organization and delivery of health care in Ireland and Europe. It helps students develop a critical appreciation of the dynamics of health care policy making and the role of health care professionals within the sector. It examines health care finance and the role and influence of the insurance and pharmaceutical industries. It also examines the social, environmental, and behavioral factors that affect health care across different social cohorts. It concludes by looking at health care regulation and reform. Keegan.
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Students enroll in a four-credit internship placement. Placements are contingent upon the student’s past experiences, professional interests, and available opportunities in any given semester; flexibility is essential.

• SAR HS 405 Practicum in Health Sciences (4 credits)
  • Practical experience in health care setting (health policy, administrative, constituent advocacy) in hospital, clinic, public health setting, government or non-governmental health agency setting. Direct care and contact with patients should not be expected; flexibility is essential.
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• CAS IP101 The Global Learning Experience (1 credit)
  • All program participants have the opportunity to make the most of their semester abroad with The Global Learning Experience, a self-paced, Pass/Fail course with brief readings and experiential assignments that accompany them while living and studying in a country and culture different from their own. Students post their work, experiences and observations to an online platform to trace and articulate their achievements abroad from an academic, personal and professional standpoint. The course links students with the faculty instructors as well as peers studying on other BU Study Abroad programs around the world. Students earn one credit in addition to the total program credits mentioned below at no additional cost.
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