Students in all the health sciences, from pre-med to public health, to PT/OT to nursing, are especially welcome in Dublin each fall. The Dublin Internship Health Sciences Special Curriculum Program offers undergraduate students the opportunity to study ethics in health care and health care policy and practice in Ireland. Students will also be placed in internships within Irish organizations in Dublin, one of Europe’s most vibrant and cosmopolitan cities. Students live in modern student accommodations in central Dublin and commute to classes on the campus of Dublin City University (DCU) and to their internships, 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.
- Students who are placed in healthcare-related placements may have to show proof of vaccination prior to their placement start due to local policies and regulations. Vaccinations may include, but are not limited to, COVID-19, measles, meningitis, and tuberculosis.
Curriculum
Required Courses
Students enroll in the following three courses. Contemporary Irish Society and Ethics in Health Care take place during weeks 2-7. Health Care Policy and Practice is taught over the course of the program (runs from weeks 2-15).
- CAS SO 341 Contemporary Irish Society (4 credits)
- 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:
- 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:
- 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:
Internship Course
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, and continue taking Health Care Policy and Practice in Ireland. Placements are contingent upon the student’s past experiences, 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.
Students who are placed in healthcare-related placements may have to show proof of vaccination prior to their placement start due to local policies and regulations. Vaccinations may include, but are not limited to, COVID-19, measles, meningitis, and tuberculosis.
- 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:
- 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. *Behavior and Health Program students who register for SAR HS 405 should be aware it will not substitute for SAR HP 405 in their Senior year.
- Syllabus
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
