About this course
About
On the Major Irish pathway, you will study Modern Irish language (grammar, pronunciation, writing) and Modern literature, as well as optional modules (depending on combination) in the development of the language since the Gaelic Revival, Irish Cultural Studies, Folklore, Irish Dialects and Translation. The literature modules will give you a solid understanding of writing in Irish from the early 20th century to the modern day, including the novel, short story, drama and verse, and the language modules will help you to achieve a high level of competence in written and spoken Irish.
Associate awards
Diploma in International Academic Studies DIAS
Attendance
The course normally lasts for three years (four years if you choose to do a placement). During this time, there will be a number of different teaching and learning experiences for you to enjoy. You will be introduced to key topics in lectures, and you will get the chance to share your views with other students in small group seminars. One-to-one tutorials, video and email consultations are also offered so that you can ask your lecturer the questions that really matter to you. Timetabled sessions usually amount to about 9 -12 hours per week, but you'll spend much more time than that undertaking independent study on your own and in groupwork; preparing assignments; and developing your particular interests and career goals.
Start dates
Teaching, Learning and Assessment
Teaching is mostly based on regular lectures, seminars and interactive workshops. Individual and small group tutorials are also common. Lectures allow the teacher to enthuse about their subject and flag up interesting and significant issues; seminars and workshops give you the opportunity to share your insights with other students and ask questions; tutorials allow for a more detailed interaction with your lecturer specially tailored to your own needs.
Assessment methodsvary and are defined explicitly in each module. Assessment can be a combination of examination and coursework but may also be only one of these methods. Assessment is designed to assess your achievement of the module’s stated learning outcomes. You can expect to receive timely feedback on all coursework assessment. The precise assessment will depend on the module and may be subject to change from year to year for quality or enhancement reasons. You will be consulted about any significant changes.
Coursework can take many forms, for example: essay, report, seminar paper, test, presentation, dissertation, design, artefacts, portfolio, journal, group work. The precise form and combination of assessment will depend on the course you apply for and the module. Details will be made available in advance through induction, the course handbook, the module specification and the assessment timetable. The details are subject to change from year to year for quality or enhancement reasons. You will be consulted about any significant changes.
Normally, a module will have 4 learning outcomes, and no more than 2 items of assessment. An item of assessment can comprise more than one task. The notional workload and the equivalence across types of assessment is standardised.
Attendance and Independent Study
The content for each course is summarised on the relevant course page, along with an overview of the modules that make up the course.
Each course is approved by the University and meets the expectations of:
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Attendance and Independent Study
As part of your course induction, you will be provided with details of the organisation and management of the course, including attendance and assessment requirements - usually in the form of a timetable. For full-time courses, the precise timetable for each semester is not confirmed until close to the start date and may be subject to some change in the early weeks as all courses settle into their planned patterns. For part-time courses which require attendance on particular days and times, an expectation of the days and periods of attendance will be included in the letter of offer. A course handbook is also made available.
Courses comprise modules for which the notional effort involved is indicated by its credit rating. Each credit point represents 10 hours of student effort. Undergraduate courses typically contain 10, 20, or 40 credit modules (more usually 20) and postgraduate courses typically 15 or 30 credit modules.
The normal study load expectation for an undergraduate full-time course of study in the standard academic year is 120 credit points. This amounts to around 36-42 hours of expected teaching and learning per week, inclusive of attendance requirements for lectures, seminars, tutorials, practical work, fieldwork or other scheduled classes, private study, and assessment. Teaching and learning activities will be in-person and/or online depending on the nature of the course. Part-time study load is the same as full-time pro-rata, with each credit point representing 10 hours of student effort.
Postgraduate Master’s courses typically comprise 180 credits, taken in three semesters when studied full-time. A Postgraduate Certificate (PGCert) comprises 60 credits and can usually be completed on a part-time basis in one year. A 120-credit Postgraduate Diploma (PGDip) can usually be completed on a part-time basis in two years.
Class contact times vary by course and type of module. Typically, for a module predominantly delivered through lectures you can expect at least 3 contact hours per week (lectures/seminars/tutorials). Laboratory classes often require a greater intensity of attendance in blocks. Some modules may combine lecture and laboratory. The precise model will depend on the course you apply for and may be subject to change from year to year for quality or enhancement reasons. Prospective students will be consulted about any significant changes.
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Assessment
Assessment methods vary and are defined explicitly in each module. Assessment can be a combination of examination and coursework but may also be only one of these methods. Assessment is designed to assess your achievement of the module’s stated learning outcomes. You can expect to receive timely feedback on all coursework assessments. This feedback may be issued individually and/or issued to the group and you will be encouraged to act on this feedback for your own development.
Coursework can take many forms, for example: essay, report, seminar paper, test, presentation, dissertation, design, artefacts, portfolio, journal, group work. The precise form and combination of assessment will depend on the course you apply for and the module. Details will be made available in advance through induction, the course handbook, the module specification, the assessment timetable and the assessment brief. The details are subject to change from year to year for quality or enhancement reasons. You will be consulted about any significant changes.
Normally, a module will have 4 learning outcomes, and no more than 2 items of assessment. An item of assessment can comprise more than one task. The notional workload and the equivalence across types of assessment is standardised. The module pass mark for undergraduate courses is 40%. The module pass mark for postgraduate courses is 50%.
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Calculation of the Final Award
The class of Honours awarded in Bachelor’s degrees is usually determined by calculation of an aggregate mark based on performance across the modules at Levels 5 and 6, (which correspond to the second and third year of full-time attendance).
Level 6 modules contribute 70% of the aggregate mark and Level 5 contributes 30% to the calculation of the class of the award. Classification of integrated Master’s degrees with Honours include a Level 7 component. The calculation in this case is: 50% Level 7, 30% Level 6, 20% Level 5. At least half the Level 5 modules must be studied at the University for Level 5 to be included in the calculation of the class.
All other qualifications have an overall grade determined by results in modules from the final level of study.
In Masters degrees of more than 200 credit points the final 120 points usually determine the overall grading.
Figures from the academic year 2022-2023.
Academic profile
Our staff in Irish Language and Literature and History are experienced and highly qualified teachers. They are active researchers who publish books and articles, create digital content, and provide expert analysis for national and international media outlets. Staff in Irish play leading roles in the Irish language sector outside of the University and within national and international academic networks. Staff in History are active too in local, national and international networks and projects. Some recent examples include:
- Dr Ian Miller was lead creator of the medical history digital learning resource, ‘Epidemic Belfast’: https://epidemic-belfast.com
- Dr Andrew Sneddon was the historical consultant for and contributor to the BBCNI and TG4 television series, An Diabhal Inti (The Devil’s in Her): http://paulamkehoe.com/#/witches-ireland/
- Dr Leanne McCormick leads the ‘Bad Bridget’ project exploring the lives of criminal and deviant Irish women in North America which has featured on the BBC, RTE, The Guardian, The Irish Times and many more: https://badbridget.wordpress.com
The University employs over 1,000 suitably qualified and experienced academic staff - 60% have PhDs in their subject field and many have professional body recognition.
Courses are taught by staff who are Professors (19%), Readers, Senior Lecturers (22%) or Lecturers (57%).
We require most academic staff to be qualified to teach in higher education: 82% hold either Postgraduate Certificates in Higher Education Practice or higher. Most academic and learning support staff (85%) are recognised as fellows of the Higher Education Academy (HEA) by Advance HE - the university sector professional body for teaching and learning. Many academic and technical staff hold other professional body designations related to their subject or scholarly practice.
The profiles of many academic staff can be found on the University’s departmental websites and give a detailed insight into the range of staffing and expertise. The precise staffing for a course will depend on the department(s) involved and the availability and management of staff. This is subject to change annually and is confirmed in the timetable issued at the start of the course.
Occasionally, teaching may be supplemented by suitably qualified part-time staff (usually qualified researchers) and specialist guest lecturers. In these cases, all staff are inducted, mostly through our staff development programme ‘First Steps to Teaching’. In some cases, usually for provision in one of our out-centres, Recognised University Teachers are involved, supported by the University in suitable professional development for teaching.
Figures from the academic year 2022-2023.
Modules
Here is a guide to the subjects studied on this course.
Courses are continually reviewed to take advantage of new teaching approaches and developments in research, industry and the professions. Please be aware that modules may change for your year of entry. The exact modules available and their order may vary depending on course updates, staff availability, timetabling and student demand. Please contact the course team for the most up to date module list.
Year one
Léamhthuiscint na Gaeilge 1
Year: 1
Status: C
This module aims to help students acquire skills and critical acumen in active reading that will be essential for successful progression through the degree program.
Léamhthuiscint na Gaeilge 2
Year: 1
Status: C
This module aims to further develop students' skills and critical acumen in active reading, to bring about an awareness of dialect differences, and to expand knowledge of idiom in Irish.
Labhairt agus Scríobh na Gaeilge 1
Year: 1
Status: C
This module takes students on the course from B2 (Vantage or upper intermediate):
- Can understand the main ideas of complex text on both concrete and abstract topics, including technical discussions in their field of specialization.
- Can interact with a degree of fluency and spontaneity that makes regular interaction with native speakers quite possible without strain for either party.
- Can produce clear, detailed text on a wide range of subjects and explain a viewpoint on a topical issue giving the advantages and disadvantages of various options.
to C1 (Effective operational proficiency or advanced level):
- Can understand a wide range of demanding, longer clauses, and recognize implicit meaning.
- Can express ideas fluently and spontaneously without much obvious searching for expressions.
- Can use language flexibly and effectively for social, academic and professional purposes.
- Can produce clear, well-structured, detailed text on complex subjects, showing controlled use of organizational patterns, connectors and cohesive devices.
Labhairt agus Scríobh na Gaeilge 2
Year: 1
Status: C
This module should consolidate the students' C1 level (Effective operational proficiency or advanced level) (CEFRL):
- Can understand a wide range of demanding, longer clauses, and recognize implicit meaning.
- Can express ideas fluently and spontaneously without much obvious searching for expressions.
- Can use language flexibly and effectively for social, academic and professional purposes.
- Can produce clear, well-structured, detailed text on complex subjects, showing controlled use of organizational patterns, connectors and cohesive devices.
Irish Government and Politics since 1922
Status: O
Year: 1
This module is optional
This module investigates the primary forces shaping Irish politics, political institutions and structures, political behaviour, the mass media and policy making.
Making History: Skills for Historians
Status: O
Year: 1
This module is optional
This module is designed to introduce students to the practical skills required for studying history at degree level and the methods and approaches that inform historical practice.
Defining America: Themes in American History, C17th -C20th
Status: O
Year: 1
This module is optional
The module will illustrate and analyse the key themes and issues in American history from colonial times to the present day. Patterns and problems in the development of America will be discussed, and consideration of differing interpretations and source evaluations are implicit throughout the course. By the end of the module students should understand how the history of America has been shaped by the key events and debates that have taken place over the last four hundred years.
The Making of Modern Britain and Ireland, 1800-1945
Status: O
Year: 1
This module is optional
This module provides a comprehensive introduction to the histories of modern Britain and Ireland. It explores key themes such as migration; industrialisation and urbanisation; reform and revolution; class and identity; religion, nationalism and unionism; war and empire. It utilises the latest historical scholarship and key primary sources delivered by research-active scholars via interactive workshops. The module brings to light the key events and historical processes which have shaped the Britain and Ireland of today.
The Ages of Extremes: International History 1914-2020
Status: O
Year: 1
This module is optional
This module is designed principally for students studying History and provides an introduction to some of the main developments in world and international history from the First World War to the post-September 11th world.
Disenchanted Land? Culture and Society in Early Modern Europe
Status: O
Year: 1
This module is optional
This module tackles the social and cultural realities of early modern Europeans from all social strata. The various issues studied include: urban development; social problems involved in rapid urbanization; daily lives, material culture, and dissimilar forms of social existence of the various heterogeneous groups that constituted early modern society; the complex interaction between elite and popular groups; and the attitude of urban society towards marginal and deviant groups.
Revolutionary Russia, 1894-1939
Status: O
Year: 1
This module is optional
This module examines Revolutionary Russia from the last Romanov ruler through to the establishment of Stalinism in the USSR. Key historiographical debates will be examined and assessed. The political, economic, and social and cultural aspects of this period will be covered
Year two
Inniúlacht i Labhairt agus i Scríobh na Gaeilge 1
Year: 2
Status: C
This module seeks to build on the language skills gained in previous modules. The module's primary focus is to help students write and speak Irish with increased accuracy. Students will study the grammatical rules of Irish in a systematic manner while using spoken Irish in a range of speech acts. The module introduces the concepts of register and error analysis.
Inniúlacht i Labhairt agus i Scríobh na Gaeilge 2
Year: 2
Status: C
This module builds on an Ghaeilge Scríofa 1 and covers the acquisition of written communicative skills, enabling the student to express themselves correctly in writing with confidence in a variety of everyday and academic contexts.
Litríocht na Gaeilge 1: bunú an traidisiúin
Year: 2
Status: C
This module aims to develop students' understanding of the literary tradition of Ireland from the earliest times down to the revival efforts of the 19th Century. Students will learn to appreciate the scope of the Irish literary tradition and be guided through texts from various genres.
Litríocht na Gaeilge 2: Buanú an Traidisiúin
Year: 2
Status: C
This module aims to develop students' understanding of the literary tradition of Ireland since
the revival efforts of the 19th Century. Students will learn to appreciate the scope of the Irish
literary tradition and be guided through texts from various genres
Exchange programme 1 - History Abroad
Status: O
Year: 2
This module is optional
These modules provide an opportunity to undertake an extended period of study outside the UK and Republic of Ireland. They are required modules for all History students on an intercalary study abroad semester or year during second year. They are not open to non-study abroad students. Students will develop an enhanced understanding of the academic discipline of History whilst generating educational and cultural networks.
Family, Sexuality and the State 1850-1925
Status: O
Year: 2
This module is optional
This module examines the role of the state in moulding the history of the family and sexuality in Britain between 1860-1925. It looks at the forces which have influenced state policy as well as the impact on issues such as prostitution, homosexuality, gender roles and childhood.
Politics and Society in early modern Britain and Ireland
Status: O
Year: 2
This module is optional
The module tracks the emergence of an internationally powerful British nation state by examining key issues and events from c.1630-1730. It will explore governance in contested kingdoms and diverse societies, the rise of the fiscal-military state and parliamentary monarchy, religious confessionalism and religious pluralism. It will also examine the early modern family, the emergence of the middle class, social and economic improvement, and the Early Enlightenment.
War and Peace: the Ying and Yang of human history
Status: O
Year: 2
This module is optional
This module is designed, primarily, for History students, and will introducing them to both side of the coin of human development: war and peace; promoting an understanding of the patterns in war and peace & advancement in the course of human history, with a particular focus on the post-1648 & post-1815 periods, but especially, post-World War One, post-World War Two and post-Cold War/post-9/11 history and systems.
The Great Powers and the Middle East since 1880
Status: O
Year: 2
This module is optional
This module explores the impact of the West on the Middle East and its contribution to conflict in the region since the end of the 19th Century.
Film and the Vietnam Conflict
Status: O
Year: 2
This module is optional
The module explores the history, media, film and political culture in the context of America's involvement in the Vietnam War. The module explores major debates in the historiography of the era. Film representations of the war are subject to scrutiny for what they reveal about American society, and how they depict the changing perspectives of the "history" of the conflict. The module also follows the way in which the war developed and the changing attitudes it provoked at home and abroad.
The Myth and Reality of Imperial Spain, 1492-1700
Status: O
Year: 2
This module is optional
This module examines the rise to power of the Spanish Empire in the sixteenth century, and its subsequent decline from the seventeenth century onwards. The following issues will be emphasized: Spain's Empire building; its image in the European political discourse; the military, economic, and social crises of the seventeenth century; the importance of honor and religion in all realms of society; and the cultural impact of Spain in the early modern world.
Death, Disease, and Medicine in Britain, 1800-1914
Status: O
Year: 2
This module is optional
This module introduces students to key themes and topics on the history of death and illness in the long nineteenth century. Drawing from social, medical and Victorian history, students will explore themes such as murder in the Victorian city, ghosts, asylums, suicide, Victorian funerals and bodysnatching. Students will examine interdisciplinary sources including literature and art, as well as standard historical sources.
'Good Trouble': Struggle, Resistance and the African American Experience
Status: O
Year: 2
This module is optional
Race remains one of the most contentious issues in United States society. It has had a profound impact on America's domestic political process and culture and the way in which the US is perceived by the rest of the world. This module seeks to provide insight and understanding into the questions raised by the African American struggle and race relations in America and the continuing problems faced by Black Americans. The module proceeds chronologically through Black history from slavery through to the present day. This module also assesses the cultural contribution of African Americans in the United States in the twentieth century, and explores the legacy of the slave experience. It is interdisciplinary in method and will examine such issues as rebellion and assimilation, black nationalism, family, gender, film and popular culture.
Beyond Belief: The Global Supernatural, c.1700-2000
Status: O
Year: 2
This module is optional
Students will study cultural and social change between 1700 and 2020 through a global history of the supernatural. Topics covered include: the history of spiritualism, exorcism, neo-paganism or Wicca, beneficial magic (divination, magical healing, protective magic), harmful magic (cursing, the evil-eye and witchcraft), supernatural beings (Djinn, Púca, demons, devils, fairies, banshees and golems), revenants, ghosts, and service magicians (astrologers, cunning-folk, fortune-tellers, magical healers, mediums, and ritual magicians). This module explores these topics in their social and cultural context and throws light on how they were experienced by people in the past, as well as how they were regulated and policed. It will consider the impact of colonialism on indigenous belief and the ways in which modernity and social, political, economic, and medical crises were and still are negotiated through supernatural belief and practice. It will also chart the changing ways in which popular culture uses and represents the supernatural. The module challenges and reconceptualises what it means to be 'modern' and asks whether we can call the 19th and 20th century "Disenchanted". It encompasses the history of mentalities, gender, science and technology, sex and sexuality (including Queer History), medical history and complementary medicine, and witchcraft and disability studies. Students will learn how to plan, script, record and edit a historical podcast on a topic of their choosing under the direction of the module coordinator.
The Fighting Irish: The Irishman at War since 1534
Status: O
Year: 2
This module is optional
This course will examine the emergence and the evolution of the 'Fighting Irishman' in history, literature, art, iconography, film and media. Lectures and readings will deal primarily with the period between the Reformation (1534) and the Good Friday Agreement (1998).
Especial emphasis will be placed on Irish involvement in 17th and 18th century Europe and the Americas; Irish participation in the American War of Independence, the war of 1812, the Civil War and the subjugation of native American peoples. The course will also focus on the historical and military contexts of this tradition, and the ideologies (royalist or republican, nationalist, unionist), which often prompted military service.
The Irish Outlaw: The Making of a Nationalist
Status: O
Year: 2
This module is optional
A study of the Irish outlaw in his various political, socio-economic, historical, historiographical and cultural contexts.
History in the Workplace: Work-Based Learning
Status: O
Year: 2
This module is optional
This is an optional module for students in second semester of level five. It is a work-based learning module designed for students who wish to undertake short periods of workplace experience or complete 'real-world' tasks with professional employers.
Year three
Hollywood Histories
Year: 3
Status: C
Hollywood Histories explores the ways in which American films have critically engaged with the various cultural, social, technological, and economic issues that have defined the key periods of twentieth century history during the eras in which they were produced. Hollywood output, the impact of films on the public and how they were received, and in turn how American history has in turn impacted Hollywood will all be explored, through screenings, readings and discussions.
Workers and radicalism in Ireland, 1700-1939
Year: 3
Status: C
This module investigates the evolution of the working class in Ireland, north and south, and its interaction with capital, labour organization, society, and politics.
Miontráchtas/Tionscadal
Year: 3
Status: C
This module provides the student with the opportunity to select any topic from the area of Irish Studies/Irish Language and Literature on which he/she may undertake an individual project.
Scileanna Gairmiúla don Ghaeilge
Year: 3
Status: C
This module will allow students to enhance their understanding of the Irish language sector in a broader professional context whilst absorbing experiences gained within a work-based environment and/or scenario. This Level 6 Semester 1 module may also serve as a precursor to a placement inspired Research Project in Semester 2.
Léann agus Scileanna an Aistriúcháin
Year: 3
Status: C
This module will introduce students to the study of grammar, syntax and phonology in Irish translation. Students will also study of the discourse of contemporary Irish translation and engage critically with key concepts in translation.
Oilteacht i Labhairt agus i Scríobh na Gaeilge
Year: 3
Status: C
This module seeks to build on the language skills gained in all previous modules. Students will be given the chance to further develop their written and oral proficiency by completing a range of tasks. Detailed comprehension exercises in Irish will enable students to perfect their knowledge of Irish grammar. Extended debates and presentations will help students speak Irish with confidence and complete accuracy.
International Academic Studies - English
Status: O
Year: 3
This module is optional
This module provides an opportunity to undertake an extended period of study outside the UK. It is a required module for all History students on an intercalary study abroad year between second (level 5) and final year (level 6). It is not open to non-study abroad students. Students will develop an enhanced understanding of the academic discipline whilst generating educational and cultural networks.
Industrial Placement - Diploma in Professional Practice (DPP)
Status: O
Year: 3
This module is optional
This module provides undergraduate students with an opportunity to gain structured and professional work experience, in a work-based learning environment, as part of their inter-calary programme of study. This experience allows students to develop, refine and reflect on their key personal and professional skills. The placement should significantly support the development of the student's employability skills, preparation for final year and enhance their employability journey.
The Irish Revolution, 1913-1923
Status: O
Year: 3
This module is optional
This module uses an innovative teaching method and utilises documentary, digital, and audio-visual sources to explore life in Ireland during the revolutionary years, 1913-1923. The period is brought to life through narratives of key events and the analysis of primary source material from the time.
Late Soviet Communism, 1953-1991
Status: O
Year: 3
This module is optional
This module examines the attempts of the post-Stalin leadership to manage, reform, and improve the prosperity of Soviet domestic communism. The political, economic, and social and cultural policies of the three main general secretaries - Khrushchev, Brezhnev, and Gorbachev - will be examined and assessed critically.
United States Foreign Policy Since 1945
Status: O
Year: 3
This module is optional
This module is designed principally for students studying History and will promote and in depth understanding of U.S. foreign policy post-1945, and its significance vis-à-vis the rest of the world. It seeks to examine the complex interaction between the United States and the wider world by looking at key events, issues and debates in U.S. Foreign Policy. The chronological approach will focus on the Cold War, Post-Cold War, and post-September 11th eras, analyzing the administrations of Presidents from Harry S. Truman to Barack Obama.
Saints and Sinners: Women in Nineteenth and Twentieth Century Ireland
Status: O
Year: 3
This module is optional
This module will use the study of women in Irish society from 1850-2000 to consider the role of women in areas such as politics, religion, culture, work and sexuality and how their role and experiences changed over the period. It will allow students to gain an alternative historical perspective on the major political and societal changes of the period. Though the use of oral history students will gain a personal understanding of female experience in the past.
Imperial Retreat: The Decline and Fall of the European Overseas Empires
Status: O
Year: 3
This module is optional
This module will examine the historical process since 1945 whereby European colonial powers either withdrew This module will examine the historical process since 1945 whereby European colonial powers either withdrew or were driven from formal occupation of their overseas possessions. The module will not only examine various interpretations of imperial disengagement but will also provide an in-depth study of the actual mechanics of European decolonisation for particular territories in South and South East Asia, Africa and the Pacific. It also aims to enhance student skills in evaluating interpretations put forward by historians through allowing them to make a detailed study of one particular colonial possession.
America in the Depression, 1929-1941
Status: O
Year: 3
This module is optional
This is an interdisciplinary study of one of the most significant events in the history of the United States since 1900, the Depression that began in 1929 and lasted until the USA entered the Second World War in 1941. This course will examine the turbulent years of the Great Depression and the New Deal. It will cover political, social, economic, and cultural aspects of the events and circumstances that led to the Depression, the election of FDR in 1933, and the formulation of the New Deal as national policy. It will then look at various aspects of New Deal policies and will assess the achievements and limitations of those policies.
The Post-War Body: Medicine and Society in Britain and America, c.1945-90
Status: O
Year: 3
This module is optional
This module examines the dramatic changes in experiences of health and illness that occurred in the twentieth century. Focusing on Britain and America, it explores how our attitudes to matters such as sex, death, eating, disability and mental health were revolutionized in the twentieth century. The module also looks at ethical problems issues such as Cold War human experimentation. Students will engage with broader themes such as class, gender and race relations.
Witchcraft and magic in early modern Europe and Colonial New England, c.1550-1780
Status: O
Year: 3
This module is optional
The early modern period in Europe saw around 40-50,000 people executed for the crime of witchcraft, and many more prosecuted, imprisoned or otherwise punished. This module will examine the many facets of the witchcraft experience in Europe and New England using a variety of contemporary sources: from artwork, to printed books and pamphlets, court records and private correspondence. It will examine patterns of witchcraft accusation and prosecution, the intellectual context of witchcraft beliefs, the connection between witchcraft and women, the decline in educated belief, and the continuation of popular notions and traditions. Early modern witchcraft will be located in its wider magical context by exploring both popular magic (cunning-folk, magical healers and fortune-tellers) and elite magic (astrology, alchemy and angelology). Developments in witchcraft and magic in the early modern period will also be linked to wider societal, cultural and religious changes..
Standard entry conditions
We recognise a range of qualifications for admission to our courses. In addition to the specific entry conditions for this course you must also meet the University’s General Entrance Requirements.
A level
The A Level requirement for this course is CCC.
Applied General Qualifications
RQF Pearson BTEC Level 3 National Extended Diploma/ OCR Cambridge Technical Level 3 Extended Diploma
Award profile of MMM
We will also accept smaller BTEC/OCR qualifications (i.e. Diploma or Extended Certificate / Introductory Diploma / Subsidiary Diploma) in combination with A Levels or other acceptable level 3 qualifications.
To find out if the qualification you are applying with is a qualification we accept for entry, please check our Qualification Checker - https://www.ulster.ac.uk/stud-y/entrance-requirements/equivalence
We will also continue to accept QCF versions of these qualifications although grades asked for may differ. Check what grades you will be asked for by comparing the requirements above with the information under QCF in the Applied General and Tech Level Qualifications section of our Entry Requirements - https://www.ulster.ac.uk/study/entrance-requirements/undergraduate-entry-requirements
Irish Leaving Certificate
Overall Irish Leaving Certificate profile
96 UCAS tariff points to include a minimum of five subjects (four of which must be at higher level) to include English and Maths at H6 if studied at Higher level or O4 if studied at Ordinary Level.
Irish Leaving Certificate UCAS Equivalency
Tariff point chart
Scottish Highers
The Scottish Highers requirement for this course is
Grades DDD
A minimum of grade C in Math and English is required at Intermediate Level if not studying at Higher Level.
Scottish Advanced Highers
The Scottish Advanced Highers requirement for this course is grades DDD.
Candidates must fulfill the subject requirement for Irish (A level Grade C or equivalent) via other qualifications. If you do not meet the requirement for a qualification in Irish, please contact us and we can discuss how we might recognise your prior experience in the area in assessing your application.
Applicants may satisfy the requirement for an element of the offer grade profiles (equating to the final A-level grade stated in the standard 3A level offer profile - Grade C ) by substituting a combination of alternative qualifications to the same standard as defined by the University
International Baccalaureate
Overall International Baccalaureate profile minimum 24 points (12 at higher level) including English and Maths.
Access to Higher Education (HE)
Overall Access profile
Overall profile of 55% (120 credit Access Course) (NI Access Course)
Overall profile of 45 credits at merit (60 credit Access Course) (GB Access Course)
GCSE
For full-time study, you must satisfy the General Entrance Requirements for admission to a first degree course and hold a GCSE pass at Grade C or 4 or above in English Language and Maths (or equivalent).
Essential Skills Level 2 Communication will be accepted as equivalent to GCSE English.
Essential Skills Level 2 Numeracy will be accepted as equivalent to GCSE Maths.
English Language Requirements
English language requirements for international applicants
The minimum requirement for this course is Academic IELTS 6.0 with no band score less than 5.5. Trinity ISE: Pass at level III also meets this requirement for Tier 4 visa purposes.
Ulster recognises a number of other English language tests and comparable IELTS equivalent scores.
Additional Entry Requirements
Acceptable alternative qualifications include:
Pass HND with overall merit to include 15 distinctions in level 5 credits.
Pass HNC with overall merit to include 45 distinctions in level 4 credits.
You may also meet the course entry requirements with combinations of different qualifications to the same standard as recognised by the University.
Exemptions and transferability
Most students enter into Year 1. However, if you can provide evidence of previous relevant study or experience you may be considered for entry to later years. There is a facility for transfer to other undergraduate degree programmes (full time to part time) on the Magee campus depending upon the nature of the subject matter of the other degrees and academic achievement. In appropriate cases opportunities exist at the end of Year 1 for transfer between this programme and other first-degree programmes in the Department.
