Abroad101: Study Abroad Reviews

Ireland opened my eyes to the idea of living outside the US Past Review

By (Middlebury College) - abroad from 01/11/2018 to 05/18/2018 with

University of Galway: Direct Enrollment & Exchange

What did you gain/learn from your experience abroad? Was it worthwhile?
I learned how to be very independent and I learned a lot about Irish culture.

Personal Information

How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? None

Review Your Program

* Overall educational experience

Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc.

The courses were interesting and rigorous enough to feel meaningful, but the workload was manageable enough to balance travel and social life.

* Host Country Program Administration

On-site administration of your program

* Housing:

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

I would not recommend Corrib Village to future study abroad students. It's a first year accommodation and far away from the fun part of town. Definitely try to live in a different student complex.

* Food:

* Social & Cultural Integration:

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

Doing an internship in the Galway community really helped me better integrate.

* Health Care:

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

* Safety:

If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? Yes

I loved Ireland. NUIG was a great place to study.

Finances

* 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)

Ireland is more expensive than continental Europe, but less expensive than Scandinavia.

Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? Each week I spent 50 to 100 euro.
Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? Shop smart with groceries (don't buy expensive stuff), and gather coasters from bars as souvenirs from traveling. They don't cost anything!

Language

* Did your program have a foreign language component? Yes
How much did the program encourage you to use the language?

0 = No encouragement, 5 = frequent encouragement to use the language

NUIG is passionate about Irish language integration. All signs are written in Irish first, with English below.

How would you rate your language skills at the beginning of the program? None
How would you rate your language skills at the end of the program? Beginner
What was the highest level language course you had completed prior to departure? I had taken 6 years of spanish (not applicable)
How many hours per day did you use the language?
Do you have any tips/advice on the best ways to practice the language for future study abroad participants? Duo Lingo and practicing with friends!

Direct Enrollment/Exchange

* Did you study abroad through an exchange program or did you directly enroll in the foreign university? Direct Enrollment

Other Program Information

* Where did you live?

Select all that apply

  • Apartment
* Who did you live with?

Select all that apply

  • Americans
* Who did you take classes with?

Select all that apply

  • Local Students
  • Americans
  • International Students
About how many local friends did you make that you will likely keep in touch with?

A Look Back

* What did you like most about the program?
  • The city of Galway
  • The friends I made
  • My internship/my classes
* What could be improved?
  • Housing in Galway
  • Pre-arrival information
  • Guide to studying in Galway (from former student)
* What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? I wish I knew more about the housing process and which accommodations are desirable/which are not.

Reasons For Studying Abroad

To help future students find programs attended by like-minded individuals, please choose the profile that most closely represents you.
The Outright Urbanite
A social butterfly, you're happiest in bustling cities with hip people, and took advantage of all it had to offer. You enjoyed the nightlife, and had fun going out dancing, and socializing with friends. Fun-loving and dressed to the nines, you enjoyed discovering new restaurants, shops, cafes, and bars in your host country.

Individual Course Reviews

Course Name/Rating:

Marine Economics
Course Department: Economics
Instructor: Stephen Hynes and Daniel Norton
Instruction Language: English
Comments: The course material was interesting and challenging. I did not participate much in class because it was a final year seminar with mostly Irish students; a lot of the material required extensive background around EU policies, which I learned of throughout the course. We were assessed through written papers, a presentation, and an end of term exam.
Credit Transfer Issues: I don't know yet. Probably not. It should transfer as an econ elective.
Course Name/Rating:

Economics of Public Policy
Course Department: Economics
Instructor: Conal Duddy
Instruction Language: English
Comments: The course was somewhat challenging. The lectures followed the textbook readings almost identically. There was a midterm and final exam. I participated from time to time, but it was a large lecture.
Credit Transfer Issues: I don't think so. It should transfer as an economics elective.
Course Name/Rating:

Irish Language for International Students (10 ECTS)
Course Department: Gailege (Irish)
Instructor: Séan O'Connell
Instruction Language: Irish
Comments: The course was challenging. Séan was a fantastic instructor. We did a lot of vocabulary and grammar work. The course covered a lot of material. Our assessments were written, listening, and oral. There were assignments throughout the semester as well. I participated a lot in this class, it was a small group.
Credit Transfer Issues: I hope to transfer this class as a foreign language distribution requirement. Irish is a language that is forgotten and suppressed due to colonization and I am passionate that Middlebury as an institution should recognize this course as "LNG" fulfilling.
Course Name/Rating:

Memory and Cognition
Course Department: Psychology
Instructor: Dr. Maria Dauvermann, Dr. David Mothersill, Professor Gary Donaghue
Instruction Language: English
Comments: The class was challenging; it covered a lot of material. The midterm was incredibly difficult. The final exam was more reasonable and gave space to reflect upon the course material in essay form; I learned a lot. It was a big lecture; I participated from time to time.
Credit Transfer Issues: Hopefully not.
Course Name/Rating:

Music, Gener & Ireland
Course Department: Gender Studies
Instructor: Méabh Ní Fhuartháín
Instruction Language: English (some Irish videos)
Comments: This course was fantastic. The instructor was lovely. She was so passionate. Her lectures were super engaging. I participated in class a lot, considering it was a large lecture. We were assessed through three papers throughout. She was a tough grader.
Credit Transfer Issues: Hopefully not.