Cork Specialty Courses – 2027 Summer
Academics
Cork offers a vibrant mix of cultural heritage and contemporary thought, making it an inspiring setting to study Ireland’s rich traditions and political history while exploring innovative approaches to environmental stewardship. Its lively summer festivals and welcoming community provide an immersive learning experience both in and out of the classroom.
You will enroll in three to seven credits during the summer session. At least one 3-credit course is required.
Summer
Click the course title to view course details, description and availability. Course availability is contingent upon scheduling constraints, meeting enrollment minimums, and is subject to change. To request a course syllabus: syllabus@usac.edu
- SummerAnthropology Nutrition 300-level 3 credits Taught in English
Food is among the most fundamental building blocks of culture, defining and expressing who we are as individuals, communities and nations. This course takes Ireland as a case study through which to explore the cultural, social, political, religious and economic aspects of food and foodways. In recent years, Irish food culture has enjoyed a resurgence both within Ireland and on the world stage. For example, Ireland’s agrifood sector is now a significant exporter of premium beef and dairy products, while food tourism is a key growth area. However, some argue this growth has come at a cost to health, equity and sustainability, and many are now exploring alternative approaches to the production, processing and consumption of food. Through seminars, guided fieldwork, and critical engagement with film, this course invites students to explore Irish food culture, while reflecting on their own food culture(s) and identity.
- SummerGeography Sociology 300-level 3 credits Taught in English
We’re excited to introduce this new course option as course details are being finalized. Please check back later for full course details.
- SummerAnthropology History 100-level 1 credit Taught in English
This course provides an overview of social, cultural and political change in Irish society through an interdisciplinary examination of the primary sources and principal events that have shaped Ireland over the past several hundred years. It draws on cultural, political and historical geographies of Ireland, and includes analysis of class, religion, place, patronage, politics and territorial organization, the impact of landlordism and landscape transformation, the distribution of secular and religious institutions, nation-building and state formation. Combing lecture and field excursions to Cork North Inner and South Inner City, the course grounds theory in practical genealogical field research.
- SummerManagement Political Science 400-level 3 credits Taught in English
This course examines theories of international conflict resolution to evaluate conflict situations and assess their outcomes. Through the study of contemporary state-based conflicts and selected historical case studies, the course examines the complexities and contradictions that shape conflict dynamics. Students will analyze the nature of international conflict and its evolution over time while exploring the stages and strategies associated with conflict prevention, containment, management, and resolution.
- SummerAnthropology 200-level 3 credits Taught in English
This course introduces the academic discipline of folklore through the material and intangible culture of Cork and Ireland. There will be a focus on the collection, archiving and dissemination of folklore and oral history in Cork and Ireland. The themes of social and sacred assembly as well as community culture will be outlined and discussed. Aspects of material culture such as housing, furniture, and food will also be considered. Students will put their ethnographic skills into practice on the class field trip to the Muskerry Gaeltacht (Irish-speaking area).
- SummerGaelic World Languages and Literatures 100-level 3 credits Taught in English
The Irish language (Gaelige) has both a rich history and a strong ongoing presence in contemporary Irish society. Over the millennia, it has played a crucial role in shaping Irish identity and culture. Today, Galway and NUIG play important roles in sustaining and preserving the rich scholarly and artistic legacies of the Gaelic language and draw greatly from the vitality of the language in the nearby gaeltacht (or Irish-speaking) regions of Connemara and the Aran Islands. This course is meant to give you a better sense of that linguistic heritage and provide opportunities for richer contacts with the Irish-language speakers, performances, and aspects of every-day life one encounters around Galway. The class will provide a basic preface to the structure of the language with the aim of developing some elementary conversational, grammar and reading skills in modern Irish.
- SummerCriminal Justice 300-level 3 credits Taught in English
This course introduces psychological theories, how they have been applied to the study of crime, and the foundations of modern psychological criminology.
- SummerMusic 400-level 3 credits Taught in English
Music-making in Ireland today encompasses a wide range of scenes, communities, and sub-cultures, each performing slightly different versions of Irishness. This course examines the last 50 years of popular, classical, and traditional music through the prism of national and regional identity, with special focus on the vibrant live music scene in Cork City. Taking in artists such as U2, Sinead O'Connor, Van Morrison and Hozier, students will examine how music reflects different ways of being Irish.