Irish Studies

The D’Arcy McGee Chair of Irish Studies was established at Saint Mary’s University by Dr. Cyril J. Byrne in the spring of 1986 to form a focal point for the study of all aspects of Irish and Irish-Canadian culture, particularly:

• language
• literature
• history
• political science
• folklore

Saint Mary’s is the first University in Canada where you can complete an undergraduate degree in Irish Studies.

The Bachelor of Arts (BA) is a well-established, foundational degree and requires the requirements listed below alongside general graduation requirements.

Major in Irish Studies

To obtain a major in Irish Studies, forty-two (42) credit hours are required, including:

Course List

Code	Title	Credit Hours
IRST 1201	Introduction to Modern Irish	3
IRST 1202	Modern Irish Language	3
IRST 1215	Ireland: An Introduction	3
IRST 1216	Ireland: Culture and Society	3
IRST 4876-4899	Directed Readings	3
Plus twenty-seven (27) credit hours, fifteen (15) credit hours of which must be at the 3000 level or above and approved by the Coordinator of Irish Studies		27
Total Credit Hours		42

Concentration in Irish Studies

To obtain a concentration in Irish Studies in partial fulfillment of the B.A. General degree (i.e., one with Double Arts Concentrations and a minimum of ninety (90) credit hours), a minimum of twenty-four (24) credit hours in IRST is required, of which twelve (12) will be 3000/4000-level courses; also a minimum cumulative grade point average of 2.00. Further details are available from the coordinator.

Minor in Irish Studies

The following program constitutes a minor in Irish Studies according to the Requirements for the Degree of Bachelor of Arts:

Course List

Code	Title	Credit Hours
IRST 1201	Introduction to Modern Irish	3
IRST 1202	Modern Irish Language	3
IRST 1215	Ireland: An Introduction	3
IRST 1216	Ireland: Culture and Society	3
Plus twelve (12) credit hours approved by the Coordinator of Irish Studies		12
Total Credit Hours		24