Language Requirement: None
Academic Standing by Program Start: Sophomore or above
Location: Europe, Ireland
GPA: 2.5

Program Overview

The USAC program in Galway combines an unparalleled location for the study of the Irish past and present with a rich array of classroom speakers, field trips in the West of Ireland, and opportunities to sample the delights of Ireland’s premier film and arts festivals. The program offers a variety of courses in history, music, theatre, literature, and Gaelic. You will take courses with US faculty and Irish university faculty affiliated with the program. A faculty member from the University of Oregon Department of English directs the USAC Galway program and will be responsible for providing the on-site orientation, leading the optional Dublin tour before the official start of the program, accompanying students on the other excursions during the program, and assisting with your other academic and personal needs.

Scholarship funds are available for students accepted to this program. If interested, please refer to the Scholarship Essay in the program application or contact your study abroad advisor. In addition, USAC offers a range of scholarships for students attending this program, more information can be found on their website.

Dates and Deadlines

 
TermYearDeadlineArrival DateDeparture Date
Summer20253/15/20256/19/20257/26/2025

Please note that if you are participating in the Optional Dublin Tour,*
you have to arrive in Dublin by June 20. 

For more details on the program calendar, visit USAC's website.

To apply for this program, students need to complete both the GEO application and the USAC application. You can work on them simultaneously. Please note the USAC application may have a different deadline. You can find more details about the USAC application process on their website. 

Academic Details

You will choose two from the list of several courses offered by the program. Course availability is contingent upon student interest and enrollment and is subject to change. The courses include:

  • Dublin Field Study: Exploring the Sites of 1916 and the War of Independence* (must enroll in Optional Dublin Tour; 2 credits)
  • In Search of Irish Roots: Tracing Your Family Genealogy (2 credits)
  • Introduction to the Gaelic Language (5 credits)
  • Irish Music – Performance, Transmission and Practice (5 credits)
  • Modern Irish Literature: From Celtic Twilight to Celtic Tiger (5 credits)
  • Re-staging Irishness: Pasts, Presents, and Futures of Irish Theatre (5 credits)
  • Troubling the Past: The Place of History in Ireland’s Modern Emergence (5 credits)

Course descriptions can be found at the USAC Galway program webpage. Note that on USAC's website, the courses are in semester credits. And 1 semester credit = 1.5 UO quarter credits, so the Registrar will convert and round up your credits when they come to the UO.

Dublin Tour*
The program will begin with a Dublin tour and field study (earning 2 credits provided you enroll in the Dublin Field Study class) before classes begin in Galway. For more information, visit USAC's Field Trips & Tours webpage.

Program Coordinator
Mark Quigley is an Associate Professor of English at the University of Oregon, and his own research and teaching focus on Irish literature and culture and postcolonial theory. Professor Quigley serves as the program's director, both in the United States and on-site during the program period. He will be available to assist you with academic, cultural, and personal issues that may arise while in Galway.

Scholarship Opportunity for English Majors

The Department of English invites applications from undergraduate English Majors for the Deborah Tims Ellis Endowed Scholarship, an award offered each year in recognition of outstanding academic achievement by English Majors to support their participation in study abroad programs. Awards are up to $4,000.

Course Equivalencies

UO students: please refer to the UO Course Equivalency Process and the UO Office of the Registrar Course Equivalency Database.

Non-UO students: Actual credit awarded is determined by the relevant department at your university in consultation with the study abroad office. Check with your study abroad advisor for more information.

Housing Description

Students are housed in Corrib Village, a student apartment complex located along the banks of the river Corrib at the National University of Ireland, Galway. It is about a five-minute walk from the classrooms and about a twenty-minute walk from the city center. A free shuttle bus runs from Corrib Village to the city center every hour, from late morning until early evening. Apartments are arranged in groups of four bedrooms and occupants share a common living area and a kitchen/dining area. Most residence hall apartments have three full bathrooms. If you would like a single bedroom, you may request that for an additional fee. Room types are subject to availability. Bed linens, towels, and all kitchen necessities are provided. Wifi, coin-operated laundry, and a mini-market are available on site. Apartments are shared with other USAC students. Most apartments are co-ed. If you prefer to share an apartment with students of the same gender, you may indicate that on their Housing Options form that you will have to complete for the secondary USAC Galway application through their system.