Chapter 3: National University of Ireland, Galway

The National University of Ireland, Galway, was established in 1845 as Queen's College, Galway. With 15,000 students, it is one of Ireland's premier teaching and research universities. All students, regardless of sex, race, ethnic origin or creed, will be considered for admission. The commitment to excellence at NUI Galway embraces the holistic and individual development of each student, covering the intellectual, physical, social and cultural domains. In addition to the provision of top-class facilities for teaching and research, the University provides an excellent infrastructure for extracurricular activities. Áras na Mac Léinn, the Student Centre, incorporates sports and recreational facilities as well as student welfare services, facilities that will soon be enhanced by a new €40m sports centre. View video of NUI Galway and the surrounding area

The Handbook for North American Students is full of helpful information on NUIG. Be sure to read it!

Facilities
Though the original buildings date from 1845, NUIG has experienced tremendous growth in recent decades. Many new buildings, equipped with state-of-the-art teaching tools and information technology, offer the most modern setting for learning. NUIG's large campus, with its dozens of buildings, is set on the banks of the River Corrib, and offers a setting that is both visually and intellectually exciting.

Courses, Credit System and Grades

• The system at NUIG is based on ECTS (European Credit Transfer System). Most courses carry 5 ECTS credits, which are equal to 2.5 credits in the U.S.
• Students take 6 courses and receive 15 credits on a Fairfield University transcript with 2.5 credits for each 5-ECTS course. You will receive a grade for each course that will be computed into your Fairfield University GPA.
• Each 2.5-credit course at NUIG will satisfy the requirements for a 3-credit course at Fairfield.
• With prior academic approval, student may take five courses instead of six, but all students must take at least the equivalent of 12 credits. Dropping below 12 credits means you are no longer a full-time student, which will jeopardize your standing and make you ineligible for financial aid.

Don't worry - while six courses may sound like a lot, it is no more work than five at your home institution. In general, there is less day-to-day work and more emphasis on one or two exams during the course of the semester. It's important to keep up with reading for your courses so that you have plenty of time to study for finals.

Course Numbering System
Irish students attend college for three years, not four, so courses are numbered differently than in the U.S. It is probably more helpful to choose courses based on the intended audience (for instance, second-year).

Most first-year courses must be taken for a full academic year, and are therefore not available to students staying for one semester. You should choose from second- and third-year courses in most cases. For a list of courses approved for visiting students, see http://www.nuigalway.ie/arts/overseas_students.html.

Fairfield University Course Numbering

Your grades and credits will be reported on a Fairfield University transcript. With few exceptions, course numbers will be identical to those at NUIG. The letter prefixes will change, however. For example:

Transcripts

Grades will be recorded at Fairfield approximately 8 weeks after the completion of the semester, and you will receive a grade report at your home address. If you are not a Fairfield student, you will probably need an official transcript for your school, and Fairfield University will provide one official transcript at no charge. Upon your return from Galway, we will send you the instructions for requesting a transcript.

Course Registration
You will not actually register for courses until you are in Galway. Students at NUIG do not sign up for courses until approximately 10 days after the start of the semester, after they have had time to visit each class. This is a "shopping around" period, giving you time to decide which courses are best for you.

There are important preparations to make during the semester before you go abroad:

1. Search the courses available to visiting students and choose at least 12 courses you would be interested in taking. At this point, course dates and times will not be available, hence the importance of choosing plenty of options. Print out course descriptions.
2. Obtain pre-approval for all courses.
3. Upon arrival in Galway, attend every course you have obtained approval for. Decide which six courses you wish to take.
4. Register for courses. If you've discovered a course you'd like to take, but have not obtained pre-approval, e-mail the appropriate person at Fairfield to get authorization before committing yourself.

Remember, all students must make sure they will receive credits from their home institutions. Students MUST obtain the signature of the person authorized to approve transfer credit from their home institution.

Mid-Term and Final Exams

The exact dates for Mid-Term and Final exams are listed on the syllabi that instructors give to their students during the first class meetings. The dates for these exams (whether they are written exams, oral presentations, critiques, etc.) cannot be changed under any circumstances. When purchasing airfare, be sure to schedule your return flight for a date after the end of final exams.