Political Science & Politics Study Abroad Programs in Northern Ireland

My time in Northern Ireland was an absolutely life changing experience. It is not your typical study abroad experience, it is pretty structured but it's that way for a reason. I got to speak to people on both sides of the conflict in Northern Ireland as well as learn in depth about what peace building really looks like in a modern society. I also got opportunity to intern at a community development organization where I met so many incredible people with amazing stories. Northern Ireland is also an extremely beautiful place that I got to explore a lot of. The north coast is one of the most breath taking places I've ever been to. Northern Ireland is a unique place that changed my life and this program is a huge part of that. I would do my study abroad 100 times over if I could.

My four months based in Derry/Londonderry were spent attending long but fascinating lectures about Northern Irish history and The Troubles, an internship at the Bloody Sunday Trust (the organization that runs the Museum of Free Derry), visiting towns and organizations historically significant to the conflict, and listening to stories shared very willingly by survivors of the violence that gripped the region not too long ago. This program provided an immersion within conflict studies that profoundly changed my view of the world, altered the focus of my studies and my post-college trajectory. I was one of six midwestern liberal arts students in the cohort, and we lived together in a Bogside flat. The combination of a focused and relatively rigorous classroom experience with day-to-day encounters of a "post-conflict" society provided the exact level of engagement and experiential understanding I was looking for. After the program ended, I went back to school to continue my Political Science degree, and then returned to Northern Ireland for a year as a volunteer at Corrymeela, a peace and reconciliation center for the region. My time with the CGEE program in Derry ultimately realized three outcomes: a fascinating and immersive academic experience, a want for much, much more, and the connections and context to make 'much more' happen. I would highly recommend this program for those who want to seriously engage with significant topics in the realms of history and political science.

A great learning experience with great cultural immersion. I had so much fun and met a bunch of new people and made plenty of new friends, there was plenty of free time to travel around Europe as well which made the experience even better! Overall i would highly recommend this program to anyone engineering students looking for a study abroad program.

I had such a great time in Northern Ireland at Ulster University. The courses were so much fun and I got to do a lot of hands-on work which was great! The planned excursions were also a lot of fun and really well planned out for all the students in the program. There was also plenty of free time to travel around Europe and explore the city of Derry! I would highly recommend this experience to anyone looking to study abroad.

Going to college, I absolutely knew I wanted to study abroad; specifically, I wanted to study abroad in the United Kingdom or Ireland. After searching a plethora of study abroad programs, one, in particular, stood out to me and that was the IFSA-Butler program at Queen's University Belfast in Northern Ireland. I can easily say that I am so glad I chose this program. What made this program great for me was the small yet close group of peers I had who were also a part of the study abroad program with IFSA there. The IFSA staff made us feel so welcome as soon as we landed in Northern Ireland, and having a small group allowed all of us to bond very quickly and become close friends with ease. Having this friend group before venturing into the local university life was nice since we had a means of being together during a time where we didn't really know anyone else very well. Overall, the social aspect of study abroad through IFSA was phenomenal, and I feel that this aspect is one of the most important for studying in a foreign country for a semester. Focusing on a more academic standpoint, Northern Ireland was ideal for me as they offered courses from numerous departments. I was able to take a political science class, religion class, and statistics course during my semester abroad which all counted towards Major credit and core requirement credit at my home university. The courses were interesting and very worthwhile for my degree and overall education. All of my lecturers and TAs were so helpful with informing me of the academic logistics that went along with classes, assignments in the classes, and exams. I never felt like I was ill-prepared for anything academically related. Overall, my study abroad experience was phenomenal and I highly recommend this program to anyone who may wish to study a variety of disciplines and wish to gain a unique experience with a small yet close group of peers.

When I was going to study abroad I was looking for a place in Ireland where there were going to be less American students and it would be a more immersive and "Irish" studying experience. IFSA-Butler provided this for me at Queen's with enough help with an orientation, excursions, and staff in-country, but my own space to live and explore on my own like a regular student attending uni in Ireland. Queen's has top-notch academics, hundreds of amazing clubs (I joined the rowing team while I was there), and a gorgeous campus! Belfast was perfect for me because it was a city with many amenities while not being huge and touristy. It was even better than I had hoped it would be :)