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Winter Short Term


December 29th 2025 – January 12th 2026


Applications Open: Now

Application Deadline: September 15th, 2025

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Term overview

Experience the Magic of Ireland This Winter: Join Our Intensive Program in Dingle!

Spend two unforgettable weeks over the New Year in the breathtaking coastal town of Dingle. As December turns to January, Dingle comes alive with vibrant celebrations, including dazzling fireworks and a spirited marching band parade that draws visitors from near and far.

Immerse yourself in the heart of Irish culture through traditional music, language, cuisine, and craic (that’s Irish for fun!). Our SHU Dingle team will warmly welcome you into a close-knit community and deliver world-class instruction set against the festive charm of Ireland’s scenic southwest.

While Dingle thrives in the summer, our winter program offers a unique, immersive experience without the crowds.

As a designated Gaeltacht, a region where the Irish language is spoken daily, Dingle is rich in heritage, personality, and charm. Discover the true spirit of Ireland and create lifelong memories in one of the world’s most enchanting places!

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Courses

AN 230 – CULTURE, COMMUNITY & FOLKLORE
DESCRIPTION
This course takes students on a deep dive into Irish cultural identity and history through an immersive experience living within the West Kerry Community, learning how the historical and contemporary communities of the Dingle Peninsula live, work and play.
 
This course examines the complex history of Ireland, the links between The US and Ireland through centuries, and what Irish culture really is.
 
Using the peninsula itself as our classroom we will visit important sites throughout the area, and meet with cultural practitioners,  so students can immerse themselves in the life of this rural Irish Community, and delve a little deeper into their own cultural identity.
 
There is more to Irish Culture than Shamrocks, Green Guinness, and Bacon & Cabbage!
 
LIBERAL ARTS EXPLORATION
  • Humanistic Inquiry
  • Social and Global Awareness
 
FACULTY
Daithi DeMordha, Ph.D.
 
CH 108 – DRUIDS & ALCHEMY
May Short Term in Dingle
DESCRIPTION
Explore the development of natural chemistry in pre-Christian Ireland through druidry and alchemy!
 
Druids were central to ancient Irish and Celtic culture, with vast knowledge of medicinal plants, herbal antidotes, astronomy, and mathematics.
 
By examining and comparing ancient and current techniques and instrumentations used in the preparation of antidotes, potions, and remedies, students’ understanding of natural chemistry will be historically and functionally enriched. Students will critically analyze primary alchemical texts, assess historical laboratory techniques, and connect ancient and medieval concepts of natural chemistry to modern chemistry and medicine.
 
FACULTY
Rodney Versace, Ph.D.
CM 103 – PRODUCING AN IRISH SHORT FILM
DESCRIPTION
Make a movie in Ireland – no previous experience required!
Students will work in teams to produce a short film on location in Dingle. The course will include screenings, field trips, guest speakers, and hands-on filmmaking. Immerse yourself in the vibrant arts and cultural community of Dingle while gaining real-life experience in media production.
 
Students may work in front of and/or behind the camera, developing an idea into a screenplay that is then shot and edited entirely in Ireland. 
 
Skills developed include writing, budgeting, scheduling, location scouting, production management, camera work, sound recording, acting, editing, distribution and marketing. 
 
FACULTY

Todd Barnes, Ph.D.

CMD 335/SLP 533 – CULTURAL & STRUCTURAL LINGUISTICS
DESCRIPTION

The connections between language, culture, and social identity are strong. Cross-cultural variations in language are noted in differences in pronunciation, grammar, and vocabulary by speakers of the same language. We will use structural and cultural linguistic frameworks to identify and understand differences in dialects of English spoken in Ireland and the United States.

FACULTY
Caitlin A. Ross, Ph.D., CCC-SLP
ENG 299 – POETS AND MADMEN: WRITING AND HEALTH IN IRELAND
DESCRIPTION
Become inspired by the writing of great Irish poets on themes of nature and wellbeing to produce your own new, creative work against the stunning backdrop of the Dingle Peninsula.
 
This course investigates the intersection of writing, space, place, and health – which is mental, physical, and spiritual – through reading, cultural immersion, and writing practice. 
 
Explore how Irish poets’ relationship to nature has been troubled by colonialism, violence, and loss, at the same time as the nation’s landscape has remained a potent symbol of “home”. Soak in the landscape’s “terrible beauty” while developing a critical perspective on art, identity, and health that enriches your creativity.
 
FACULTY

Rick Magee, Ph.D.

MK 299 – SUSTAINABLE TOURISM MARKETING
DESCRIPTION

Worldwide tourism is continuing to grow and has been identified as a critical industry for the economies of many different countries, each linking their attractions primarily to cultural identities. Ireland is one of the leading tourist destinations, and the country’s tourist leaders have developed this position over decades as Ireland relies heavily on revenue generated from this source. It is estimated that overseas visitor numbers reached 6.29 million in 2011, a 7% increase from 2010. How does Ireland go about creating their specific brand image in marketing Ireland as a ‘holiday destination’? How have they created the Irish mystique that attracts so many tourists each year?

This class will explore these questions in developing a better understanding of tourism marketing and how Ireland has become a leader in this sector. The class will utilize a reading list, case studies, social media, and site visits to explore this topic.

FACULTY
Enda McGovern Ph.D.
PH 271 – BIOETHICS: PHILOSOPHICAL APPROACHES
DESCRIPTION

Spend 2 weeks learning about ethical issues in health care by exploring compelling scenarios and case studies. Study the role of ethics and the importance of Philosophy to the Irish Catholic Intellectual Tradition and investigate how health care concerns impact the lives of patients and health-care providers throughout southwestern Ireland.

Among the central topics to be covered are informed consent, medical futility, reproductive ethics, privacy, cultural competence, and clinical trials.

FACULTY
Kevin J. Power, Ph.D
SW 265/SW565/PO/SO/CJ 299 – THE ENGLISH COLONIAL LEGACY: HUMAN RIGHTS IN IRELAND AND THE US
DESCRIPTION

Irish and U.S. social welfare history and practice today are distinct from each other, but both retain structural and cultural vestiges of their shared English Colonial roots. In this course, students will explore the common foundation of social welfare in both nations and follow the singular paths of each nation in establishing their own priorities in social programs and practices to support and control their citizens. Students will learn from Irish lecturers as well as SHU faculty about the fundamentals of social welfare, while exploring in breakout groups how housing, healthcare (including mental health), food and water, child welfare, immigration, and criminal justice are structured and implemented in both nations. A study of commonalities and contrasts, this course challenges students to consider the perspectives and practices of these two very different political entities, both to support and control their populations, and the structural and cultural variations that have informed U.S. and Irish practice today.

 
FACULTY
Kate Kelly, Ph.D.
TRS 271 – CELTIC RELIGIOUS TRADITIONS
DESCRIPTION

Study the ancient religion of Ireland, of gods and goddesses, ancestors and rituals, holy places and sacred rulers. Learn about the Celtic origins of Halloween and the great seasonal festivals of the Druids. Walk through the landscape and discover traditions and customs from ancient times that are reflected in the modern world, through myth, place names, and customs.

FACULTY
Billy MagFhloin, Ph.D.

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