IFSA Summer in Dublin

This program offers two six-week sessions with classes Monday through Thursday.Students take one or two classes per session, for up to 6 credits. Enroll in Session 1 or Session 2, or enroll in both sessions for a complete 12-week experience.

Choose from unique classes that highlight Irish history and culture, not typically available at Dublin universities.

Session 1

Sustainability and Energy Production
This course explores the technical, environmental, and economic dimensions of energy production in the context of sustainability. Students will analyze various energy systems—including fossil fuels, renewables, and transitional technologies—through life cycle assessment and policy frameworks. The course challenges students to evaluate trade-offs and design energy strategies that support sustainable development goals. Applied research and scenario planning are used to develop practical energy solutions (3 U.S. semester credit hours).

Business and Engineering
This course examines the intersection of engineering principles and business strategy. Students will apply systems thinking to real-world business challenges involving product design, operations, and supply chain management. Emphasis is placed on analyzing technical feasibility, evaluating cost structures, and designing scalable solutions within a business context. Case studies and collaborative projects enable students to develop and communicate integrated engineering-business approaches (3 U.S. semester credit hours).

Civil Rights in Ireland
Through guest speakers, community engagement, and site visits, this course explores the history, development, and impact of civil rights movements in Ireland, with a focus on both the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland. Students will examine key events, figures, and legislation that have shaped civil rights in Ireland, the interrelation with other international movements for civil rights, and analyze the ongoing challenges and advancements in this field (3 U.S. semester credit hours).

Digital Marketing and E-commerce
This course introduces students to the fundamentals of digital marketing and e-commerce, covering topics from digital strategy and analytics to consumer behavior and online business models. Students will explore key areas like search engine optimization (SEO), content marketing, social media, email marketing, online advertising, and conversion optimization. Practical assignments and case studies will deepen understanding of how digital strategies are applied to achieve business goals in today’s digital economy. Through case studies and hands-on projects, students will gain the skills needed to create and implement effective digital marketing strategies and analyze their impact. (3 U.S. semester credits)

Session 2

Business and Technology
This course examines how businesses leverage technology to achieve strategic success, focusing on Ireland’s position as a global technology hub. Students will explore frameworks for competitive advantage, digital transformation, and organizational integration, alongside topics such as business intelligence, data analytics, supply chain management, and customer relationship management. Through case studies and experiential learning in Ireland, the course emphasizes practical applications of technology in business contexts and critical evaluation of innovation ecosystems. By the end of the course, students will be able to analyze technology-driven strategies, apply insights to real-world challenges, and understand Ireland’s role in shaping global business trends. (3 U.S. semester credits)

Understanding Modern Ireland
From the echoes of revolution to the rhythms of contemporary life, this course invites students to explore Ireland as a nation continually in dialogue with its past, its people, and the wider world. Understanding Modern Ireland traces the country’s evolution from colonial subject to global cultural force—examining how history, politics, language, migration, and the arts shape Irish identity today. Through interdisciplinary lenses spanning literature, media, economics, and social movements, students will critically engage with the tensions between tradition and modernity, rural roots and urban futures, local belonging and global citizenship. By weaving together voices from Yeats to Rooney, de Valera to Varadkar, and the Easter Rising to the European Union, students will not only study Ireland’s transformation but reflect on the meanings of resilience, identity, and renewal in a modern nation-state. (3 U.S. semester credits)

Urban Planning
This course introduces students to the principles and practices of urban planning, with a focus on sustainable development, spatial design, and policy frameworks shaping contemporary cities. Students will explore the historical evolution of urban planning, key theories, and the challenges posed by rapid urbanization, climate change, and social equity. Special attention will be given to European and Irish contexts, examining how planning strategies respond to cultural heritage, environmental constraints, and economic development goals. Through lectures, case studies, and field-based learning, students will analyze real-world planning issues and develop critical thinking skills to propose innovative solutions. (3 U.S. semester credits)

Green Energy and Engineering
In a century defined by climate urgency and innovation, Green Energy and Engineering explores the science, systems, and imagination driving humanity’s transition to sustainable power. Students will study the engineering principles behind renewable technologies such as solar, wind, hydro, geothermal, and bioenergy, while assessing their environmental, social, and economic impacts. (3 U.S. semester credits) The course balances the technical with the visionary. Students will learn not only how clean energy works, but what it means for the future of communities, industries, and the planet itself. Through case studies, applied projects, and systems modeling, they will evaluate real-world energy challenges and design solutions that unite efficiency with ethics, innovation with equity.

APPLICATION REQUIREMENTS 

Eligibility 

• You must be at least 18 years of age. Students under 18 may be accepted on a case-by-case basis. 
• You must be currently attending or recently graduated from a U.S. or Canadian community college, technical college, two-year college, four-year college, or four-year university. 
• You must have completed at least one (1) full-time semester of study at your home institution before the beginning of the term. 

Recommendation Letter 

Not required. 

TRANSCRIPT 

Upon completion of your program, IFSA will send an official Butler University transcript to your home university with your coursework converted to the U.S. semester credit hour system. You will also have access to an unofficial transcript in your IFSA Student Portal. The transcript reflects classes taken, credits attempted, and grades earned during your term abroad. This service is included in your study abroad program at no additional cost. See our Transcripts page for more information.