On Saturday 11 January (10am-1pm), Mary Immaculate College (MIC) will give thousands of prospective students the opportunity to explore its Limerick campus and discover all that the College has to offer from its range of undergraduate and postgraduate degrees, extra-curricular activities and exceptional facilities. The Open Day will be an invaluable opportunity for prospective students to get a real sense of the College and to get the information they need to make their final college choices.
Bláthnaid Landers from Tulla in Co. Clare is a first-year Bachelor of Arts student. Speaking about her experience of MIC’s Open Day, Bláthnaid said, “I decided that MIC was the college for me following my visit to its Open Day. I was beyond impressed by the warm welcome my peers and I received and the wonderful atmosphere on the campus. On the day, I got an exciting glimpse of college life at MIC. I attended informative talks on different undergraduate programmes offered by the College and took full advantage of the opportunity to meet with lecturers of my favoured subjects. My experience at MIC at the Open Day confirmed that it was the perfect college for me.”
Bláthnaid is also a recipient of an Undergraduate Entrance Scholarship, valued at €2,000, which was awarded by MIC to 50 first year students on the basis of high-level CAO points obtained in the Leaving Certificate Examination. Speaking as her first semester on campus comes to an end, Bláthnaid said, “Having now begun my studies at MIC I am certain that I made the right decision. What I expected to be a difficult and daunting transition turned out to be very enjoyable thanks to the inviting attitude of MIC’s close-knit community. I would encourage anyone considering MIC to utilise the opportunities to explore the College during Open Day and interact with the faculty and staff members too.”
The upcoming Open Day will include programme talks and MIC student led campus tours. Prospective students will get the chance to meet with lecturers and support staff; mingle with current students and learn about the 12 undergraduate degree programmes on offer at MIC Limerick and MIC Thurles, as well as over 30 different postgraduate programmes, which are offered from graduate diploma to doctoral level.
In addition to the flexible Bachelor of Arts (MI002) undergraduate degree at MIC Limerick, which offers students the opportunity to choose from 13 subjects ranging from English Language and Literature to Drama and Theatre Studies, and from French Studies to Mathematics and Computer Studies, MIC also offers Early Childhood, Theatre Studies, and Primary and Post-Primary Teacher degrees. Two new programmes have also been added to the MIC offering for those applying in 2020, namely the Bachelor of Education – International (MI004) at MIC Limerick and the Bachelor in Education, Mathematics and Business Studies (MI014) at MIC Thurles.
At postgraduate level MIC offers over 30 programmes in education and the liberal arts. Professor Jim Deegan, Head of Graduate School at MIC, said, “MIC is a long-established provider of world-class postgraduate programmes at Diploma, Master's and Doctoral (PhD) level. Our focus is on student success and well-being and meeting real world needs in diverse workplaces, nationally and internationally. Our students experience responsive research supervision and mentoring, funding and career development support schemes, and a first-class “community of practice” at MIC.”
As outlined by Prof. Deegan, there are many funding support schemes available to those wishing to pursue postgraduate study at MIC. Edmond Gubbins, who hails from Bruff in Co. Limerick, is the 2019 recipient of the MIC Doctoral Studentship, which will fully fund Edmond’s PhD studies at MIC.
Commenting on his reasons for choosing to complete his PhD studies at MIC, Edmond said, “Having completed my undergraduate degree at MIC, the fond memories I have of the College made it an easy choice for me when returning to my studies. Not only this, MIC has a wonderful campus and dedicated facilities for postgraduate research students, including individual research areas, conference and meeting rooms, and research and study skills seminars.”
He continued by saying, “The staff in the RGSO are so friendly, welcoming and supportive. They really want to set students up for success and provide invaluable advice, guidance and information with a host of research and academic queries. I would say to anyone thinking about doing their PhD to consider MIC - while I am only a year into my PhD, I know that I will be supported at every stage of my studies.”
In addition to the postgraduate scholarships available, prospective students at both undergraduate and postgraduate level can now apply for two elite sports scholarships worth €4,000 each, while those applying for undergraduate degrees at MIC Limerick and MIC Thurles can also apply for entrance scholarships, valued at €2,000 each. A new CAO Points Concession Scheme has also been introduced whereby up to 10 places across all undergraduate programmes will be reserved for those who have demonstrated a high level of sporting performance. Successful applicants who meet all the necessary requirements may be eligible for a points reduction of up to 40 points below the First Round CAO points cut-off for the programme they have applied for.
For full details on the MIC Open Day and the schedule of talks taking place throughout the day, see www.micopenday.ie
