My MIC Story - Read Eoin's Story

Tell us a bit about yourself.

Hi! My name is Eoin and I’m from Limerick city. I’m now in my final year at MIC Limerick where I’m studying English Language and Literature and Theology and Religious Studies on the Bachelor of Arts programme. In second year, I also completed an elective in Teaching English as a Foreign Language (TEFL) and in third year I got to go out on work placement as part of the third year off-campus programme.

Where did you go to secondary school?

Before coming to MIC, I attended Ard Scoil Rís here in Limerick for secondary school. I’m from Limerick myself and live relatively close to the campus so I walk to and from college. For anyone thinking of coming to college in Limerick, it’s actually really easy to get around the city and the MIC campus is only about a 10-minute walk from the city centre, which is great.

Why did you choose MIC?

I chose MIC because the campus, small class sizes and friendly atmosphere appealed to me when I visited during the Open Day.

Has it been easy to make new friends at MIC?

In first year, we were online due to the COVID-19 pandemic. It was hard to make friends during that year due to the circumstances but ever since we came back on campus in September 2021, it has been easy to make new friends. Since MIC is a relatively small college, it’s easy to get to know people and the small class sizes for tutorials and some subjects mean you get to know most of the people in your class quickly.

Tell us about your experience of studying on the Bachelor of Arts programme here at MIC.

From studying on the BA programme, I have been exposed to a wide range of subjects that I might not have otherwise considered as subjects I would have been interested in. I found it great that we chose four subjects in first year and then we narrowed it down to two subjects with an elective in second year. This gives you a chance to try new subjects and get a feel for what they are like. It’s also helpful that your QCA from first year doesn’t carry forward to second year as this takes a lot of the pressure of studying new subjects off as you are only required to pass all your modules in first year. Your QCA a.k.a Quality Credit Average is basically your average performance across all modules. You’ll become familiar with all these terms once you become a college student and if you’re confused about anything there are lots of people here at MIC who can help you.

What do you like about the BA programme and studying at MIC?

I love the fact that most subjects have small class sizes – most of my classes in MIC are actually smaller than my secondary school classes. The small class sizes make socialising a lot easier, and it’s easier to get to know your classmates and lecturers. The subjects with larger class sizes still have smaller tutorial groups that allow you to get to know your fellow students and lecturers.

I know most of my lecturers and they’re easy to talk to in-person and contact by email or MS Teams if I have any concerns. The lecturers in MIC want you to succeed, they push you to do your best and the feedback you get about assignments is very helpful.

What do you love about college life?

I love the wide range of clubs and societies on offer on MIC. There’s something for everyone and the club and society activities are always great fun!

The academic pressure in college is also greatly reduced when compared to secondary school. The QCA grade system makes it easier to improve your overall grade if you have a bad semester. The supports available in MIC, such as I-grades, are also excellent if anything happens in your personal life such as illness or bereavement.

Exams in college are also easier to manage and prepare for – we have been continually assessed so far using essays and we have had the choice to take oral exams in some subjects if we wanted to. We also have the choice between multiple titles when we are assigned essay assignments. The continuous assessment system and the choice you have within the system is a massive help when it comes to taking the pressure off students.

What do you do once the lectures are done for the day?

I love attending society events like the MIC Live Music Society and MIDAS (MIC Dramatic Arts Society) who hold open mic nights and other events throughout the year. I’m not sure if they love me though, I’m a terrible singer! The society events are always great fun and the clubs and societies in MIC welcome everyone of all abilities – you don’t have to be great at what the society is about to take part and have fun.

Outside of college, I play clarinet and banjo. I also coach and referee underage GAA with my local club.

What would you like to do after your graduate?

I’m not sure! But the BA programme here at MIC is great for students who are unsure of what they want to do in the future. You’ve a great amount of choice with the subjects that are offered and the off-campus placement year in third year gives you great experience working in a field you are interested in. My placement was with SMILE School Completion Programme based in Thomond Community College, which offers support work to students to help them to stay in school and complete the Leaving Certificate.

What advice would you give to anyone considering studying at MIC?

Give everything a try! If you’re studying Arts, don’t be afraid to pick one or two subjects that you didn’t study in secondary school. Theology is a subject I picked in first year not knowing what it was about, and I enjoyed it so much I decided to keep studying it to degree level!