Key Info
Music and Dance can be taken as part of the UL Arts Degree as a joint honours combination. Review the subjects you can study with Irish Music and Dance by looking on the BA Arts course page.
About you
Do you enjoy music and/ or dance? Do you want to invest in your future and develop your knowledge and understanding of this and related performance practices? Do you want to reflect on historical practices and current trends in classical popular traditional and world music and dance? If so, this may be the subject choice for you.
Why study Music and Dance at UL?
Music and dance are an intrinsic part of the cultural life of this island being significant economically as well as artistically and socially. The Irish World Academy of Music and Dance at the University of Limerick has become a world leader in the study of these phenomena, situating music and dance in the centre of a number of critical approaches and disciplines in the study of culture and society.
This subject is designed to develop your academic and vocational skills. The main thrust of this subject in this context is the academic study of various music and dance practices. You will also engage in vocational studies directly relevant to music and dance. For example, you will have the opportunity to record CDs and videos, use digital media, write business plans, plan tours and organise performances.
You will also engage in specific academic studies in traditional music and dance, popular music and dance, histories of western music and dance, ethnomusicology, ethnochoreology, music and dance education and music and dance psychology. You will also have the opportunity to engage with the wider cultural, social and historical context of this island through a number of modules in Irish cultural studies.
To find out more, go to visit The Irish World Academy Music and Dance
Learn more about our courses and upcoming events
What you will study
This degree is designed to develop your performance, academic and vocational skills. To develop your performance skills you will work with resident and visiting tutors who are among the best performers in Ireland and beyond. The main bulk of performance work is solo but there is also a significant amount of ensemble work. You are encouraged to develop second performance skills – making you more versatile as a performer. You will also engage in vocational studies directly relevant to traditional music and dance. For example, you will record CDs and videos, use digital media, write business plans, plan tours and organise performances. You will also engage in academic studies relevant to your performance skills in areas such as traditional music and dance studies, popular music and dance studies, histories of western music and dance, ethnomusicology, ethnochoreology, music and dance education and music and dance psychology. You will also engage with the wider cultural, social and historical context of this island through a number of modules in Irish cultural studies.
The BA Irish Music and Dance is a four-year programme. Six or seven semesters are spent in Limerick; one is spent on the Cooperative Education programme, which provides work experience, and another is spent either in Limerick or off-campus on the Study Abroad programme.
Music and Dance Joint Honours Pathway
Modules are subject to change
| Year 1 | Semester 1 | Semester 2 | |
| MU4001 |
Critical Encounters with Irish Music and Dance |
MU4012 |
Critical Encounters with Western Arts Music and Dance |
| Year 2 | Semester 3 | Semester 4 | |
| Students select 2: | Cooperative Education Work Placement | ||
| MD4081 |
Irish Music and Dance Studies |
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| MD4113 |
Performing Arts Technology |
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| MU4011 |
Critical Encounters with World Music and Dance |
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| Year 3 | Semester 5 | Semester 6 | |
| Erasmus/Exchange placement with a partner institution abroad | MU4013 |
Research Skills: Ethnomusicology/ Ethnomusicology/ Ethnochoreolgy/ Arts Practice |
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| Students select 1: | |||
| MD4034 |
Contextualising and vocational Studies 3 |
||
| MD4114 |
Critical Encounters with Global Pop |
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| Year 4 | Semester 7 | Semester 8 | |
| MU4007 |
Professional Skills for the Performing Artist |
MD4093 |
Classical Music Studies |
| MU4033 |
World Music and Dance Survey 1 |
MU4106 |
Arts and Health |
Entry requirements
| Additional considerations |
Applicants are required to hold at the time of enrolment the established Leaving Certificate (or an approved equivalent) with a minimum of six subjects which must include: Two H5 (Higher level) grades and Four O6 (Ordinary level) grades or four H7 (Higher Level) grades. Subjects must include Mathematics, Irish or another language, and English. Note: Grade F6 in Foundation Mathematics also satisfies the minimum entry requirements. Foundation mathematics is not reckonable for scoring purposes. In addition, students wishing to study a Language must hold a minimum H4 grade in that language, with the exception of beginners German or beginners Spanish where a H4 grade in a language other than English is required. Specialist requirement in Mathematics also for those studying Economics or Mathematics. For certain subjects, additional special qualifications specific to individual subjects or disciplines may be determined by the respective departments in accordance with Academic Council regulations. Applications are especially welcome from Mature Students. Mature applicants must apply through the Central applications Office (CAO) by 1 February. QQI Entry Certain QQI Awards are acceptable in fulfilling admission requirements for this programme. go to the UL Admissions QQI page for a full list of modules. |
|---|---|
| Non-EU Entry Requirements |
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How to apply
| Where are you applying from? | How to Apply |
|---|---|
| Ireland | Irish students must apply to UL via the CAO. |
| The UK | Students who have completed their A-Levels can apply to UL via the CAO. More information can be found on the Academic Registry website. |
| The EU | EU Students can apply to UL via the CAO. More information can be found on the Academic Registry website. |
| Non-EU country | If you are outside of the EU, you can apply for this subject through the Bachelor of Arts degree. |
Fees and funding
Student course fees are broken into three components - Student contribution, Student Levy and Tuition Fees.
A number of illustrative examples of fees for this course based on the current fee levels have been set out in the tables below.
An explanation of the components, how to determine status and the criteria involved is provided below the examples as is a list of possible scholarships and funding available.
EU Students with Free fees status in receipt of a SUSI grant
| HEA pays | Tuition Fees | €2,558 |
| SUSI pays | Student contribution | €3,000 |
| Student pays | Student Levy | €100 |
| €5,658 |
EU Students with Free fees status not in receipt of a grant
| HEA pays | Tuition Fees | €2,558 |
| Student pays | Student contribution | €3,000 |
| Student pays | Student Levy | €100 |
| €5,658 |
Students with EU fee status not in receipt of a grant
| Student pays | Tuition Fees | €2,558 |
| Student pays | Student contribution | €3,000 |
| Student pays | Student Levy | €100 |
| €5,658 |
Non-EU Students
| Student pays | Tuition Fees | €15,262 |
| Student pays | Student Levy | €100 |
| €15,362 |
Student course fees are comprised of the following components:
Student Contribution
Annual charge set by the government for all full-time third level students. All students are liable unless they have been approved for a grant by Student Universal Support Ireland (SUSI). Please refer to https://www.studentfinance.ie to determine your eligibility for a grant and for instructions on how to apply. The current student contribution is set at €3000.
Student Levy
All students are liable to pay the Student Levy of €100. Please note the Student Levy is not covered by the SUSI Grant.
Tuition Fees
These are based on Residency, Citizenship, Course requirements.
Review the three groups of criteria to determine your fee status as follows
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Residency
- You must have been living in an EU/EEA member state or Switzerland for at least 3 of the 5 years before starting your course
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Citizenship
- You must be a citizen of an EU/EEA member state or Switzerland or have official refugee status
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Course Requirements
(all must be met)
- You must be a first time full-time undergraduate (Exceptions are provided for students who hold a Level 6 or Level 7 qualification and are progressing to a Level 8 course in the same general area of study).
- You must be undertaking a full-time undergraduate course of at least 2 year’s duration
- You cannot be undertaking a repeat year of study at the same level unless evidence of exceptional circumstances eg serious illness is provided (in which case this condition may be waived)
Depending on how you meet these criteria your status will be one of the following -
- Free Fee Status: You satisfy all three categories (1, 2 and 3) and therefore are eligible for the Higher Education Authority’s Free Fees scheme.
- EU Fee Status: You satisfy both the citizenship and residency criteria but fail to satisfy the course requirements and are liable to EU fees.
- Non EU Fee Status: You do not meet either the citizenship or residency criteria and are therefore liable to Non EU fees.
More information about fees can be found on the Finance website
These scholarships are available for all courses
| Title | Award | Scholarships Available |
|---|---|---|
| All Ireland Scholarships - sponsored by J.P. McManus | €6,750 | 125 |
| Brad Duffy Access Scholarship | €5,000 for one year | 1 |
| Bursary for my Future Scholarship | €2,750 one off payment | 4 |
| Cooperative Education Award | 1 medal per faculty | |
| Elaine Fagan Scholarship | €1,500 | |
| Financial Aid Fund | ||
| Hegarty Family Access Scholarships | €5,000 for one year | 2 |
| Higher Education Grants & VEC Grants | ||
| Paddy Dooley Rowing Scholarship | €2,500 | |
| Plassey Campus Centre Scholarship Programme | ||
| Provincial GAA Bursaries Scheme | €750 | |
| Stuart Mangan Scholarship | ||
| The Michael Hillery and Jacinta O’Brien Athletics Scholarship | Various benefits equating to over €7,000 in value | |
| UL Sports Scholarships | Varies depending on level of Scholarship | Multiple |
Your future career
This subject is designed to produce graduates with a broad range of skills that can be employed in a number of professional contexts. Great emphasis is also placed on the development of transferable vocational skills, enabling you to access a diverse range of less obvious career pathways.
Follow on study:
- Master of Arts in Irish Music Studies
- Master of Arts in Irish Dance Studies
- Master of Arts in Ethnomusicology
- Master of Arts Music Therapy
Student Profile
Sarah Fox
My name is Sarah and I have just completed second year at the University of Limerick, studying Irish and Music as part of a four year Bachelor of Arts (Honours) Degree programme. A key piece of advice received in secondary school was to “study something you like doing” and that for me was always going to involve music in some shape or form. The BA Degree at UL provided the ideal opportunity to fulfil the musical half of my dream.
The programme is very flexible, for instance this year I was given the opportunity to take on some extra music modules, required to possibly pursue a career as a teacher somewhere down the line. These extra modules involved elements of performance and composition and were delivered by the very best of tutors.
I have found the UL music faculty to be very approachable and are always available to encourage and support their students. The support extends beyond the core academic content and I have benefitted, on more than one occasion, from focussed technical performance advice.
The Academy encourages Irish traditional music sessions and I have got great enjoyment from getting to know and playing with many other young musicians over the past year, all realised while carefully observing the restrictions imposed because of the pandemic.
It was a good decision to study Music at UL and I look forward with a keen sense of anticipation to the next two years and
beyond.
