University of Galway

This course introduces students to various aspects of archaeological excavation, commencing with the historical development of such investigations. The course traces the main stages internationally, from the work of antiquarians right through to that of modern archaeologists. The methods involved in modern archaeological excavation are presented. In addition to all of this internationally relevant material, some Irish-specific content is explored. This includes the legal framework governing archaeological excavation in Ireland, a practical account of the licensing system and a taste of how it works.  

This course traces the main developments in the history of psychology and conceptual issues introduced when one studies human behavior. Psychology's origins in philosophy and physiology are discussed and particular attention is paid to the emergence of the autonomous, experimentally-based discipline of psychology in the late 19th century and the rise of schools of psychology in the early 20th century.

This course familiarizes students with the various theoretical aspects, research issues and professional practices which define contemporary forensic psychology. It introduces students to three prominent and interrelated areas of psychology: forensic, abnormal, and clinical psychology.  The course provides students with a systematic framework through which selected major psychological disorders are examined in detail. Students explore contemporary clinical approaches to mental health problems with a particular emphasis on evidence based psychiatric and psychological treatments. At the end of the course, students present their key research findings which have practical relevance to prominent areas of professional forensic psychology, and distinguish between major psychological disorders using internationally recognized diagnostic systems. 

Why study criminology? It deals with one of the major social issues of our time- crime and punishment. The study of criminology introduces students to some key elements and thinkers of the Western intellectual tradition. Philosophers and sociologists have informed the development of various theories on criminology and why people commit crime. Familiarity with such theories and thinkers is an important part of one’s general legal education. The materials for the course are sociological in nature. There are no cases or statutes to be studied or analyzed. However, the criminological theories examined are related back to the Irish criminal justice system to determine the relevance of these theories to crime in Ireland.

A hands-on theater course taught by practicing theatre professionals, emphasizing practical and performance-based skills, which develops those competencies acquired by students in previous years. The course exposes participants to a variety of different theater styles and genres, using classic and modern texts while ensuring that these texts are interrogated in a practical way. The course includes a theatrical production of a play, carefully selected to ensure appropriate distribution of roles, including backstage responsibilities. 

This course examines the body as a concept, idea, and practice within the field of performance studies through the targeted lenses of gender and sexuality studies, queer theory, critical race theory, and disability studies. Students are introduced to historical and contemporary debates regarding the “body” in terms of artistic practices including but not limited to performance and also engage with how the “body” on individual and/or collective levels is created and controlled through law and public policy in diverse social, cultural, and political contexts. 

In the last twenty years the history of capitalism has been one of the most important themes in Global History. In this course, students are introduced to the key debates in this area. Students learn to differentiate capitalism from other kinds of economic organization, engage with the periodization for capitalism, and explore international trade and domestic institutions in the development of the modern economy. The central section of the course is taken up with the debates around consumption, slavery, and empire. Core reading in this section will include the classic Williams thesis, and its development in the literature on the relationship between cotton and chattel slavery in the group around Rockman and Beckert. The penultimate section addresses the history of finance capitalism, looking at the inflationary effects of silver supply from the Americas in the early period, the era of financial experimentation in the 17th and 18th centuries, and the eventual emergence of a recognizable world of international finance around the Gold Standard in the early 19th century. Students conclude with a consideration of Pomeranz's "Great Divergence" between Atlantic and Asian economies.