My MIC Story

Name: Julie Scally
Programme: Bachelor of Education (MI005)
Year: 2

Tell us a bit about yourself

Hi! My name is Julie. I’m from Cork and I attended Mount Mercy College in Bishopstown before coming to MIC where I’m now studying to become a primary teacher. I’m 20 and I’m now in second year so I have two more years to go until I complete my degree.

Why did you choose MIC?

I chose MIC as I had heard a lot of amazing things from friends in older years attending MIC. The small class sizes appealed to me as it makes it a lot easier to make friends. MIC is very welcoming! There’s a supportive learning environment here, and this greatly impacted my decision in choosing to study at MIC.

Has it been easy to make new friends?

Yes, it has been very easy to make friends. The small class sizes have helped and you’re also mixed with other classes so there's plenty of people to chat to and get to know. You constantly see the same people around the campus, which makes it easier to make friends. I also lived in student accommodation for first year so that really made the process of making friends easier. There was always someone to talk to!

Tell us about your experience here at MIC

Even after a short amount of time in the College, it has had a positive impact on me. I joined MIC Camogie in first year and it was nice to be able to train with the team as I was missing it at home. It also helped in making friends as you share the same interests with a lot of people on the team. Studying here has also helped my confidence. You often have to stand up and teach something in front of those in your class. This is great practice for placement!

What do you love about the B Ed programme and studying at MIC?

My favorite module at the moment is PE. It's like you're in primary school again! You learn to teach PE by doing all the activities and games that the children would be doing. It's also very practical as some weeks you have to teach the rest of the class a PE lesson you would do with the kids. I've only had two weeks experience of placement so far but I know there’s a lot more to come throughout the programme. I was nervous, but you get lots of help and support from the College. I also received a lot of help from the school I went on placement to. That’s one of the great things about MIC, there's always someone there to offer help or support.

What do you love about college life?

I love the social life in college. I love being able to grab a coffee between classes with friends. Nights out are also an important part of college life! I also love the independence that college life brings. A lot of this is down to living away from home and you really get to learn a lot when you’re living away from home. This year I'm living in a house with friends I lived with in student accommodation last year. It's only a ten-minute walk to the College, which is great as you can go home for breaks between classes, which is needed with the busy timetable of lectures and tutorials we have.

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

In my spare time I usually do something with my friends. Sometimes we go for coffee in town, or we might go out for dinner in Bobby Byrnes, or we have movie nights. On a Thursday we go out, usually to Molly’s or Black Rabbit. As it comes closer to exams I’d go to the library or to the RES block to get some work done.

What would you like to do after your graduate?

After I graduate, I’d like to travel. I've always wanted to live in New Zealand so hopefully I'll have the opportunity to work there. I’d also love to do another course or masters in something.

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

My advice is to enjoy your time in MIC. It goes so quickly so enjoy it all!

Name: Eoin Coughlan
Programme: Bachelor of Arts (MI002)
Year: 3

Tell us a bit about yourself

Hi! My name is Eoin and I’m from Limerick city. I’m 20 and in third 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 now I’m currently on 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 4 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 at 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 is 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.