Field School to Ireland - Creative Writing and Theatre

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This field school to Dublin, Ireland will offer students a unique opportunity to bring together theory and practice in a theatre festival environment in one of the most storied literary cities in Europe. Students will receive credit for Creative Writing 3305--Advanced Script Writing and English 3900: Topics in Travel Studies: Words and Ideas (Topic for Spring 2026: Space, Place, and Performance).

Students will spend 11 days in Dublin attending, analyzing, and writing about 6-8 new plays in progress in a dynamic new play festival setting. Students will engage with dramatic literature, Irish theatre history, and performance studies. They will also write, dramaturge, workshop, and perform their own new plays for the stage. Opportunities for cultural learning and enrichment will add to students' learning during this field school, including:

  • visiting historical sites like Dublin Castle, Kilmainham Gaol Museum, and Abbey Theatre
  • viewing The Book of Kells at Trinity College Dublin and touring EPIC The Irish Emigration Museum
  • walking alongside the writerly statues of downtown Dublin; visiting gardens and pub

Courses

Ireland Field School participants will be enrolled in the following 2 courses:

  • CRWT 3305 - Advanced Script Writing (3 credits)
  • ENGL 3900 - Topics in Travel Studies: Words and Ideas (3 credits)

Prerequisites are in place for these courses. To participate in the field school students are expected to have taken the following courses: one of GNED 1401 or GNED 1403 or GNED 1404; and one of ENGL 1151 or ENGL 1152; and one of CRWT 1117 or  CRWT 1118; and 2 other ENGL or CRWT courses at the 2000 level.

Interested students should confirm their ability to use both courses for credits with their academic advisor prior to joining the field school.

Program Dates

May 7 - May 17, 2026

Participants will need to be available for pre-departure classes the week prior to departure.

 

Information Sessions

Please attend a scheduled information session for more information.

Wednesday, April 16, 2025 12:30 - 1:30 pm Online
Monday, September 8, 2025 2:00 - 3:00 pm Room: TBC

 

Additional information sessions may be scheduled for the Fall 2025 semester. Please check back.

If you are unable to attend a scheduled information session, please contact Natalie Meisner or Aida Patient.

 

Application Process

To apply for the Ireland field school, submit the following by the application deadline:

  • Field School Application Form (with all requested supporting documents attached in PDF format);
  • A written statement of intent (max 1 page/250 words) that explains why they want to participate in this field school and what they hope to learn, experience and conceptualize during this program.

Note: The supporting documents outlined above as well as those outlined ion the Field School Application Form itself must all be attached to the application form as PDFs at the time of submission in order for your application to be considered complete.

Before applying for a field school, students should ensure they have familiarized themselves with the general field school requirements and policies.

 

Program Costs

Ireland Studies Field School Program Fees - $3,512.00

The Ireland Field School Program Fees include:

  • Local ground transportation during the field school;
  • Airport Transfers;
  • Accommodation;
  • All course-related excursions, visits, activities;
  • Faculty expenses and MRU administration fees.

Program fees are payable online or in person at the Office of the Registrar (A101), according to the payment deadlines outlined in the following table. Instructions for making the deposits will be provided to successful applicants.

1st deposit* November 13, 2025 $750
2nd deposit January 22, 2026 $1381
3rd deposit March 19, 2026 $1381

*Initial program fee deposit is non-refundable and secures the participant's place in the program. Possibility of refund of subsequent deposits due to withdrawal from the program will be assessed and determined at the time of withdrawal according to the field school refund policy. Program fees do not include course tuition or additional student expenses (see below).

MRU Tuition & General Fees

MRU tuition and fees for CRWT 3305 and ENGL 3900 are in addition to the program fees and will be assessed to each student's account in April, 2026. They are payable to MRU by the spring 2026 fee payment deadline.

Additional Student Expenses

Students are responsible for all additional expenses not included in the program fees such as: return airfare, trip cancellation & interruption insurance, meals & incidentals, Out of Country Travel Heath and Medical Insurance, passport & travel documents, travel essentials, personal spending and emergency funds.

Estimates of additional student costs are available at the Information Sessions and from the instructors or International Education.

Financial Assistance

Ireland field school participants will receive a $1,500 grant from the MRU International Mobility Award to use towards the costs associated with the field school. Further information about this grant, other grants and student loan funding for field schools can be found here.

Contact Information

Aida Patient (apatient@mtroyal.ca)

Natalie Meisner (nmeisner@mtroyal.ca)

Trinda Guillet - International Education (tguillet@mtroyal.ca)