Building Shared Narratives in Northern Ireland

Study the legacy of the conflict in Northern Ireland through historical, political, and cultural lenses.

Highlights

• Travel to Ireland and Northern Ireland, examining how borders shape conflict and visiting sites of memory and resistance.
• Meet with peacebuilders, community leaders, and post-conflict generations who are working on initiatives aimed at fostering dialogue and understanding between communities. 
• Visit Queen’s University Belfast and other universities, engaging with faculty and students on post-conflict justice.
• Explore how art and storytelling can acknowledge the past, while building positive futures.

Explore how a region divided by decades of conflict is working to build peace, foster reconciliation, and shape a more inclusive future. This study abroad program takes students to Northern Ireland to examine the historical, political, and social roots of the region’s sectarian conflict—known as The Troubles—and to learn directly from those engaged in the ongoing work of healing and rebuilding.

Through a spring semester course in Rochester and travel to Northern Ireland, students will gain a deep, firsthand understanding of the causes and consequences of the conflict and the long road toward peace. You’ll visit Belfast, Derry/Londonderry, and divided communities—where “peace walls” separate Catholic and Protestant neighborhoods—and hear from individuals and organizations actively working to create shared spaces for positive change.

You’ll meet with local peacebuilders and community organizers to explore how art, storytelling, and public memory contribute to reconciliation. The program also traces the political influences and the border’s role in the conflict by traveling from the Republic of Ireland through Northern Ireland. Along the way, you'll learn how the 1998 Good Friday Agreement laid the foundation for peace after 30 years of sectarian conflict —and how recent events continue to challenge it.

Ideal for students interested in war and peace studies, political science, history, sociology, social justice, and global citizenship, this program equips you to think critically about the complex challenges of recovering from conflict and to better understand the role of individuals and communities in creating sustainable peace.

Course Term: Spring 2026 course, with travel to Northern Ireland in early summer
Travel Dates: May 10-21, 2026
Credits: 3

Course Details:

• HNRS 290 - Conflict to Peace: Building Shared Narratives (3 credits)
  
  Students will take a spring 2026 class in Rochester and will travel to Northern Ireland in early summer. No course pre-reqs. NOTE: You do not need to be in the RIT Honors program to participate.

Course can count as a GE Elective, honors credit, or as a Free Elective. Applicants should discuss how credits will count towards their degree program with their RIT academic advisor.

Program is open to all undergraduate majors (2nd year students and above will be given priority), 2.5 cumulative GPA or above (students with a 3.2 GPA or above will be given priority).

Application deadline: October 19, 2025

Program Cost & Financial Aid

Program Cost: Student budget worksheet - Building Shared Narratives in Northern Ireland spring/summer 2026 - outlines all program costs.

Financial Aid:
Financial aid may cover some program costs. As you review the budget worksheet, please remember that it does not include your RIT financial aid or scholarships, which may cover some of the program costs. The purpose of the budget worksheet is to show all the costs associated with your study abroad program, which will help your RIT Financial Aid Assistant Director determine how your aid and scholarships may be applied. 

To understand how your financial aid and scholarships may apply to your program costs:

• Make an appointment with your financial aid assistant director (call Financial Aid at 585-475-2186) and mention that you are calling for a study abroad appointment
• Upload a copy of your budget worksheet(s) via the Financial Aid upload portal at https://join.rit.edu/register/FA_upload (at least 48 hours prior to your scheduled meeting so they have time to prepare) 
  • Please rename the file name of your budget worksheet before uploading it to the Financial Aid portal based on the instructions provided in the portal (adding your name and student ID)

To find out the name of your financial aid assistant director for your degree program visit: https://www.rit.edu/admissions/aid/contact#counseling-team

We recommend you meet with Financial Aid before the application deadline so you understand how your aid will apply. The RIT financial aid office is located in Bausch and Lomb Center (Bldg. 77), 2nd floor, 2125.

Scholarships:

• RIT Education Abroad Travel Grants ($500-$1,000)
  All students with pending applications in the RIT Study Abroad Compass for this program will be automatically considered for an RIT Education Abroad Travel Grant. You will be informed of your scholarship status shortly after the application deadline. Scholarships are awarded based on financial need, as determined by financial aid and your FAFSA on file.

• Additional Scholarships
  RIT scholarships and national scholarships for study abroad are good options to explore for scholarship funding. Make sure you are checking scholarship eligibility requirements and take note of scholarship deadlines. 

To Apply

1) Start an application in the Compass (RIT's study abroad application system)
Once you login to the Compass you will need to complete some profile/registration questions, then use the “Search Programs” tab to search for “Shared Narratives Ireland” to complete an application.

2) Watch this video, which goes over all important application steps for RIT Faculty-Led Programs

Contact

Marcia Hartwell
Professor of Practice
Individualized Education, School of Individualized Study
mbhksv@rit.edu