The College opened its doors recently to welcome prospective students from across Ireland and beyond to the annual “Insight into the Liberal Arts” open event. Around fifty upper-sixth (year 14) students and their parents or guardians visited St Mary’s to hear more about Liberal Arts and where a BA Honours degree in Liberal Arts can lead. This innovative degree combines focused study in one discipline with a broad interdisciplinary curriculum that is the key feature of a Liberal Arts education. It provides students with a breadth of knowledge that comes from learning how the modern world works and also develops the students’ skills to succeed in new and challenging situations. It is designed to promote the growth of the whole person and to encourage the development of positive values, personal integrity and social responsibility.


The event began with an informative presentation by the Programme Co-ordinator, Fr Feidhlimidh Magennis, and Senior Lecturer Jonathan Worley, Director of the College Writing Centre. As well as explaining the nature of a Liberal Arts Degree, they outlined the various elements of the course and gave examples of where the Liberal Arts degree can lead, using the testimony of graduates. St Mary’s graduates have been successful in obtaining places on a wide range of postgraduate study programmes, as well as gaining employment in a varied range of professions: accountancy and finance, business management, teaching and education, youth and community work, human resources (HR), public relations (PR), marketing and events management, sports industry, information technology (IT) and software development, retail management, social work and charitable and not-for-profit organisations.

Following the main presentation, there was a chance for students and their parents or guardians to meet lecturers and to ask questions about the three-year course. Staff from Academic Registry were also available to respond to enquiries regarding applications and entrance requirements. The afternoon closed with a tour of the campus facilities.