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Arts Update

College of Arts, Social Sciences and Celtic Studies

March 2026

The College of Arts, Social Sciences and Celtic Studies at the University of Galway offers a wide range of engaging and exciting undergraduate courses. Like all universities, we regularly review our courses. However, any significant changes take many years to plan, approve, and introduce.

Work on our long-term curriculum is under way, but there will be no changes to our undergraduate courses before 2028 at the earliest. This includes our BA (Joint-Honours) degree (GY101) which offers 23 of your favourite subjects from the College of Arts, Social Sciences and Celtic Studies.

We are fully committed to our current courses including our flagship BA (Joint-Honours). Students applying to study with us in September 2026 or 2027 should do so with confidence and we look forward to welcoming you to our campus.

From 2028 onwards, we plan to introduce new and revised Arts courses that respond to evolving student and societal needs. These courses will continue to follow a student centred approach, offering a wide variety of subjects, and integrating academic study with skills development – including AI literacy, personal growth and employability, and offering clearer pathways into both employment and wider academic exploration.

At a glance:

There are no planned changes for GY101 BA (Joint-Honours) that will affect applicants for CAO 2026 and CAO 2027. There may be changes in the medium term (CAO 2028 earliest) but they will not impact applicants for 2026 or 2027 entry.

Even if changes are made to GY101 BA (Joint-Honours) from 2028 onwards, we will always offer courses with a wide range of choices for students who want to explore different subjects and different combinations of subjects. The course code may change, but BA Joint-Honours with lots of choice will always be at the center of what we offer here in Galway.

Students currently enrolled in Arts programmes at University of Galway will continue with their current degree structure. If changes are introduced in 2028 or later, they will only impact new incoming students.

FAQs

Is the BA (Joint-Honours) GY101 being closed?

No. There are no immediate changes to GY101. The College has completed a first phase of curriculum review and will now explore new and innovative courses for future years. There will be no change to existing programmes before 2028 at the earliest, so a student starting in 2026 or 2027 will follow the current degree structure for the full duration of their studies.

Can Leaving Certificate students apply to GY101 Joint Honours programme for 2026 entry?

Yes. The current BA (Joint Honours) GY101 remains completely unchanged and applicants should feel fully confident selecting it as their number one CAO choice as planned. Applicants through the CAO for 2026 and 2027 apply to the current programme with the current subject choices and progression rules.

Should students be concerned about studying Arts in Galway?

No. Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences remain central to the University’s mission and identity. The curriculum review aims to future-proof and strengthen the undergraduate portfolio, not withdraw from Arts education. Students entering in 2026 or 2027 can proceed with confidence knowing that any course changes will only impact new incoming students from 2028 earliest and that existing degrees and curricula will continue as planned.

What happens to current students?

Current students will complete their degrees under the structure in which they enrolled. If additional opportunities (e.g., optional skills modules) become available during their study, we hope to make these available as options to existing students to complement their existing studies.

Why is the College reviewing its Arts provision?

Student and societal preferences and needs are evolving, and we want to ensure our programmes remain engaging, rigorous and relevant.

From 2028 onwards, we plan to introduce new and revised Arts courses that respond to evolving student and societal needs. These courses will continue to follow a student-centred approach, offering a wide variety of subjects, and integrating academic study with skills development – including AI literacy, personal growth and employability, and offering clearer pathways into both employment and wider academic exploration.