Spring 2024 Health Professions Program
Standard Application Deadline: December 22, 2023
This Program Is Full!
Program & Location
LIVE YOUR PASSION: Claim the International Advantage
Employers, graduate schools, and advanced professional-training programs seek candidates who can demonstrate global competencies.
Welcome to International Healthcare!
| Are you a Health Professions student with a thirst for adventure, a love for inter-professional learning, and a passion for global heathcare? If so, the Waters College of Health Professions has a couple of exciting Spring 2024 opportunities for you! Undergraduates: Welcome to the three-credit-hour course, Population Health Sciences (HSCP 3750). Advanced-degree candidates: Welcome to the three-credit-hour course, Directed Individual Study (KINS 7899). Taught by Dr. McKinley Thomas, the courses run from Monday, March 4, 2024, through Friday, April 26, 2024. |
| Study in Beautiful, Historic Wexford in Southeast Ireland! ☘️ |
| In each course, the content is delivered asynchronously online, except for Saturday, March 30, 2024, through Sunday, April 14, 2024. During those two weeks, we’re in person, based on Georgia Southern’s European Campus in Wexford Town, the principal urban center in County Wexford, Ireland. The campus’s Learning Center occupies the core of an impressive building from 1812, and it’s just steps away from Wexford Town’s Viking-era historic district. Mr. Don Waters, who, with his wife, Cindy, endowed the College of Health Professions, traces his ancestry to County Wexford, making this resume-enhancing opportunity extra special. |
| Wexford occupies the southeast corner of the Emerald Isle, 100 miles from Dublin, Ireland’s capital city, which is easily accessible by bus (every half hour) and train. Known as the “Sunny Southeast,” the county boasts some of Europe’s most stunning beaches. Other highlights include Hook Tower, the world’s oldest continuously operational lighthouse (pictured immediately below), and a plethora of medieval castles, abbeys, and churches. |
Wexford & America
| America’s War of Independence inspired Ireland’s 1798 Rebellion, whose most intense action occurred in County Wexford. Wexford was the birthplace of Commodore John Barry, founder of the United States Navy. For his part, John F. Kennedy, our 35th President, considered the county his ancestral home and made several visits. |
| In the century between Barry and Kennedy, Frederick Douglass delivered two anti-slavery speeches in Wexford Town. According to an eye-witness, Douglass’s declaration, “I am your brother,” elicited “such a universal shout of approbation” from an audience in the town’s Assembly Room “that the old walls shook.” Douglass loved Ireland, reflecting that his time there defined him “not as a color but as a man.” |
| During prime time for Irish emigration to Savannah (1848-1856) — when the city’s Irish-born population doubled — over 56% of direct arrivals originated in Wexford, making Savannah the most Wexford city in the United States! |
| Wexford’s nickname, the Model County, refers to its historically progressive approach to agriculture, and its Europe-wide reputation for quality produce (strawberries, seafood, artisan cheeses, craft beer, and much more) continues to this day. Farm-to-fork dining, vibrant café and pub cultures, and lively sports and music scenes will create experiences that you’ll remember fondly all your life. |
Our Learning HQ
| In Ireland, we’re based at Georgia Southern’s European Campus in Wexford Town, the principal urban center in County Wexford, Ireland. The campus’s beautifully appointed, WiFi-equipped classroom facility — the Leaning Center (pictured below) — occupies the core of an impressive building from 1812, and it’s just steps away from Wexford Town’s Viking-era historic district. In November 2019 — just before Covid hit — Ireland’s Tánaiste (Deputy Prime Minister) officially opened the Learning Center, which had been established on the basis of a $1 million dollar philanthropic investment, made specifically to benefit Georgia Southern students. |
| The Vikings founded Wexford Town in 800 CE, calling it Veisafjordr, Norse for “inlet of the mudflats.” In Gaeilge, the Irish language, its name is Loch Garman: “the lake of Garman,” a figure from traditional lore. Beginning in the sixteenth century, Ireland’s 32 traditional counties began to emerge, and “County Wexford” was selected to designate the 914-square-mile region that radiates inland from Wexford Town. A Latin term, Menapia, also gets applied to the greater Wexford region. In the Christian tradition, County Wexford is known as the Diocese of Ferns. |
Superior Accommodations
| Our residence in Wexford Town is Talbot Suites, a complex of high-quality, secure-entry apartments about a 12-minute walk from the Learning Center. No more than four people occupy a given apartment, but by far the most common number is three. University System of Georgia regulations state that: (i) only individuals of the same biological gender may share an apartment; and (ii) only program participants may be present in the apartments (i.e., no outside guests are allowed). The program directors are open to roommate requests, and in April 2024 they circulate a form by which to gather such requests. |
| A typical, three-person apartment has two bedrooms, the first containing one bed and the second containing two beds. Each bedroom has its own full bathroom. The bedrooms are allotted on a lottery basis, unless: (i) a student has documented special needs that necessitate a one-bed bedroom; or (ii) two friends request to share a two-bed bedroom. If they so choose, the students occupying a given apartment can rotate between bedrooms over their weeks in Ireland. |
| Please note that Ireland has welcomed large numbers of Ukrainians displaced from their homes, communities, schools, and jobs by Russia’s unprovoked war against their nation. While no refugees reside at Talbot Suites, the influx of displaced persons has caused a one-third reduction in available beds across Ireland. We at Eagle Nation know that using a two-bed bedroom is a small burden given the heartbreaking challenges that our Ukrainian friends continue to face. |
| Each apartment includes a fully equipped kitchen, allowing you to cook for yourself: a great way to save money! In addition, each one features a clothes washer and dryer, a hairdryer, a small safe, a TV in every room, free WiFi, and other amenities. Bed linens and towels are refreshed weekly, a complementary service. While residing at Talbot Suites, you also have free access to the gym and swimming pool at the next-door Talbot Hotel. (Pool users must wear a swimming cap.) |
| Situated on Wexford’s attractive waterfront — the quay (pronounced “key”) — and just steps away from the town’s pedestrianized main street (full of cafés, pubs, restaurants, and boutiques), Talbot Suites receives glowing reviews from Georgia Southern students. Open from 8:00 am through 10:00 pm daily, a major grocery store is a few blocks away. Bring your own canvas or strong-plastic bags. For environmental reasons, most Irish retailers don’t provide so-called T-shirt plastic bags. |
| On out-of-town EFEX (Educational Field Trip) days, our charter-coach picks up and drops off very near Talbot Suites. In other words: Door-to-door service! On regular instructional days, most students walk to the Georgia Southern Learning Center from Talbot Suites, either along Wexford Town’s quay or its main street. Often, when moving between the two venues, students factor in time for a coffee and pastry in a main-street café or for some award-winning ice cream from the Scúp Gelato pop-up store on the quay! In health-conscious Ireland walking is the standard means of enjoying towns and cities; however, one of Wexford Town’s public bus routes stops near Talbot Suites and, soon thereafter, near the Learning Center. More details about housing are available on a dedicated webpage. |
Course Choices & Travel Logistics
LIVE YOUR PASSION: Learn beyond Borders
Benefitting from the expertise of Irish healthcare professionals, we deliver exceptional learning opportunities, many of them outside the classroom.
What & How We Learn
| Both in and beyond Wexford, our courses are distinguished by high-value Educational Field Experiences (EFEXes), such as interfacing with healthcare practitioners, administrators, researchers, and policy-makers. Don’t miss this opportunity to broaden your horizons and enhance your career prospects. |
| To reiterate: The courses begin and end asynchronously online, with the in-person Ireland component lasting two weeks, from Saturday, March 30, 2024, through Sunday, April 14, 2024. Get ready to embark on the journey of a lifetime while advancing your healthcare education in Ireland, the world’s third-safest country and, by far, one of its friendliest. |
| The following four activities will be fundamental to our academic work in Ireland. ——— Investigating the impact of Irish history on health and wellbeing. ——— Exploring regional health concerns and initiatives relative to social determinants, health outcomes, and preventive programming. ——— Comparing international rankings in terms of primary causes of injury and death by level of economic development. ——— Learning about the six priority areas that guide the Healthy Wexford initiative: physical activity; healthy weight; tobacco freedom; sexual health; alcohol- and drug-related harm; and mental health. |
| Below, please find key data. Should you have questions, feel empowered to contact the instructor, Dr. McKinley Thomas: mckinleythomas@georgiasouthern.edu. |
Undergraduate Course
| HSCP 3750 • Population Health Sciences (3 Credit Hours) |
Graduate Course
| KINS 7899 • Directed Individual Study (3 Credit Hours) |
Course-Delivery Schedule
| Asynchronous Online • March 4, 2024 (first day of class) through March 29, 2024 |
| Wexford Campus, Ireland 🇮🇪 • March 30, 2024 (depart from US) through April 14, 2024 (return to US) |
| Asynchronous Online • April 15, 2024 through April 26, 2024 (last day of class) |
Travel Dates
| Outbound Departure from Savannah SAV (to Dublin DUB) • Saturday, March 30, 2024 |
| Return Departure from Dublin DUB (to Savannah SAV) • Sunday, April 14, 2024 |
Flight Details
| The cost of your transatlantic flight is included in the Program Cost. The principal airports are Savannah-Hilton Head International (SAV) and Dublin International (DUB). For anyone wishing to fly independently, details about that option appear in Stage One of the application (further down this webpage). |
| Our confirmed flight itinerary, with American Airlines, is as follows. Please note that times are local, and that the schedule is subject to change. You cannot travel without a valid passport. |
| Flight numbers will appear on your ticket, delivered via email once we’ve received your final payment. |
| Sa-Mar-30-2024 ——— First Outbound Leg • Depart SAV at 10:57 am • Arrive CLT (Charlotte, NC) at 12:21 pm ——— Second Outbound Leg (Overnight Transatlantic): Depart CLT at 4:30 pm • Arrive DUB at 5:11 am (on Su-Mar-31-2024) ——— Note: You must begin the journey in SAV; you can’t begin it in CLT. |
| Su-Apr-14-2024 ——— First Return Leg (Daytime Transatlantic) • Depart DUB at 11:15 am • Arrive CLT at 2:35 pm ——— Second Return Leg • Depart CLT at 4:15 pm • Arrive SAV at 5:33 pm |
Very Important: Your Passport
| No exceptions: You need a valid passport to fly to and enter Ireland. The same applies to flying back to and reentering the United States. If you don’t have — or you need to renew — a passport, apply immediately. If you’re a US citizen, be sure to use the official Department of State website (links below), not some third-part website. Currently, US citizens don’t require a visa to visit and/or study in Ireland, just a passport whose expiration date occurs after the date of return to the US. |
| Holders of foreign passports: If you’re not a US citizen, it’s almost certain that you can still travel to Ireland with us. As soon as possible, let’s start a conversation: Email irish@georgiasouthern.edu, using the subject line “Wexford Campus: Non-US Passport Inquiry.” |
| “The Wexford Campus made me a better thinker and learner. The Irish professionals we worked with were so generous with their time and knowledge.” — Emma Lawson (public health major; 2023 participant) |
Two-Stage Application
LIVE YOUR PASSION: Build a Global Network
When studying Health Sciences in Wexford, we work as a team to identify problems, gather data, craft strategies, and enact solutions — just as in real-world professional situations.
The Process • Generous Financial Help
| Very Generous Funding is Available |
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| We encourage you to apply today. Spaces are limited, and we consider applications in order of submission. We may have to institute a waitlist. Both during and after the application process, we’re happy to answer questions you may have. You can email the Center for Irish Research and Teaching: irish@georgiasouthern.edu. And/or you can email the instructor, Dr. McKinley Thomas: mckinleythomas@georgiasouthern.edu. |
| Stage One: Enter Data into a Secure Form |
| The application is simple, but it configures as two stages. Stage One requires you to complete a super-secure Georgia Southern form, supplying such data as: your full name (as it appears/will appear on your passport); your country of citizenship; your official Georgia Southern email address and Eagle ID number; and more. Stage One involves no payment from you. Once you’ve finished and submitted the Stage One form, an automatically generated receipt-confirmation email will appear in your inbox. |
| Later, you’ll receive an email from Georgia Southern’s Team Wexford (currently using the irish@georgiasouthern.edu address). That message will indicate your provisional acceptance status. Any version of acceptance is, of course, contingent on certain conditions, such as your being elegible to travel according to criteria managed by Georgia Southern’s Office of Global Engagement, your being in good financial standing with Georgia Southern, your honoring the payment scheme, your possessing or applying for a passport, your participating in mandatory orientating sessions, and your signing certain waivers. |
| When your acceptance into the program is agreed, you’ll receive an email introduction to Dr. Whitney Nash, Dean of the Waters College of Health Professions. Dean Nash will congratulate you on your selection, and she will also share good news about financial help! 😀 |
| A Remarkable Financial Gift: $1,480 |
| Thanks to the vision and generosity of two committed Waters College stakeholder-donors — Mr. Don and Ms. Cindy Waters (who endowed the college) — all students formally admitted into the Spring 2024 Ireland Health Professions Program are eligible for a significant financial grant to help with the $2,480 Program Cost. Your out-of-pocket responsibility will be only $1,000, plus Georgia Southern tuition and fees. This fact makes our program the best-value opportunity of its kind in the University System of Georgia. |
| Stage Two: Pay the Balance of the Program Cost |
| Once you have Dean Nash’s official email of welcome, you can embark on Stage Two of the application. Located towards the bottom of this webpage, Stage Two becomes live no later than 12:00 pm on Monday, January 8, 2024 (the opening day of the Spring semester). It requires you to use your Georgia Southern login credentials to enter a service called the Global Portal, managed by our university’s Office of Global Engagement. |
| By means of the fully encrypted Global Portal, we ask that you: (a) make your $1,000 Program Cost payment in two equal ($500) increments; (b) read and electronically sign a few travel waivers; and (c) complete some program-orientation exercises. These matters are mandated by the University System of Georgia. On the Global Portal, you will also formally identify your course. Undergraduates: HSCP 3750, Population Health Sciences. Graduates: KINS 7899, Directed Individual Study. |
| Important: As your course is a Study Abroad one, you do not register yourself for it. Instead, the Office of Global Engagement will create the course and take care of your registration. If you have questions, please inquire with that unit, whose contact details appear at the end of this webpage. |
Program Cost: Payment Schedule
| Deadlines for Making Payments via the Global Portal |
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| To reiterate: You’re responsible for just $1,000 of the $2,480 Program Cost. You pay using the Global Portal. |
| The first Program Cost payment of $500 must be received before 11:50 pm (Eastern US) on Tuesday, January 23, 2024. The payment is non-refundable. |
| The second and final Program Cost payment of $500 must be received before 11:50 pm (Eastern US) on Tuesday, February 20, 2024. The payment is non-refundable. |
Program Cost: Coverage
| What the Program Cost Includes and Excludes |
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| The Program Cost is separate from Georgia Southern University’s tuition and fees; however, not all fees apply to study-abroad courses. Most types of financial aid (e.g., the HOPE scholarship; the Pell grant) may be used to meet your Georgia Southern tuition charges. |
| The Program Cost Includes … |
| ——— Roundtrip transatlantic air travel (Savannah-Dublin outbound; Dublin-Savannah return) with one piece of checked luggage (up to 50 lbs.) each way ——— Lodging (with secure-access entry) at Talbot Suites, Wexford Town, during our time in Ireland ——— Access to a hotel gym and swimming pool while residing at Talbot Suites in Wexford Town ——— Welcome and farewell group meals ——— All official program-related travel within Ireland/Europe, including transportation from the airport on arrival day and to the airport on departure day ——— Fees and other expenses associated with guest lecturers, speakers, and performers ——— Fees and other non-food/drink expenses associated with EFEXes (educational field experiences), including but not limited to admission to museums, parks, and other venues ——— Some Georgia Southern University Wexford merchandise ——— The limited international travel-insurance package required by the University System of Georgia ——— The broad international health-insurance package required by the University System of Georgia |
| The Program Cost Excludes … |
| ——— Georgia Southern tuition and the university’s technology fee • Note: You can apply the HOPE scholarship, the PELL grant, and many other forms of financial aid to your tuition. ——— Academic books and supplies • Note: Your instructors are committed to minimizing these expenses. ——— Food and drink • Note: As lodging in Wexford is in apartments with fully equipped kitchens, you can self-cater using grocery-store purchases (a major cost-saving over dining in restaurants). ——— Incidental and personal expenses ——— Personal travel within or outside Ireland that is in addition to the official travel that the program provides • Note: Students must honor the travel-with-a-buddy requirement. |
| Even before one applies the gift, our Program Cost is significantly lower than that of any comparable program in the University System of Georgia. |
Application: Stage One
| Application: Stage One |
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| As soon as possible, please complete and submit the form that constitutes Stage One of the application. Information on the form answers some common questions that students, parents, and guardians ask. |
| To complete Stage One of the application, engage the button below and carefully fill out the form it contains. Double check the spelling of your first, middle, and last names and the accuracy of your date-of-birth information (content we need to purchase airline tickets). Having submitted the form, you’ll receive an email to confirm that it’s in our system. Most people find the form a useful document; it shares facts and background material with you, even as it gathers necessary data from you. |
Application: Stage Two
| Application: Stage Two |
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| To complete Stage Two of the application, use the “Global Portal Login” button below. As you have to progress from screen to screen, the Global Portal can seem confusing at first. However, you’ll soon get the hang of it! If you need assistance, don’t hesitate to contact either or both of the following senior staff members at the university’s Office of Global Engagement: Ms. Kristin Karam, Director (kkaram@georgiasouthern.edu); Ms. Tina Parker, Administrator (tparker@georgiasouthern.edu). Once you’ve accessed the Global Portal, your pressing task is to pay the program deposit. |
The link below will open the Global Portal’s homepage.
Near the top-left of the homepage, click the Search for Programs button.
NEXT PAGE • Type the word Wexford immediately after the spyglass symbol (below the “Search” prompt). A series of Wexford Campus programs will appear.
NEXT PAGE • Identify the rectangular icon for the Health Professions program offered during Spring 2024 on the Wexford Campus. Click the icon. (The icon may look slightly different than the one pictured here.)
NEXT PAGE • You’ll see a screen with a world map as the background and a “User Login” dialogue box. Select the phrase Log in with Campus ID.
NEXT PAGE • Enter your Georgia Southern credentials (i.e. Username and Password).
NEXT PAGE • Several program-specific tasks and opportunities will appear (e.g., “Pay the First $500 Increment of the Program Cost”; “Sign the Mandatory Covid Waver”). Choose the item you’d like to accomplish. If you need help, send an email to the following two officials at the university’s Office of Global Engagement: Ms. Kristin Karam, Director (kkaram@georgiasouthern.edu); and Ms. Tina Parker, Administrator (tparker@georgiasouthern.edu).
Last updated: 3/25/2024