Feedback on MA Program at UCC and MPhil at TCD for American Postgraduate Student

TheYank

Hi,

I am an American postgraduate student from Boston who has been accepted into both the MPhil program for Modern Irish History at TCD and the MA program in Migration and Diaspora Studies at UCC for the 2011-2012 academic year. I am really torn between the two programs; the professors at UCC have already been great at responding to queries and providing information about the program in a very timely fashion. I have not felt the same at all about TCD and am still waiting for a reply from an email sent almost a month ago! However, TCD has world-wide recognition and may be more helpful when applying for jobs back in the US.

Does anyone have advice or feedback on either of these programs? For the past 7 years I have worked in the international education field, so I am somewhat familiar with both institutions on a very basic level, and I have lived in Cork on a J1-type scheme and traveled to Dublin quite a bit for work over the years. But I have never been in student in Ireland, so I would love any input! I am looking for an academically rigorous program, but I am also keen to work with professors who are accessible and approachable, with a desire to genuinely help students succeed.

Thanks in advance for any help!