Enya Mellon – BA (Hons) in Interior Architecture and Design

Name: Enya Mellon

From: Tyrone

School: St. Ciaran’s College, Ballygawley, Co. Tyrone

Tell us a little bit about yourself and what led you to choosing your course?

I have always had an interest in art and design based subjects, and I always knew I would like to make a career for myself in this field. When I took my year out after completing my A-Levels, I did some research into courses in the south of Ireland and ATU Sligo’s BA (Hons) in Interior Architecture and Degree degree really caught my attention. So, I applied through the CAO and got accepted and I have never looked back!

As a Northern Irish student was the CAO Application process easy?

The CAO application process was so stress-free compared to the UCAS application process, with no personal statement required. The most difficult part is choosing your order of preference!

What advantages are there for Northern Irish students choosing to study in the Republic of Ireland?

One massive advantage to studying in the Republic of Ireland are the fees. They are so much cheaper than Northern Ireland and the UK, and there are lots of grant options available.

 What advice would you give to a Northern Irish student who is considering applying through the CAO?

I would advise students to take just ten minutes to apply, it was the best thing I decided to do and has opened a world of opportunities for me!

What specifically about the degree do you particularly enjoy?

I really enjoy the variety in my degree, no two days are the same. There are also some great opportunities to travel with this degree. We travelled to Stockholm in February in Year 3 which was amazing. Every year there is a field trip organised to a different European city, it is a wonderful way to see the variety of European architecture and design approaches.

What are your favourite modules on the degree?

My favourite modules on my degree would have to be Design Realisation and Studio because these are where you really learn to bring your ideas to life. It is so exciting to see how you can push boundaries and realise some of your craziest ideas.

What are your plans after ATU Sligo and any long-term goals you are aiming for?

I am entering Year 3 of my studies which is a ‘sandwich year’. We can use this year to do a variety of different things such as an Erasmus+, work placement, another year of study or continue into the final year.

I have plan to complete Semester 1 on work placement at home. For Semester 2, I have been accepted onto the Erasmus+ programme in conjunction with MCAST in Malta, to study there for 13 weeks. This is a brilliant opportunity and one which I would not have had if I had not chosen to study in ATU Sligo.

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