Professor Pól Ó Dochartaigh

"Ancora Imparo"

Creativity, originality and humanity are at the core of the Arts and Humanities. They encompass all the inventiveness of what it is for us to learn and develop both as individuals and as a society. In creating new images, shapes and words, using everything from basic pencil and paper to the newest technologies and software, we excite the minds of ourselves and others and we learn to understand ourselves and others better. Without that understanding we would be primitive animals.

The Arts encourage students to think, to assess complicated and sometimes contradictory evidence, whether in a history or English seminar, a language class, a media or journalism practical, a drama or music tutorial or a creative design group project. The challenge is to be original and creative, to challenge oneself in order to feel a sense of achievement at the end. For with achievement comes the feeling of self-improvement and a readiness to face new situations and new challenges.

The challenges continue even after the studying is over. Whether it be Banking, Administration, Business, Law, the Public Services, Teaching, Journalism, Politics, - it’s always the same story: what employers want are people capable of original thought, analysis, and creativity, people who are able to keep learning and developing. That’s what the Arts and Humanities are about, and that’s what the Faculty of Arts here at Ulster promotes. The door is open to you...

"Ancora Imparo" – "I am still learning", reportedly said by Michelangelo when in his 80s.