Magee College

University of Ulster—Magee Campus

Magee College
File:University of Ulster.png
Established	1865
Chancellor	Sir Richard Nichols
Vice-Chancellor	Prof Richard Barnett
Address	Northland Road Londonderry BT48 7JL , Derry , Northern Ireland
Affiliations	EUA, UI
Website	http://www.ulster.ac.uk/campus/magee/
File:Universityofulsterlogo modern.PNG

The University of Ulster—Magee Campus, informally known as Magee College, is a higher education institution in Derry, Northern Ireland. It was founded in 1865 as a presbyterian Christian arts and theological college. Today, it has no religious affiliation and conducts a broad range of liberal arts education and research.

Academic studies

Magee offers undergraduate degrees and postgraduate studies in a range of subjects, notably business studies, drama, education, informatics, modern languages, music, nursing, psychology, and social sciences.

It has gained a particular emphasis on teaching and research related to the local cultures. It is home of the Academy for Irish Cultural Heritages (AICH) which studies cultures in Ireland and Scotland. It also houses the Institute of Ulster Scots Studies, founded in 2001, that focuses on that particular culture and language.

History

Magee College gained its name from Martha Magee, the widow of a presbyterian minister, who, in 1845, bequeathed £20,000 to the Presbyterian Church in Ireland to found a college for theology and the arts. It opened in 1865 primarily as a theological college, but accepted students from all denominations to study a variety of subjects. It was a college of the Royal University of Ireland from 1880 and later became associated with the Trinity College, Dublin when the Royal University was dissolved in 1909 and replaced by the National University of Ireland.. In 1953 Magee Theological College separated from the remainder of the college, eventually moving to Belfast in a 1978 merger that formed Union Theological College. Also in 1953, Magee College broke its links with Dublin and became Magee University College; it was hoped that this university college would become Northern Ireland's second university after Queen's University of Belfast. However this did not happen and instead it was incorporated into the New University of Ulster in 1969.

Timeline

• 1845 — Foundation endowment from Martha Magee.
• 1865 — Magee College opened.
• 1880 — Magee College joined the new Royal University of Ireland.
• 1909 — Royal University dissolved.Government funding greatly reduced. Magee College became an autonomous university college, with students completing their degrees at Trinity College, Dublin.
• 1953 — Magee University College received major government grant funding for the first time.
• 1969 — Magee University College merged with the New University of Ulster.
• 1978 — Magee Theological College closed, merging with Assembly's College to form Union Theological College in Belfast.
• 1984 — New University merged with Ulster Polytechnic, Jordanstown, to form the University of Ulster.

Notable alumni

• Brian Keenan (hostage), c.1985
• Dill Macky, 1873, founder of The Scots College school in Sydney
• Robert Moore (politician), c.1912

Honorary degrees

Some ceremonies have been held at Magee College to confer honorary degrees on notable public figures.

• Bill Clinton, U.S. President, 1995

Trivia

• Florence Nightingale visited Magee College on 31st May, 1867