Gaelic Studies

Programme Structure & Content

Courses are available from first to fourth year. There are Single and Joint Honours degrees and a designated degree in Gaelic Studies. It is possible to combine Gaelic Studies with Celtic Civilisation as a Joint Honours degree.

First & Second Year
Students in Gaelic Studies join one of three Scottish Gaelic language streams: beginners, learners (Higher at ‘B' or above), or native speakers (Higher at ‘Pass' or above). Classes concentrate equally on the four language skills of reading, writing, listening and speaking. In addition, students are given an introduction to Gaelic culture and literature. Native speakers follow a specially tailored course throughout their four years.

Third & Fourth Year (Honours)
Students in third and fourth year have a core of language work, and make their own selection from a range of optional courses which changes from year to year, covering aspects of the literature, culture and history of the Gaelic-speaking community, and sometimes branching out into other Celtic languages. Single Honours students write a dissertation on a specialised topic of their choice, and Joint Honours students may also choose to do so instead of one of their options.

Teaching & Assessment

Teaching is generally in small groups, with an emphasis on seminars and tutorials. Assessment is by a mixture of continuous assessment and oral and written examinations. Students will have around 5 hours of classes per week in first year, rising to around 10 hours per week for Single Honours students in third and fourth year.