Celtic Civilisation/English Literature

Celtic civilisation and English literature together make for an intellectually rich and distinctive combination. Celtic civilisation immerses you in the history of the Celtic peoples, the development of their societies, their literature, material culture, art, and religion, from earliest times on the European continent to the present-day British Isles. English literature trains you in the close reading and critical analysis of texts across a long historical arc, equipping you to engage with questions of meaning, form, and cultural context that apply equally to Celtic and English traditions.

At the University of Glasgow, you will study these two subjects in genuine dialogue, rather than simply running them in parallel. You will engage with the medieval literatures of Ireland, Wales, Scotland, and Brittany alongside canonical and less familiar works of English literature, and you will develop skills in working across linguistic and historical difference that relatively few graduates possess. The programme includes a year abroad, which may involve study in a Celtic-speaking region or at an institution with strong expertise in the relevant languages and cultures, deepening your specialist knowledge and broadening your scholarly perspective.

The degree runs over four years full time, with a typical entry tariff of 200 UCAS points. You will develop exceptional skills in textual analysis, cultural history, and extended academic writing, alongside a specialist knowledge of literary traditions that are of growing interest to scholars, heritage organisations, and cultural institutions.

Graduates from this kind of programme go into academia, heritage, museums, archiving, broadcasting, publishing, education, and cultural organisations, as well as professional careers in law, the civil service, and journalism where unusual intellectual breadth is an asset. Further study at postgraduate level in Celtic studies, medieval literature, or related areas is a natural route for those who wish to pursue scholarly or specialist heritage careers.