Celtic Studies/Scottish History

Celtic studies combined with Scottish history brings together two disciplines that illuminate the deep roots of the cultures, languages and peoples of the British Isles and the North Atlantic world. Celtic studies encompasses the study of the medieval and modern Celtic languages, including Gaelic, Welsh, Breton and related tongues, alongside the literary, cultural and social history of the Celtic-speaking communities that have shaped the British Isles for two millennia. Scottish history, as a distinct academic discipline, examines the particular political, religious, social and cultural trajectory of Scotland from early medieval times to the present, with its own historiographical traditions and sources.

At the University of Glasgow you will study Celtic studies and Scottish history over four years of full-time study, on a programme that allows you to combine Celtic language learning with a wide range of courses on medieval and modern Celtic cultures alongside rigorous engagement with the Scottish historical record. A year abroad is built into the programme, providing immersive experience that may include study in Gaelic-speaking communities or partner institutions with relevant language and cultural expertise. The typical tariff of 200 reflects the academic demands of a programme that requires linguistic work as well as historical and cultural analysis.

Graduates of this kind of combined programme are well placed for careers in academia, heritage, archives, museums, broadcasting, journalism, community cultural development and the public sector in Scotland and beyond. Work in Gaelic language promotion, cultural policy, historical research and community heritage projects draws directly on the knowledge and skills developed in this degree. Many graduates pursue postgraduate study in Celtic languages, Scottish history, heritage studies or related fields, and the combination of linguistic and historical expertise is genuinely distinctive in a competitive postgraduate and professional environment.