Cymraeg And Welsh History

Welsh language and Welsh history together form a combination of profound significance for Wales and for anyone who wishes to understand one of Europe's oldest living languages and the culture and society in which it is embedded. Welsh, known in Welsh as Cymraeg, has been spoken on the island of Britain for at least fifteen hundred years and remains a living community language spoken by more than half a million people in Wales today. Studying it at degree level develops your fluency and your understanding of Welsh literature from the medieval period to the present.

Welsh history situates that cultural inheritance within the political, social, and economic history of Wales, from the early medieval kingdoms through the experience of incorporation into the English state and the industrial revolution to the contemporary devolution settlement.

At Bangor University, located in the heart of Welsh-speaking north Wales, this three-year full-time programme includes a foundation year for those who want to build their Welsh language skills and historical knowledge before the main degree begins, as well as a sandwich year, a year abroad, and work placement opportunities. You will develop fluency in both written and spoken Welsh alongside a rigorous grounding in Welsh historical scholarship. The combination prepares you to engage with primary sources in Welsh, to understand the history of the language as an aspect of Welsh history, and to contribute to the continuation of Welsh language culture in professional and community contexts.

Graduates of Welsh language and Welsh history programmes pursue careers in the Welsh public sector, media, education, heritage, and the arts. The Welsh government, local authorities, S4C and BBC Wales, the National Museum and libraries, and the Welsh language regulator Cymraeg all employ people with expertise in the language and its cultural context. Teaching Welsh in schools and further education is a particularly important route, and there is consistent demand for qualified Welsh language teachers.

Further study at postgraduate level in Welsh studies, Welsh history, Celtic languages, or education is open to those who wish to specialise or pursue research.