Cymraeg/Education
Welsh and Education is a combination with clear practical purpose for anyone intending to contribute to Welsh-medium or bilingual education in Wales, but its scope extends further than that. The study of Welsh develops your linguistic competence and your understanding of Welsh literature and culture, while Education as a discipline examines how learning happens, how educational institutions are organised and how policy shapes what happens in classrooms. Together they develop your ability to communicate effectively in Welsh and to think critically about educational practice, a combination that is genuinely distinctive in the Welsh job market.
At Aberystwyth University this three-year full-time BA allows you to develop your skills and competencies in Welsh, studying Welsh literature alongside the theory and practice of education. You will build your ability to express yourself effectively in Welsh, both in writing and speech, while also engaging with education as an academic field, examining questions about learning, curriculum, assessment and the social contexts of schooling. Aberystwyth's Welsh-medium provision and its location in the heartland of Welsh-speaking Wales give your studies a distinctive cultural context that enriches your engagement with both subjects.
The most direct career path from this combination is into education, and graduates who wish to teach Welsh or teach through the medium of Welsh at primary or secondary level are well prepared to move into teacher training. The degree is also relevant for roles in the wider education sector, including educational administration, youth work, community learning and educational publishing in Welsh. Beyond education, the fluency in Welsh and the communication skills the degree develops are valued across the public and third sectors in Wales, as well as in broadcasting, the arts and cultural organisations.
Postgraduate study in Welsh, education, applied linguistics or TESOL is a natural continuation for those who wish to specialise further.