Celtic and Scottish Literature

Edinburgh is the first UNESCO World City of Literature, a fantastic literary city which many writers have called home. Scotland's capital has a long-established Gaelic community and a lively contemporary cultural scene.

Drawing on Edinburgh's exceptional resources, this joint honours programme gives you the opportunity to study the literatures, languages and cultures of the Celtic world alongside the literature of Scotland in both English and Scots.

Our four-year programme is extremely flexible. During your time with us, you will study a range of subjects, with the option to take courses in other areas of the humanities and social sciences. You will specialise as you progress through your honours years.

When you graduate, you will have the combination of a broad cultural education and specialist knowledge valued by employers worldwide.

Celtic

Study Celtic at the University of Edinburgh and you will learn about extraordinarily rich cultures, from the Middle Ages to the 21st century.

At all levels of study on our four-year programme, we offer courses in the languages, literatures, histories, and cultures of the Celtic world.

You have the option to study Scottish Gaelic and build up to advanced competency in the language.

A choice of pathways through the programme enables you to develop your own interests in particular areas, periods and disciplines of Celtic studies.

Our expertise covers:

• Scottish Gaelic from the late Middle Ages to the present, including language policy and revitalisation

• the medieval literary tradition in Early Irish and Medieval Welsh - the most extensive in the whole of Europe

• the rich oral tradition recorded from the 18th century to the present day

• poetry from the 18th century golden age of Gaelic literature

• 19th and 20th century responses to the rapid social, cultural, and linguistic changes in countries where the Celtic languages are spoken

• the writing, song, and media production emerging from the lively and varied contemporary cultural scene in Gaelic Scotland, Ireland, and Wales

Language study

If you choose to study Scottish Gaelic, it does not matter if you are a complete beginner; we stream our Year 1 classes to suit all levels of prior knowledge or none.

You can also learn a medieval Celtic language at honours level (Years 3 and 4). Both Old Irish and Middle Welsh are available. For this path, you will study Celtic civilisation and literature in Years 1 and 2, with texts presented in English translation.

Scottish Literature

You will study in the oldest department of literature in the UK, one of the longest established in the world.

After gaining the essential skills needed for the critical close reading of poetry, drama and prose in your first year, you will explore the cultural contexts of all major periods of Scottish literature from the late Middle Ages to the present.

At honours level, you will select courses on the basis of your own interests in specific topics, periods or literary genres.

Studying literature with Celtic prepares you to contribute to a society in which an understanding of texts of all kinds is crucially important. It shows an openness to ideas and perspectives other than your own, an essential attribute in many careers and a global marketplace.