Celtic Studies/Scottish Literature

Celtic studies and Scottish literature together offer a distinctive path into some of the oldest and richest literary and cultural traditions in the British Isles. Celtic studies brings a genuinely comparative perspective to the medieval and modern cultures of the Celtic-speaking peoples, encompassing Irish, Scottish Gaelic, Welsh, Breton, Cornish, and Manx traditions, as well as the languages themselves and the social, religious, and historical contexts in which they developed. Scottish literature complements this with a deep engagement with writing in Scots, English, and Gaelic from the medieval period to the present, exploring how Scottish literary identity has been shaped by history, language, and cultural politics.

At the University of Glasgow, which houses one of the leading centres for Celtic and Scottish studies in the world, you will benefit from research expertise across both fields. The part-time programme allows you to combine language study with a range of courses on medieval and modern Celtic cultures, examining texts, manuscripts, oral traditions, and cultural practices across the Gaelic-speaking world and beyond. Scottish literature will introduce you to major writers, key movements, and the debates about language, nation, and identity that run through Scottish cultural life.

The programme includes a year abroad, giving you the opportunity to experience Celtic-speaking communities or literary cultures in other contexts and to develop your linguistic and cultural understanding in an immersive setting.

Graduates from Celtic studies and Scottish literature programmes work in education, heritage, publishing, libraries and archives, broadcasting, community development, and cultural organisations. The languages and cultural expertise the degree develops are valued in contexts ranging from Gaelic media and arts organisations to academic institutions, heritage bodies, and government departments working on language policy and cultural preservation. Many graduates continue to postgraduate study in Celtic languages and literatures, Scottish studies, or related fields.