Cymraeg a Hanes

Cymraeg a Hanes, Welsh and History, is a degree that brings together two disciplines with deep roots in Welsh academic and cultural life. Welsh is the language through which much of Wales's literary, legal, and religious heritage has been transmitted, and studying it opens access to a literary tradition of remarkable longevity and richness, from the earliest medieval poetry to contemporary Welsh-language writing. History, studied alongside Welsh, allows you to understand the social, political, and cultural forces that have shaped Wales over time, and to engage with that history through the language in which much of it was lived and recorded.

This three-year full-time programme at Aberystwyth University is delivered at one of the most important centres for Welsh-language learning and research in the world. Aberystwyth has a long and distinguished history in Welsh studies, and its location in mid-Wales means it sits within a living Welsh-speaking community that gives language study a genuine everyday context. With a typical tariff of 104 points, the programme is accessible to students who are motivated by the subject and the language, not just those with the highest prior attainment.

You will develop your Welsh language skills across speaking, listening, reading, and writing, engage with Welsh literature and culture from the medieval period through to the present, and study history with a focus on Wales and its place within wider British, European, and global contexts. The combination of language and history develops a particular kind of depth: the ability to engage with primary sources in Welsh changes the nature of historical understanding and gives you access to material that is simply not available in English.

Graduates from Welsh and history programmes move into careers in Welsh-language education and media, the Welsh public sector, cultural heritage and archive work, local and national government, journalism, and a range of roles where both Welsh-language capability and historical understanding are valued. Many continue to postgraduate study in Welsh, history, or related fields.