Primary Education with Gaelic
Primary education through the medium of Gaelic is both a professional training for teaching and a contribution to the preservation and vitality of one of Scotland's oldest languages. Gaelic-medium education, which delivers the full primary curriculum through Gaelic rather than in English, has grown significantly over recent decades, supported by Scottish Government policy and community commitment to language revitalisation. Teachers who can deliver this education are in genuine demand, and the skills you develop have both professional value and cultural significance.
At the University of Edinburgh, this four-year full-time programme prepares you to teach the full range of the pre-school and primary curriculum for children through the medium of Gaelic, as well as in English. You will develop your own Gaelic language skills alongside your understanding of how children learn, how the primary curriculum is designed and delivered, and how to support learners with different needs and backgrounds. The programme develops your subject knowledge across the breadth of primary education, including literacy, numeracy, sciences, social subjects, arts, and physical education, and it integrates professional placements in schools throughout, giving you direct experience of teaching in Gaelic-medium settings.
The work is both academically rigorous and deeply practical, preparing you to enter the profession as a confident and reflective teacher.
Graduates are qualified to register with the General Teaching Council for Scotland, which is required for teaching in Scottish schools. Gaelic-medium teachers are in particularly strong demand given the limited number who qualify each year, and graduates can expect good employment prospects in primary schools across Scotland. Many go on to develop specialist expertise in language learning, bilingual education, or curriculum development, and postgraduate study in education, Gaelic studies, or applied linguistics is a natural route for those who wish to deepen their expertise.