Welsh

Welsh is a living language spoken by over half a million people in Wales, with a literary tradition stretching back over fifteen centuries and a growing presence in education, public life, media, and the arts. Studying Welsh at degree level is not simply about mastering a language but about engaging deeply with a culture, a set of values, and a community of speakers for whom the language is central to identity and everyday life. It raises questions about how minority languages survive and thrive, what it means to live and think through the medium of Welsh in the twenty-first century, and how Welsh culture connects to broader global conversations about multiculturalism and linguistic diversity.

At Swansea University, this three-year full-time pathway is designed for students who come to the degree as first-language Welsh speakers, building on that foundation to develop analytical, critical, and creative engagement with the language, its literature, and its culture. You will study Welsh literature across its historical range and contemporary forms, engage with the social and cultural significance of the language, and develop skills in linguistic analysis and creative writing. The programme takes an innovative approach, encouraging you to look outward from Wales to global connections and to think comparatively about what Welsh offers as a lens on questions of language, culture, and identity.

Graduates of Welsh degrees go on to careers in education, broadcasting, journalism, translation and interpreting, the Welsh-language media sector (including S4C), public administration, and creative writing. Welsh-medium education at all levels offers strong employment prospects, and Welsh-language skills are increasingly valued across the public and cultural sectors in Wales. Many graduates also pursue postgraduate study in Welsh studies, Welsh literature, linguistics, media, or education, developing their expertise for academic or professional roles within Welsh-language and broader cultural contexts.