Welsh and Celtic Studies (MA)
- Duration: 2 years
- Mode: Part time
This course is under review
We're working to update and improve the content of our courses to ensure the best education and career outcomes. The information below reflects the current curriculum and is subject to change. You can still apply now. We'll update this page and contact all offer holders when the review is complete to confirm any changes.
Open day
Find out more about studying here as a postgraduate at our next Open Day.
Why study this course
This programme offers the opportunity to explore a wide-ranging and stimulating subject area. Taught through the medium of Welsh and/or English, the programme is tailored to your own needs and interests.
International application
Develop an understanding of minority-language cultural and linguistic issues that can be related to other international contexts.
Expert-led
Work with leading, and research-active, experts in Welsh and Celtic literature, culture and language.
Professional experience
Benefit from opportunities and training which will develop your professional profile and your employability skills.
Flexible study
Choose to study through the medium of Welsh, English or bilingually, and tailor the programme to your interests.
Our MA Welsh and Celtic Studies programme allows you to investigate and explore the relationship between literature, language, culture and identity across the centuries – from medieval literature to contemporary fields such as language planning and policy.
This is an open and flexible programme, which enables you to tailor its content around your interests and the wide-ranging and diverse research specialisms of our staff.
Under the supervision of renowned experts in their fields, you will become part of a dynamic, challenging and transformative research and scholarship community. One of our main strengths is the impact and influence of our research on the world around us – politically, linguistically, culturally and socially. We have broken new ground in a range of different subject areas, and these advances inform our MA programme.
Choosing to study with us is an opportunity to engage with diverse and highly-relevant topics concerned with Welsh and other languages, such as:
- Welsh literature and literary criticism
- Creative writing
- Children’s literature
- Sociolinguistics
- Language acquisition
- Dialectology
- Language planning and policy
- Translation theory and methodology.
Recent MA students have undertaken original and penetrating research in several notable fields, including: linguistic landscape mapping; creative literary critcism; intertextual research and Welsh medieval literature; and digital technologies and minority languages.
You can study this programme through the medium of Welsh or English; or a combination of both.
I started as a first year BA student in the School of Welsh in 2012, and five years later, i’m still here studying for my doctorate. During my BA course, I gained experience in researching and learning about many different areas that related to Welsh language, culture and literature, and I gained an increasing interest in literature. After finishing my undergraduate course, I was keen to develop my interest by following an MA course. It was an amazing experience to work with the School’s tutors, and I began to concentrate mainly on researching Children’s Literature in Welsh. To anyone that has an interest, apply to start your career as a student in the School of Welsh, I’m hoping you’ll enjoy it much as I did.
We're committed to delivering programmes that are innovative and relevant, providing the best learning outcomes and career prospects for our students. In light of this, we're currently reviewing some elements of this programme. As such, the details shown are subject to change and indicative only. You can still apply now. We'll update this page and contact all offer holders when the review is complete to confirm any changes.
Where you'll study
School of Welsh
We are committed to the development of language, society and identity in contemporary Wales through teaching and research of the highest standard.
Admissions criteria
In order to be considered for an offer for this programme you will need to meet all of the entry requirements. Your application will not be progressed if the information and evidence listed is not provided.
With your online application you will need to provide:
- A copy of your degree certificate and transcripts which show you have achieved a 2:1 honours degree in a relevant subject area such as Archaeology, Celtic Studies, Geography, History, Languages, Linguistics, Sociolinguistics, Sociology, Welsh, or Welsh Creative Writing, or an equivalent international degree. If your degree certificate or result is pending, please upload any interim transcripts or provisional certificates. Applications from those with 2:2 are considered on a case-by-case basis.
- One reference which demonstrates your suitability for the programme. Ideally this should be obtained before you apply and will be required before we are able to make a decision on your application. The reference should be signed, dated and less than six months old at the time you submit your application.
- A personal statement which does not exceed 500 words. Your personal statement should detail your research interests and commitment to Welsh and Celtic Studies. Our modules offer two main learning pathways broadly related to 'Sociolinguistics' and 'Literary and Cultural Studies'. Please indicate which pathway you would wish to follow, and your specific interests within that pathway (e.g. Sociolinguistics: language acquisition, bilingualism, language policy and planning, dialectology; Literature and Culture: medieval literature and culture, modern literature, creative writing, literary theory, children's literature, life writing).
- A copy of your IELTS certificate with an overall score of 6.5 with 5.5 in all subskills, or evidence of an accepted equivalent. Please include the date of your expected test if this qualification is pending. If you have alternative acceptable evidence, such as an undergraduate degree studied in the UK, please supply this in place of an IELTS.
If you do not have a degree in a relevant area, your application may be considered on the basis of your professional experience. Please provide additional evidence to support your application such as signed and dated employer references.
Application Deadline
We allocate places on a first-come, first-served basis, so we recommend you apply as early as possible. Applications normally close at the end of August but may close sooner if all places are filled.
Selection process
We will review your application and if you meet the entry requirements, we will contact you to discuss your application and the course in more detail. This is due to the flexible nature of this programme, which is tailored to reflect your research interests and our staff expertise. Any offers are made subject to pre-agreement of module selection and intended research pathway.
Find out more about English language requirements.
Applicants who require a Student visa to study in the UK must present an acceptable English language qualification in order to meet UKVI (UK Visas and Immigration) requirements.
Criminal convictions
You are not required to complete a DBS (Disclosure Barring Service) check or provide a Certificate of Good Conduct to study this course.
If you are currently subject to any licence condition or monitoring restriction that could affect your ability to successfully complete your studies, you will be required to disclose your criminal record. Conditions include, but are not limited to:
- access to computers or devices that can store images
- use of internet and communication tools/devices
- curfews
- freedom of movement, including the ability to travel to outside of the UK or to undertake a placement/studies outside of Cardiff University
- contact with people related to Cardiff University.
Course structure
This part-time MA programme is taught over a period of 24-30 months.
As a part-time student you will be expected to attend approx. 2-4 hrs of teaching sessions a week during term time over a minimum period of two years.
The modules shown are an example of the typical curriculum. Final modules will be published one month ahead of your programme starting.
Year one
The core module on Academic and Professional Research (40 credits) will provide an introduction and analysis of the key attributes of contemporary scholarship (research methods, ethics, communication, information and digital literacy).
| Module title | Module code | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Ymchwilio Academaidd a Phroffesiynol - Academic and Professional Research | CYD405 | 40 credits |
Year two
The two subjects of your choice related to Welsh and Celtic Studies will allow you to apply those attributes in relation to specific areas of research within Welsh and Celtic Studies. You will work with leading scholars to explore your chosen field and will present your findings in traditional essays, creative writing portfolios, seminar papers and reflective reports as appropriate.
You may also begin work on your Extended Project.
| Module title | Module code | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Prosiect Estynedig - Extended Project | CYD408 | 60 credits |
| Module title | Module code | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Archwilio Astudiaethau Cymreig a Cheltaidd - Exploring Welsh and Celtic Studies | CYD406 | 40 credits |
| Pwnc Arbenigol - Specialist Subject | CYD407 | 40 credits |
Year three
The pinnacle of the course will be the Extended Research Project (60 credits) where you will, under the supervision of a member of staff, formulate and explore original research questions that will allow you to produce an insightful and rigorous dissertation or project (up to 12,000 words) that will enhance contemporary scholarship on Welsh and Celtic Studies.
The University is committed to providing a wide range of module options where possible, but please be aware that whilst every effort is made to offer choice this may be limited in certain circumstances. This is due to the fact that some modules have limited numbers of places available, which are allocated on a first-come, first-served basis, while others have minimum student numbers required before they will run, to ensure that an appropriate quality of education can be delivered; some modules require students to have already taken particular subjects, and others are core or required on the programme you are taking. Modules may also be limited due to timetable clashes, and although the University works to minimise disruption to choice, we advise you to seek advice from the relevant School on the module choices available.
Learning and assessment
How will I be taught?
This MA degree uses many different methods of teaching and learning. During your degree you will attend lectures, seminars and workshops, complete practical tasks, undertake employability training and engage with workplaces, and complete extended pieces of independent work under your tutor’s supervision.
The learning sessions will be interactive and practical and you are therefore expected to attend every class (be they workshops, seminars, tutorials, lectures or other sessions). In some cases, for example maternity or disability, we may make alternative arrangements for you.
Resources and Facilities
You will work closely with academic researchers within the School who will share their expertise and knowledge through small-group teaching. Furthermore, Cardiff University library has a specific collection of printed and manuscript materials relating to many aspects of Welsh and Celtic Studies in its Salisbury Collection.
Cardiff, as capital city of Wales, has important museums and archives that welcome researchers from the School, such as National Museum Wales and Glamorgan Archives. Our staff have also produced pioneering digital archives that will be of benefit to you, such as the Ann Griffiths Archive and Ballads websites.
The research interests and expertise of our academic staff span many fields related to Welsh and Celtic studies, in both the medieval and modern period. Staff research particularly focuses on fields related to language policy and planning, language acquisition, sociolinguistics, sociology of the Irish language, performance theory, tales of the Mabinogion, theory and methodology related to translation, textual criticism, Welsh poetry of the Middle Ages, historiography and literature, ethnology and folk studies, creative writing, the Welsh colony in Patagonia and the Welsh in America, the ballad and the folk song, children’s literature, gender studies, literary theory and criticism, identity, ethnicity and multiculturalism. Great emphasis is set on placing all of our academic research within a comparative international context.
A full list of staff profiles can be found on the Academic Staff pages of our website.
How will I be assessed?
This MA programme is innovative in its use of a variety of methods of assessment. As well as developing essential research and essay/dissertation-writing skills, you will give a 15 minute seminar presentation on an area of your research, undertake a period of work placement (and produce a reflective report of the experience in the context of your academic and professional skills and career plans), and form a detailed research proposal (for the extended research project).
The main assessment periods will be at the end of the Autumn Semester (January) and the end of the Spring Semester (April/May).
In Part 1, you will follow three core modules and complete the following assessments:
Academic and Professional Research (40 credits) - seminar paper presentation, work experience report and research project outline
Special Subject 1 (a subject of your choice related to Welsh and Celtic Studies) (40 credits) - critical review (2,000 words) + essay (6,000 words)
Special Subject 2 (a subject of your choice related to Welsh and Celtic Studies) (40 credits) - essay (8,000 words)
In Part 2, you will work on an extended research project (60 credits) and complete a dissertation (12,000 words). This dissertation can take the form of an essay, project or creative portfolio.
How will I be supported?
We are committed to supporting you throughout your studies. You will have a personal tutor and you may turn to him/her throughout your study period to discuss academic issues and to receive guidance and information about a range of other issues. Module leaders will also be on hand to offer subject-specific advice.
As necessary, teaching staff will put material relevant to the modules on Cardiff University’s virtual learning environment (Learning Central).
You should develop a professional attitude towards your work, including attending personal tutor sessions, checking your email messages regularly and replying to them as needed, being punctual whilst attending classes, and informing us when you are absent. We are committed to supporting you throughout your studies, so should anything be worrying you remember to let us know. We will respect privacy on every occasion.
Cardiff University also has a range of central services to support you, including the Careers Service, the Counselling Service, the Disability and Dyslexia Service, the Student Support Service, and excellent library and resource centres. If your oral and/or written Welsh is not fluent you will be able to take advantage of our provision for learning and improving Welsh.
Feedback
Small-group and individual tutoring on this MA programme will allow you to benefit from regular informal and formal opportunities for feedback on your work. Constructive feedback given on formative tasks set during the semester will allow you to become familiar with the marking criteria and expected standards before submitting work to be formally assessed. These formative tasks may be oral presentations in seminars, drafts of essays, short written pieces or computer tasks.
You will receive prompt feedback on all your assessments which may be given orally, in writing or electronically. Feedback will always include specific comments on the work submitted and suggestions for improvement.
What skills will I practise and develop?
This degree programme will enable you to:
- Show, on a high level, knowledge and understanding in fields related to Welsh and Celtic Studies.
- Appreciate scholarly criticism as an essential element for intellectual research.
- Communicate coherent and intelligent arguments related to Welsh and Celtic studies in seminars and in written assignments.
- Engage with a wide range of bibliographical, manuscript, archival and electronic sources.
- Write and present work of a high standard in an appropriate style.
- Use information technology to enhance your research.
- Produce research following recognised academic and professional practices.
- Show the necessary skills for further research (such as a PhD) and for positions in a wide range of contexts by developing transferrable skills, including the ability to communicate both orally and in writing, to practise information technology skills, to come to reasonable conclusions in complex and uncertain situations, to question and analyse practices and opinions, to adapt to changes, and to react positively to further training and life-long learning.
Originally from New York, my interest in Welsh literature from the Middle Ages was behind my decision to take the MA Welsh and Celtic Studies at the School of Welsh, Cardiff University. The University’s facilities and the School staff have contributed significantly to what I believe is the most valuable academic experience of my life.
Tuition fees for 2025 entry
Your tuition fees and how you pay them will depend on your fee status. Your fee status could be home, island or overseas.
Learn how we decide your fee status
Fees for home status
| Year | Tuition fee | Deposit |
|---|---|---|
| Year one | £4,725 | None |
| Year two | £4,725 | None |
Students from the EU, EEA and Switzerland
If you are an EU, EEA or Swiss national, your tuition fees for 2025/26 be in line with the overseas fees for international students, unless you qualify for home fee status. UKCISA have provided information about Brexit and tuition fees.
Fees for island status
Learn more about the postgraduate fees for students from the Channel Islands or the Isle of Man.
Fees for overseas status
| Year | Tuition fee | Deposit |
|---|---|---|
| Year one | £11,850 | £2,500 |
| Year two | £11,850 | None |
More information about tuition fees and deposits, including for part-time and continuing students.
Financial support
Financial support may be available to individuals who meet certain criteria. For more information visit our funding section. Please note that these sources of financial support are limited and therefore not everyone who meets the criteria are guaranteed to receive the support.
Additional costs
Will I need any specific equipment to study this course/programme?
No
Living costs
We’re based in one of the UK’s most affordable cities. Find out more about living costs in Cardiff.
Funding
Careers and placements
This degree offers academic training of the highest standard in Welsh and Celtic Studies to those interested in a career in language, planning, media, heritage, government, management, public relations, marketing, the creative industries, education and research.
You will develop knowledge and skills regarded as assets in a wide variety of posts and undertake employability training and engage with workplaces as part of the module Academic and Professional Skills.
Placements
Work experience is a core requirement of the MA programme, forming a part of the Academic and Professional Research module. A five-day placement will allow you to explore how your academic and personal skills relate to the requirements of a professional workplace in an area related to your research. You will write a report to evaluate and reflect on your experience. Previous MA students have undertaken placements with organisations such as the National Assembly of Wales, Glamorgan Archives, translation services, media companies and schools.
While studying translation this year, we have been afforded a number of opportunities to gain practical experience and been able to engage with a range of invited speakers, which has enhanced my personal profile and experience.The School of Welsh has a very good relationship with the University’s translation unit, and I have been fortunate to work there part-time while studying. I’m grateful to Professor Sioned Davies for arranging this. This experience has enabled me to put the theories explored in the classroom into practice. I have had a number of opportunities which proved valuable when I applied for the role at Cyfieithu Clir and the School has been very supportive helping me with my CV and application forms.
Fieldwork
The research-led teaching on the MA offers you the chance to develop fieldwork skills, where applicable. We provide training in data collection, interpretation and research ethics.
Studying in Welsh
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HESA Data: Copyright Higher Education Statistics Agency Limited 2021. The Higher Education Statistics Agency Limited cannot accept responsibility for any inferences or conclusions derived by third parties from its data. Data is from the latest Graduate Outcomes Survey 2019/20, published by HESA in June 2022.
