Welsh and Music (BA)

Subject areas: Music, Welsh
UCAS code: QW53
Next intake: September 2025
Duration: 3 years
Mode: Full time

Information on open days and visits

How to apply

Why study this course

Your instrument of choice

Realise your full potential through fully-funded instrumental tuition.

Capital connections

Ideally located with links to cultural, political, heritage and media organisations to help you get ahead.

A thriving community

Make connections through the Welsh Students' Union, Welsh-language halls and the new Welsh-language Academy.

Music industry insights

Connect with musicians through composition workshops; performance masterclasses and concert series.

Music business placement

Explore what the music business has to offer with a placement.

The Joint Honours degree in Music and Welsh provides the opportunity to specialise in two university honours subjects.

By combining Welsh and Music, you will gain a wealth of transferable skills and knowledge, opening the doors to a variety of career paths. You may find a joint honours degree both stimulating and rewarding as you observe similarities and differences between the two subjects. Often there are complementary issues and perspectives that link the subjects, be they critical analysis, historical context or recent research.

The Welsh course is relevant to contemporary Wales and delivered by a school noted for its research quality and impact. The course aims to produce graduates with a thorough academic and practical understanding of the Welsh language, its literature and culture, a high level of skill in written and spoken Welsh and well-developed employability and creative skills relevant to modern Wales.

Undergraduate courses in the School of Music are flexible and challenging, allowing you to specialise and develop your own interests while building a thorough grounding in music aesthetics, analysis, composition, ethnomusicology, music history and performance. The location of the school greatly adds to its appeal for music enthusiasts, as Cardiff is a great location for the study of music in the UK: the city has a professional opera company, Welsh National Opera, and a professional symphony orchestra, the BBC National Orchestra of Wales. The School of Music enjoys a fruitful relationship with both organisations that allows, for instance, students to attend dress rehearsals and buy cut-price tickets for concerts.

Subject area: Music

School of Music
Get in touch
+44 (0)29 2087 4392
31 Corbett Road, Cathays, Cardiff, CF10 3EB

Subject area: Welsh

School of Welsh
Get in touch
+44 (0)29 2087 5594
Colum Drive, Cardiff, CF10 3EU

Entry requirements

We accept a combination of A-levels and other qualifications, as well as equivalent international qualifications subject to entry requirements. Typical offers are as follows:

A level

BBB-BCC. Must include Music and Welsh First or Second Language.

Applicants who do not meet the A-level Welsh first or second language requirement, but who have equivalent demonstrable Welsh language skills, will be considered on a case-by-case basis. These skills will be determined via satisfactory completion of a written and oral assessment to confirm eligibility for the programme.

Extended/International Project Qualification: Applicants with grade A in the EPQ/IPQ will typically receive an offer one grade lower than the standard offer. Please note that any subject specific requirements must still be met.

Our grade range covers our standard offer and contextual offer. We carefully consider the circumstances in which you've been studying (your contextual data) upon application. Eligible students will be given an offer that is lower than the standard offer (usually the middle or lower end of the advertised grade range).
Where there is no grade range advertised and/or where there are selection processes in place (like an interview) you may receive additional consideration in the selection process.

Learn about eligible courses and how contextual data is applied.

International Baccalaureate

31-29 overall or 665-655 in 3 HL subjects. Must include grade 6 in HL Music. You must also have a Welsh Language qualification equivalent to grade B at A-level.

Baccalaureate Wales

From September 2023, there will be a new qualification called the Advanced Skills Baccalaureate Wales (level 3). This qualification will replace the Advanced Skills Challenge Certificate (Welsh Baccalaureate). The qualification will continue to be accepted in lieu of one A-Level (at the grades listed above), excluding any specified subjects.

Other essential requirements

You must have or be working towards:
- English language or Welsh language at GCSE grade C/4 or an equivalent (such as A-levels). If you require a Student visa, you must ensure your language qualification complies with UKVI requirements.

We do not accept Critical Thinking, General Studies, Citizenship Studies, or other similar equivalent subjects.
We will accept a combination of BTEC subjects, A-levels, and other qualifications, subject to the course specific grade and subject requirements.

English language requirements

GCSE

Grade C or grade 4 in GCSE English Language.

IELTS (academic)

At least 6.5 overall with a minimum of 5.5 in each subskill.

TOEFL iBT

At least 90 overall with a minimum of 17 for writing, 17 for listening, 18 for reading, and 20 for speaking.

PTE Academic

At least 69 overall with a minimum of 59 in all communicative skills.

Trinity ISE II/III

II: at least two Distinctions and two Merits.
III: at least a Pass in all components.

Other accepted qualifications

Please visit our English Language requirements page for more information on our other accepted language qualifications.

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.

Other qualifications from inside the UK

Qualifications from outside the UK

Please see our admissions policies for more information about the application process.

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	£9,535	None
Year two	£9,535	None
Year three	£9,535	None

The University reserves the right to increase tuition fees in the second and subsequent years of a course as permitted by law or Welsh Government policy. Where applicable we will notify you of any change in tuition fee by the end of June in the academic year before the one in which the fee will increase.

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 undergraduate fees for students from the Channel Islands or the Isle of Man.

Fees for overseas status

Year	Tuition fee	Deposit
Year one	£23,700	None
Year two	£23,700	None
Year three	£23,700	None

Learn more about our tuition fees

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

Course specific equipment

Other than your principal study instrument, you will not need any specific equipment.

Accommodation

We have a range of residences to suit your needs and budget. Find out more on our accommodation pages.

Living costs

We're based in one of the UK's most affordable cities. Find out more about living costs in Cardiff.

Course structure

We are currently working with our students to update and improve the content of this course. The information shown below reflects the current curriculum and is likely to change. The review of the course is expected to be completed by August 2025 and this page will be updated by end of October 2025 to reflect the changes.

This is a three-year full-time degree, consisting of 120 credits a year, equally split between 60 credits in Welsh and 60 credits in Music.

The modules shown are an example of the typical curriculum and will be reviewed prior to the 2025/2026 academic year. The final modules will be published by September 2025.

Year one

You will take 120 credits in all - 60 credits in Welsh and 60 in Music.

The emphasis in year one is on developing key skills (linguistic, analytical, creative and employability) in the fields of language and literature, and all students follow a set number of modules with an appropriate number of contact hours. The School will also provide additional arrangements for second language students to develop and practise their language skills.

For the first-language route the core modules are:

Iaith ac Ystyr [Language and Meaning]
Awdur, Testun a Darllenydd [Author, Text and Reader]
Y Gymraeg yn y Gymru Gyfoes [The Welsh Language in Contemporary Wales]

For the second-language route the core modules are:

Sgiliau Iaith [Language Skills]
Sgiliau Astudio Llenyddiaeth [Studying Literature Skills]
Y Gymraeg Heddiw [The Welsh Language Today]

The first year in Music prepartes you to take advantage of the creative and intellectual benefits of higher education. It offers instruction in analysis, harmony and counterpoint, history of music, composition and practical musicianship. As a BA student you will take a free choice from these subjects, subject to availability.

To complement your academic study, you are actively encouraged to join the University Choir or Orchestra and other ensembles.

Optional modules for year one

Module title	Module code	Credits
Sgiliau Astudio Llenyddiaeth	CY1513	20 credits
Sgiliau Iaith	CY1515	20 credits
Y Gymraeg Heddiw	CY1516	20 credits
Iaith ac Ystyr	CY1600	20 credits
Awdur, Testun a Darllenydd	CY1601	20 credits
Y Gymraeg yn y Gymru Gyfoes	CY1602	20 credits
Composition 1A	MU1113	20 credits
Techniques in Jazz and Popular Music	MU1201	20 credits
Composition 1B	MU1213	20 credits
Elements of Tonal Theory	MU1311	20 credits
Writing About Music	MU1312	20 credits
Music as Culture	MU1320	20 credits
Case Studies in Music History	MU1321	20 credits
Practical Portfolio I	MU1322	20 credits
Practical Musicianship 1	MU1325	20 credits

Year two

You will take 60 credits in Welsh and 60 credits in Music.

In year two Welsh, you will build on the skills and knowledge acquired in year one. The core linguistic elements of the course focus on language skills within both an academic and a vocational context, and include a period of work experience in a workplace in which Welsh is used on a daily basis.

Alongside these core elements, the Welsh course offers optional modules in years two and three in Welsh language, literature and culture, including several with direct relevance to specific fields of employment, such as language planning, scriptwriting and translation.

In Music, courses are more advanced and you will focus on more specialist topics, choosing from four groups: composition and electroacoustic studies, written and practical musicianship, analytical and critical skills, and historical studies.Our year two modules on the Business of Music I/II are designed to help you better understand different branches of the music profession and give an opportunity for a short placement in an area related to music or the arts, either in one block or as a series of regular workplace visits.

Core modules for year two

Module title	Module code	Credits
Yr Iaith ar Waith	CY2205	20 credits

Optional modules for year two

Module title	Module code	Credits
Dafydd ap Gwilym a'i Gyfnod	CY2290	20 credits
Llenyddiaeth Plant	CY2310	20 credits
Theori a Beirniadaeth Lenyddol	CY2330	20 credits
Ysgrifennu Creadigol	CY2360	20 credits
Bywydau Llên	CY2425	20 credits
Tafodieitheg	CY2450	20 credits
Enwau'r Cymry: Lleoedd, Pobl a Pholisi	CY2460	20 credits
Sosioieithyddiaeth	CY2530	20 credits
From Palaces to Proms: A History of Performance Practices (1700-1890)	MU2124	20 credits
The Business of Music 1	MU2141	20 credits
Composition 2A	MU2142	20 credits
Formal Functions in the Classical Tradition	MU2157	20 credits
Orchestration	MU2161	20 credits
Reading Film Sound	MU2181	20 credits
Music in France Since 1900	MU2212	20 credits
Composition 2B	MU2233	20 credits
Studio Techniques 1	MU2235	20 credits
Ethnomusicology 2: Music in Cross-Cultural Perspective	MU2271	20 credits
The Business of Music 2	MU2272	20 credits
Analysing 20th Century Music	MU2291	20 credits
Practical Portfolio 2	MU2301	20 credits
Practical Musicianship 2	MU2361	20 credits

Year three

You will take 60 credits in Welsh and 60 credits in Music.

In Welsh, it is compulsory to choose one of the following modules:

Blas ar Ymchwil [Research Taster]
Ymchwilio Estynedig [Extended Research]

You will have a choice of an essay or project of 5,000 words (20 credits) or 9,000 words (40 credits), to be completed under the direction of a member of staff who is an expert in the relevant field. This may lead to further research or provide an effective showcase for potential employers. You will also choose more optional modules.

In Music, you choose again from the four subject groups, and can pursue one of the three major academic projects: Dissertation, Project in Ethnomusicology, or Project in Music Analysis.

You may complete a short composition portfolio (Composition IV) and/or an ‘open’ recital in front of examiners and an invited audience (Practical Musicianship IV).

Optional modules for year three

Module title	Module code	Credits
Dafydd ap Gwilym a'i Gyfnod	CY3290	20 credits
Llenyddiaeth Plant	CY3310	20 credits
Theori a Beirniadaeth Lenyddol	CY3330	20 credits
Ysgrifennu Creadigol	CY3360	20 credits
Bywydau Llên	CY3425	20 credits
Tafodieitheg	CY3450	20 credits
Enwau'r Cymry: Lleoedd, Pobl a Pholisi	CY3460	20 credits
Sosioieithyddiaeth	CY3530	20 credits
Yr Ystafell Ddosbarth	CY3660	20 credits
Cyfieithu Proffesiynol	CY3705	20 credits
Blas ar Ymchwil	CY3900	20 credits
Ymchwilio Estynedig	CY3905	40 credits
Ensemble	MU3138	20 credits
The Birth of Modernism	MU3165	20 credits
Jazz, Culture and Politics	MU3171	20 credits
Studio Techniques 2	MU3176	20 credits
Beethoven: Style, Form and Culture	MU3217	20 credits
Wagner and Romantic Opera	MU3275	20 credits
Practical Portfolio 3	MU3301	20 credits
Practical Musicianship 3	MU3302	20 credits
Composition 3	MU3353	40 credits
Extended Written Project	MU3359	40 credits

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

The degree is based on a range of core (mandatory) and optional modules. Each module is supported by electronic teaching materials shared via Learning Central, part of the University’s virtual learning environment.

We provide exciting and challenging teaching in order to help you succeed in a competitive environment. Our teaching is informed and led by research, so you will learn about the latest ideas from scholars who are contributing to the development of their specialist subjects.

For Welsh, the teaching is usually delivered through both lectures and seminars which provide you with the opportunity to discuss the subject matter in detail within groups, with all modules being taught through the medium of Welsh. However, there is also an important role to be played by one-on-one tutorials, workshops and language classes (especially for students following the second language route).

Teaching methods on Music modules include lectures, seminars, practicals, one-to-one tutorials, rehearsals and instrumental tuition. You will also undertake independent study and research, with guidance from tutors.

How will I be supported?

As well as having regular feedback from your personal tutor in each course, you will have a reading week each semester for guided study and a chance to catch up on assessed work, reading and revision. These weeks are also used by staff to visit students on their year abroad.

You will have access through the Learning Central website to relevant multimedia material, presentations, lecture handouts, bibliographies, further links, electronic exercises and discussion circles.

The University offers a range of services including the Careers Service, the Counselling Service, the Disability and Dyslexia Service, the Student Support Service, and excellent libraries and resource centres.

Feedback

We’ll provide you with frequent feedback on your work. This comes in a variety of formats including oral feedback during tutorials, personalised feedback on written work, feedback in lectures and seminars, generic written feedback and feedback on tutorial performance.

Coursework will usually be marked by your module tutor and you will be given written feedback on your work. You will also have a feedback class after each assessment. Students will be given general feedback in relation to examinations following the May/June examination period and you will be able to discuss your overall performance with your personal tutor as part of the monitored student self-assessment scheme.

How will I be assessed?

A range of assessment methods are used, including essays, examinations, presentations, portfolios and creative assignments.

Essays and examinations are used not only for assessment purposes but also as a means of developing your capacities to gather, organise, evaluate and deploy relevant information and ideas from a variety of sources in reasoned arguments. Dedicated essay workshops and individual advice enable you to produce your best work, and written feedback on essays feeds forward into future work, enabling you to develop your strengths and address any weaker areas.

The optional final-year dissertation provides you with the opportunity to investigate a specific topic of interest to you in depth and to acquire detailed knowledge about a particular field of study, to use your initiative in the collection and presentation of material and present a clear, cogent argument and draw appropriate conclusions.

What skills will I practise and develop?

As a result of engaging fully with this course, you will acquire and develop a range of valuable skills, both those which are discipline specific and more generic ‘employability skills’. These will allow you to:

grasp complex issues with confidence
ask the right questions of complex texts
have an imaginative appreciation of different views and options and analyse these critically
identify and apply relevant data
develop practical research skills
propose imaginative solutions of your own that are rooted in evidence
communicate clearly, concisely and persuasively in writing and speech
work to deadlines and priorities, managing a range of tasks at the same time
learn from constructive criticism and incorporate its insights
work as part of a team, developing a collaborative approach to problem-solving
use IT programmes and digital media, where appropriate
take responsibility for your own learning programme and professional development

Careers and placements

Career prospects

The degree is especially suited to those seeking a career in teaching or academia, arts, but it can just as effectively lead on to other types of graduate employment or provide the foundation for postgraduate study.

The demand for Welsh speakers means that a degree in Welsh can be highly valuable for jobs and roles that require bilingual speakers. Many of our graduates are now following careers in areas such as law, politics, media, performing arts, administration and education, or engaged in postgraduate study.

Employability skills are embedded in modules at the School of Music so that you will learn both music-specific and academic skills that are transferable to other domains, especially the workplace. The skills developed within a music degree help our students to progress to a wide range of careers, both within and beyond the music profession.

Graduates have gone on to careers with the BBC, Arts Councils, Glyndebourne Opera, English National Opera, universities, Oxford University Press, the National Trust, and London Symphony Orchestra, along with a range of other industrial, commercial, and charitable organisations.

Placements

Year two includes a period of work experience in a workplace in which Welsh is used on a daily basis. This period of work experience is part of a programme of events designed to focus on developing employability and career skills.

Studying in Welsh

Up to 50% of this course is available through the medium of Welsh. Please contact the Admissions tutor for more information.

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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.