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Welsh and Education (BA)

  • Subject areas: Social sciences, Welsh
  • UCAS code: QX53
  • Next intake: September 2024
  • Duration: 3 years
  • Mode: Full time
Welsh students

Why study this course

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A year abroad or on placement

Expand your horizons; gain experience with study abroad options or a professional placement.

academic-school

Organisational connections

Learn from leading institutions through links to police, probation and prisons, as well as government at local and national levels.

people

A thriving community

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

structure

Capital connections

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

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Placement opportunities

Undertake a placement with the help of our dedicated Employability and Placement manager.

Many students find studying a joint honours programme stimulating and rewarding as they are able to observe both similarities and differences between the two subjects. By combining Welsh and education, you will gain a variety of transferable skills and knowledge beneficial for your future.

WELSH

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.

It offers core and optional modules to give you a grounding in language and literature as well as the opportunity to specialise in areas of personal or career interest.

EDUCATION

Our Education teaching is informed by our research in education and the latest developments in policy and practice, encompassing aspects of culture and identity, childhood and youth, gender and ethnicity, and social justice and inclusion.

Core modules are aimed at developing a deep understanding of the social, historical, political, economic and developmental contexts of education – in Wales, the UK and internationally.

As a joint honours student, you will find that often there are complementary issues and perspectives that link subjects, be they critical analysis, historical contexts or recent research.

Both Schools involved in delivering this degree offer a challenging course of modules, supported by a friendly atmosphere and excellent student-staff relations.

NOTE: This joint degree programme is usually available only to those who have studied Welsh as a first language at A-level. If you have not done this but feel your Welsh is of an equivalent standard, email cymraeg@cardiff.ac.uk.

Subject area: Social sciences

  • academic-schoolSchool of Social Sciences
  • icon-chatGet in touch
  • Telephone+44 (0)29 2087 4208
  • MarkerKing Edward VII Avenue, Cardiff, CF10 3WA

Subject area: Welsh

  • academic-schoolSchool of Welsh
  • icon-chatGet in touch
  • Telephone+44 (0)29 2087 5594
  • MarkerColum 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-BBC. Must include grade B in Welsh First Language.

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 at the 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 points in the selection process or be guaranteed interview/consideration.

Learn about eligible courses and how contextual data is applied.

International Baccalaureate

31-30 overall or 665-655 in 3 HL subjects. You must also have a Welsh First 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.

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.

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.

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

BTEC

DM in a BTEC Diploma in Humanities or Social Science subjects and grade B in A-level Welsh First Language.

T level

Acceptance of T Levels for this programme will be considered on a case-by-case basis by the Academic School. Consideration will be given to the T Level grade/subject and grades/subjects achieved at GCSE/Level 2.

Qualifications from outside the UK

See our qualification equivalences guide

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

Tuition fees for 2024 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 £9,000 None
Year two £9,000 None
Year three £9,000 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 2024/25 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 £22,950 None
Year two £22,950 None
Year three £22,950 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

You should be prepared to invest in some key text books and to cover the costs of basic printing and photocopying. You may also want to buy copies of other books, either because they are particularly important for your course or because you find them particularly interesting.

If you have a laptop computer you will have the option of purchasing software at discounted prices.

Course specific equipment

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

This is a three-year, full-time course consisting of 120 credits a year.  The final degree classification that you are awarded is based on the grades you achieve in the modules that you take in years two and three.

In year one you will lay the foundations for later specialist study, taking a number of core modules and following a study skills programme designed to help you make the transition to higher education. In years two and three, you will be encouraged to study and learn more independently, giving you the opportunity to read more widely and to develop your own interests. The final year also includes the option to study a 40 credit dissertation.

The modules shown are an example of the typical curriculum and will be reviewed prior to the 2024/2025 academic year. The final modules will be published by September 2024.

Year one

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

Welsh

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]
Module titleModule codeCredits
Sgiliau Astudio LlenyddiaethCY151320 credits
Sgiliau IaithCY151520 credits
Y Gymraeg HeddiwCY151620 credits
Iaith ac YstyrCY160020 credits
Awdur, Testun a DarllenyddCY160120 credits
Y Gymraeg yn y Gymru GyfoesCY160220 credits

Year two

You will again take 60 credits in Welsh and 60 credits in Education.

Your personal tutor will help you to choose modules that best suit your interests and future career choices.

Welsh

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.

Education

You will take two core 20-credit modules from the Education portfolio as well as a 20-credit core module specialising in research design.

Module titleModule codeCredits
Cymraeg ProffesiynolCY221520 credits
Myrddin a MerlinCY235020 credits
Rhyddiaith DdiweddarCY241020 credits
Cynllunio Ieithyddol a Pholisi IaithCY261020 credits
Tu Hwnt i'r TudalenCY270220 credits
Canu'r Gymru Newydd: Barddoniaeth er 1990CY281020 credits
Caffael IaithCY291020 credits

Year three

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

Welsh

In Welsh, it is compulsory to choose one of the following 20 credit modules:

Blas ar Ymchwil [Research Taster] (20 credits)

Ymchwilio Estynedig [Extended Research] (20 credits)

You 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.

Education

In year three, you will have the option of undertaking a 40 credit dissertation project, designing, conducting and writing up a small scale research project under one-to-one supervision by a member of academic staff. The dissertation will be studied alongside core modules.

Module titleModule codeCredits
Myrddin a MerlinCY335020 credits
Rhyddiaith DdiweddarCY341020 credits
Cynllunio Ieithyddol a Pholisi IaithCY361020 credits
Yr Ystafell DdosbarthCY366020 credits
Tu Hwnt i'r TudalenCY370220 credits
Cyfieithu ProffesiynolCY370520 credits
Canu'r Gymru Newydd: Barddoniaeth er 1990CY381020 credits
Blas ar YmchwilCY390020 credits
Ymchwilio EstynedigCY390540 credits
Caffael IaithCY391020 credits
Cyfiawnder Byd-eangSE439420 credits
DissertationSI013140 credits
Radical EducationSI060420 credits
Work and Skills in the 21st Century: an international perspectiveSI060520 credits
CRUSHSI061920 credits
Reflections on Education: Theory into PracticeSI062220 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

We offer a supportive learning environment, where you are enabled to acquire a range of skills and a wealth of specialist knowledge. Our courses foster intellectual skills, such as critical thinking, close analysis, evaluating evidence, constructing arguments, using theory and the effective deployment of language in writing and in debate. We also help you gain experience in team working, independent research and time management.

You will be taught both by lecture and seminar. Lectures provide an overview of the key concepts and frameworks for a topic, equipping you to carry out independent research for the seminars and to develop your own ideas. Seminars provide an opportunity for you to explore the ideas outlined in the lectures.

Seminars usually consist of about 15 students and the seminar leader (a member of the teaching team). Seminars may take various formats, including plenary group discussion, small-group work and student-led presentations. For Welsh, there is also an important role to be played by tutorials, workshops and language classes.

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 be marked by your module tutor and your tutor will give you 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 PRACTICE 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 a 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

What skills will I practise and develop?

Knowledge & Understanding:

On successful completion of the Programme you will be able to demonstrate:

  • Understand the origins and organisation of education systems;
  • Comprehend the complex relationship between education and society;
  • Be familiar with theories of learning and teaching and their implications for practice;

Intellectual Skills:

On successful completion of the Programme you will be able to demonstrate:

  • Evaluate competing theories of the principles and purposes of education;
  • Analyse contemporary developments in education from historical, sociological, psychological and political perspectives;

Professional Practical Skills:

On successful completion of the Programme you will be able to demonstrate:

  • Critically evaluate the evidence on which educational policies and practices are based;

Transferable/Key Skills:

On successful completion of the Programme you will be able to demonstrate:

  • Demonstrate personal and academic communication skills.

The Learning Outcomes for the Welsh half of this programme are not available in English and are as follows:

Bydd graddedigion nodweddiadol y BA yn y Gymraeg yn gallu gwneud y canlynol:

  • arddangos sgiliau deallusol sy’n caniatáu darllen agos, disgrifio, dadansoddi, a chynhyrchu testunau o wahanol fathau (gan gynnwys cynhyrchu testunau ym maes ysgrifennu creadigol yn achos rhai myfyrwyr)
  • dadansoddi rôl greiddiol iaith yn y broses o greu ystyr, a’r gallu i werthfawrogi grym affeithiol iaith
  • gwerthfawrogi sut y mae rhagdybiaethau diwylliannol yn effeithio ar y broses o lunio barn
  • gwerthuso testunau, cysyniadau a theorïau perthnasol i faes y Gymraeg a’u trafod gan ddefnyddio’r eirfa briodol
  • dangos dealltwriaeth o ystod o destunau o wahanol gyfnodau hanesyddol ac o wahanol genres
  • dangos dealltwriaeth dda o safle a phwysigrwydd y Gymraeg yn y gweithle cyfoes
  • rhoi’r wybodaeth, y ddealltwriaeth a’r sgiliau a feithrinwyd ar waith:
    • yn y gweithle, drwy gwblhau cyfnod o brofiad gwaith a dadansoddiad beirniadol o’r profiad hwnnw
    • drwy gwblhau traethawd neu brosiect estynedig sy’n gynnyrch astudio annibynnol dan gyfarwyddyd tiwtor, gan ddangos perthnasedd y gwaith hwnnw i’r cam nesaf yn eich gyrfa
  • rhoi sgiliau rhifedd sylfaenol ar waith wrth ddadansoddi data sy’n ymwneud â’r iaith Gymraeg
  • defnyddio technoleg gwybodaeth i gyflwyno a dadansoddi deunyddiau mewn dull effeithiol a graenus, gan gynnwys defnyddio meddalwedd i wirio a gloywi iaith
  • cynhyrchu Cymraeg ysgrifenedig safonol a Chymraeg llafar safonol
  • defnyddio cyweiriau ysgrifenedig eraill, ar lafar ac yn ysgrifenedig, mewn cyd-destunau gwahanol, gan gynnwys y gweithle
  • dangos dealltwriaeth dda o ddatblygiad y Gymraeg ar hyd yr oesoedd, o safbwynt ieithyddol a chymdeithasol, a dealltwriaeth o rai dulliau cyfoes o geisio ei hadfer a’i hyrwyddo

Careers and placements

Career prospects

School of Welsh

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.

School of Social Sciences

Turning theory into practical application and providing experience of the working world are important facets of preparing our graduates for life outside of education.

We encourage our students to think about life beyond University from day one, offering modules and support to give you a competitive advantage on graduating.

Many of our Education graduates follow up their time here with a one-year teacher training (PGCE) course that enables them to  enter the teaching professions, while others go into a range of professions from youth and community work to social policy and government, management and others.

Placements

Year two of the Welsh programme 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.

The School of Social Sciences has a dedicated Placements Manager who can offer advice on available work placements, internships, work experience and opportunities to enhance your CV and broaden your horizons. Support with job applications and interview techniques is also available.

Studying in Welsh

Up to 80% 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.