Welsh (BA)
Our BA in Welsh is a socially-relevant programme which is taught by one of the foremost schools of its kind.
Course overview
The BA in Welsh 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 is a three-year course with two routes, one for students who have studied Welsh as a first language, and one for students who have studied Welsh as a second language. In the first year these cohorts are taught separately for most of the time. The students of the two routes come together for most modules in year two, and in the final year, everyone is taught together.
The course offers a range of core and optional modules to give you a grounding in Welsh language and literature as well as the opportunity to specialise in areas of personal or vocational interest. Another key aim is to enable you to find inspiration and fulfilment in the study of the Welsh language and its culture.
In contemporary Wales, with the growth of the Welsh Government and the introduction of the Welsh Language Act, the ability to work professionally through the medium of Welsh could be attractive to employers. Studying at Cardiff is an opportunity to benefit from socially-relevant research which is contributing to the development of Welsh in the 21st century.
Distinctive features
The distinctive features of the course include:
- the opportunity to follow a degree course that develops skills relevant to both the academic world and the workplace
- a core module which focuses on employability skills and which offers a period of work experience
- a range of core and optional modules in Welsh language, literature and culture as well as the opportunity to specialise in areas of personal and career interest
- the emphasis on practical research skills, that will benefit you throughout your career
- the emphasis on independent learning in a supportive environment
- the involvement of research-active staff in teaching
- the experience of being taught by staff who will recognise you as an individual
Entry requirements
BBB - BBC, including a B in Welsh (first language) or Welsh (second language). There are no specific requirements for other subjects, but A levels must include at least two traditional academic subjects. Please note, General Studies will not be accepted.
Extended Project Qualification: Applicants with grade A in the EPQ will typically receive an offer one grade lower than the standard A level offer. Please note that any subject specific requirements must still be met.
The Welsh Baccalaureate Advanced Skills Challenge Certificate will be accepted in lieu of one A-Level (at the grades listed above), excluding any specified subjects.
DM in BTEC Humanities or Social Science and predicted B in A-Level Welsh First or Second Language.
Achieve IB Diploma with 665-655 in 3 HL subjects plus a Welsh Language qualification.
Alternative qualifications may be accepted. For further information on entry requirements, see the School of Welsh admissions criteria pages.
If you are an overseas applicant and your first language is not English, please visit our English Language requirements page for more information on our accepted qualifications.
You will require GCSE English or Welsh Language at grade C or grade 4. Alternatively, IGCSE English First Language or English Second Language will be considered at grade C.
Tuition fees
UK and EU students (2019/20)
| Tuition fee | Deposit |
|---|---|
| £9,000 | None |
Visit our tuition fee pages for the latest information.
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.
Students from outside the EU (2019/20)
| Tuition fee | Deposit |
|---|---|
| £16,650 | None |
Tuition fees for international students are fixed for the majority of three year undergraduate courses. This means the price you pay in year one will be the same in years two and three. Some courses are exempt, including four and five year programmes and Medical and Dental courses. Visit our tuition fee pages for the latest information.
Additional costs
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.
Course structure
This is a three-year full-time course, consisting of 120 credits a year. Most modules are worth 20 credits.
The modules shown are an example of the typical curriculum and will be reviewed prior to the 2019/20 academic year. The final modules will be published by September 2019.
Year one
You will study six 20 credit modules (120 credits in total) in 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.
In year one, normally students who have studied A-level Welsh as a second language follow the second-language route, but we will consider your linguistic skills, both oral and written, before deciding which route you will follow.
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 first-language route the optional modules are:
- Ysgrifennu Creadigol a Phroffesiynol [Creative and Professional Writing]
- Mapio’r Cymry [Mapping the Welsh]
- Herio’r Traddodiad Llenyddol [Challenging the Literary Tradition]
For the second-language route the core modules are:
- Sgiliau Llafar [Oral Skills]
- Defnyddio’r Gymraeg [Using Welsh]
- Astudio Llenyddiaeth [Studying Literature]
- Y Gymraeg Heddiw [The Welsh Language Today]
For the second-language route the optional modules are:
- Darllen y Gorffennol [Reading the Past]
- Cymraeg Creadigol a Phroffesiynol [Creative and Professional Welsh]
On both routes, modules in the School of Welsh are taught through the medium of Welsh.
| Module title | Module code | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Sgiliau llafar | CY1500 | 20 credits |
| Defnyddio'r Gymraeg | CY1501 | 20 credits |
| Y Gymraeg Heddiw | CY1508 | 20 credits |
| Trafod ein llên | CY1510 | 20 credits |
| Cymraeg Creadigol a Phroffesiynol | CY1511 | 20 credits |
| Astudio Testunau Llenyddol | CY1512 | 20 credits |
| Iaith ac Ystyr | CY1600 | 20 credits |
| Awdur, Testun a Darllenydd | CY1601 | 20 credits |
| Y Gymraeg yn y Gymru Gyfoes | CY1602 | 20 credits |
| Herio'r Traddodiad Llenyddol | CY1603 | 20 credits |
| Mapio'r Cymry | CY1752 | 20 credits |
| Ysgrifennu Creadigol a Phroffesiynol | CY1753 | 20 credits |
Year two
In year two, 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.
For the first-language route the compulsory linguistic core module is:
- Yr Iaith ar Waith [The Language at Work]
For the second-language route the compulsory linguistic core module is:
- Darllen a Dehongli [Reading and Interpretation]
Alongside these core elements, the BA in Welsh offers optional modules in years two and three, including several with direct relevance to specific fields of employment, such as language planning, scriptwriting and translation.
Individual optional modules are normally offered in alternative years, and so may be available in year two or in year three.
Students studying this course may take one or two modules from another Academic School, selected from the University’s Free Standing Module Collection.
| Module title | Module code | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Yr Iaith ar Waith | CY2205 | 20 credits |
| Module title | Module code | Credits |
|---|
| Module title | Module code | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Sgiliau Academaidd Uwch | CY2210 | 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 |
| Sosioieithyddiaeth | CY2530 | 20 credits |
| Treftadaeth a Thwristiaeth | CY2665 | 20 credits |
Year three
In year three it is compulsory to choose one of the following modules:
- Blas ar Ymchwil [Research Taster]
- Ymchwilio Estynedig [Extended Research]
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.
An attractive feature of our course is its flexibility – you may specialise in literary studies, medieval and/or modern, language studies, or you may take a combination of modules reflecting your own particular academic interests and vocational needs. You will also choose more optional modules.
| Module title | Module code | Credits |
|---|
| Module title | Module code | 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 |
| Sosioieithyddiaeth | CY3530 | 20 credits |
| Yr Ystafell Ddosbarth | CY3660 | 20 credits |
| Treftadaeth a Thwristiaeth | CY3665 | 20 credits |
| Cyfieithu Proffesiynol | CY3705 | 20 credits |
| Blas ar Ymchwil | CY3900 | 20 credits |
| Ymchwilio Estynedig | CY3905 | 40 credits |
Learning and assessment
How will I be taught?
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. There is also an important role to be played by tutorials, workshops and language classes (especially for students following the second language route).
Year 1
Scheduled learning and teaching activities
28%
Guided independent study
72%
Placements
0%
Year 2
Scheduled learning and teaching activities
17%
Guided independent study
82%
Placements
2%
Year 3
Scheduled learning and teaching activities
12%
Guided independent study
88%
Placements
0%
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.
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. Students will be given individual 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 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.
Assessment methods (2017/18 data)
Year 1
Written exams
27%
Practical exams
18%
Coursework
56%
Year 2
Written exams
40%
Practical exams
10%
Coursework
50%
Year 3
Written exams
33%
Practical exams
7%
Coursework
60%
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 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 at Cardiff or elsewhere.
In 2016/17, 91% of the School’s graduates who were available for work reported they were in employment and/or further study within six months of graduation.
Jobs
- Journalist
- Civil Servant
- Teacher
- Lawyer
- Media
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 100% of this course is available through the medium of Welsh. Please contact the Admissions tutor for more information.
Next Undergraduate Open Day