Celtic and English Literature, MA (Hons)

Edinburgh is the first UNESCO World City of Literature, a fantastic literary city which many writers have called home. Scotland's capital has a long-established Gaelic community and a lively contemporary cultural scene.Drawing on Edinburgh's exceptional resources, this joint honours programme gives you the opportunity to study the literatures, languages and cultures of the Celtic world alongside writing from a vast range of English-speaking cultures and all major periods in history. Our four-year programme is extremely flexible. During your time with us, you will study a range of subjects, with the option to take courses in other areas of the humanities and social sciences. You will specialise as you progress through your honours years.When you graduate, you will have the combination of broad cultural education and specialist knowledge valued by employers worldwide.Celtic In Celtic, we work with the medieval literary tradition in Early Irish and Medieval Welsh (the most extensive in the whole of Europe), as well as Scottish Gaelic from the late Middle Ages to the present. We also explore: the rich oral tradition recorded from the 18th century to the present day, and poetry from the 18th century golden age of Gaelic literature. You will study 19th and 20th century responses to the rapid social, cultural, and linguistic changes in countries where the Celtic languages are spoken. You will also study the writing, song, and media production emerging from the lively and varied contemporary cultural scene in Gaelic Scotland, Ireland, and Wales. At all levels of study, we offer courses in language, literature, history, and culture. This will enable you to build your programme by developing your own interests in particular areas, periods, and disciplines of Celtic studies. Our expertise extends to:

• theoretical and practical issues of current sociolinguistics

• language policy

• language revitalisation

Language studyYou can choose to study Scottish Gaelic from Year 1, and continue to learn about Scottish Gaelic language, literature, and culture throughout your studies. If you choose this pathway through the programme, it doesn't matter if you are a complete beginner in Scottish Gaelic; we stream our Year 1 classes to suit all levels of prior knowledge or none. You can also learn a medieval Celtic language at honours level (Years 3 and 4). For this path, you will study Celtic civilisation and literature in Years 1 and 2, with texts presented in English translation. Both Old Irish and Middle Welsh are available, and students may choose to study one, or both. English Literature You will study in the oldest department of English Literature in the UK, one of the longest established in the world. You will gain the essential skills needed for the critical close reading of poetry, drama and prose and explore the cultural contexts of writing in English from the late Middle Ages to the present. At honours level, you will select courses on the basis of your own interests in specific topics, periods or literary genres. Combining literature with Celtic shows an openness to ideas and perspectives other than your own, an essential attribute in many careers and a global marketplace.