Cymraeg (Welsh) degree (BA)

Course facts...

First and Second Language Students
UCAS course code: Q562 BA/Cym
Length: 3 years full time
For further information visit our website.
You can study Welsh with many other subjects at Bangor; (see Single or Joint Honours for explanation). Joint Honours UCAS codes can be seen next to the subject combinations here.

What is this Cymraeg (Welsh) course about?...

As Wales evolves into a vibrant bilingual country, there has never been a more exciting time to study Welsh at university level. In fields as varied as education, media and journalism, the civil service, the heritage industry, public relations and marketing there is a great demand for graduates who have competence in Welsh and an ability to work in a bilingual environment. The School of Welsh at Bangor has responded energetically to this demand by designing courses which are both academically rigorous and relevant to the needs of modern Wales. At Bangor you will have the opportunity to study rich and diverse literary texts extending from the tales of the Mabinogion to the dynamic literature of contemporary Wales. You will also follow practical language modules which will greatly enhance your career prospects. (click for more)

For more information on the courses offered by the School of Welsh, please visit our website.

Find out more about this course...

Entry requirements...

A typical offer would be in the 240-280 points range
Students with GNVQ and BTEC qualifications will be considered on individual merit
We consider mature students with relevant experience on individual merit.

Please also read our Entry Requirements section.

For joint honours degrees you should also look at the entry requirements for your other chosen subject.

Why choose Bangor?

Bangor University is located in the county of Gwynedd, where 69% of the population is able to speak Welsh. No other university offers such a unique linguistic environment to study a living Celtic language.
We offer a wide choice of modules.
You will be able to study aspects of Wales’s great medieval literature under expert supervision. You will also learn how Welsh literature and the Welsh language have adapted and responded to the challenges of the modern world.
In Year 1 we have modules which have been specifically designed for our second language students.
You will be offered work placements where your academic transferable skills will be put to practical effect.
We have a firm commitment to teaching small groups of students. Welsh at Bangor consistently achieves a 100% general satisfaction level among its students (according to recent student surveys).
You will be taught by academic staff who are leading international experts in their respective fields of study. Their publications encompass both the medieval period and the literature of Wales in more recent times.

What will I study?

This section provides an outline of the content of this Cymraeg (Welsh) course. Each year you'll study a series of modules, some of these are compulsory and others can be selected from a range of optional modules.

Year 1

You will follow a variety of modules catering for the needs of both first language and second language students. Second language students will follow a combination of modules with a particular emphasis on developing writing and aural skills. In order to ensure an integrated learning experience you will also follow a selection of modules with first language students. First language students will study a broad selection of texts – extending from the poetry and prose of the middle ages to modern Welsh classics and media literature. You will also be given a range of insights into the culture and history of Wales. There will also be an emphasis on advanced skills in oral and written Welsh.

Year 2 and Year 3

Both first language and second language students will follow the same Welsh degree scheme during their final two years. Additional tutorial support is provided for second language students to ease the full transition to first language provision.

You will be able to choose your modules from a thematically broad and wide-ranging list of subjects. Court Poetry; Early Welsh Saga Poetry; Tales of the Mabinogion; Dafydd ap Gwilym; Poets of the Welsh Gentry; Literature and Society 1500- 1740; Welsh literature of America; The Modern Welsh Novel; Modern Welsh Poetry; Kate Roberts’s Fiction; The Modern Welsh Theatre; Television Drama; History of the Welsh Language; Language Policy and Planning; Translation Skills; Practical Writing Skills/ Welsh in the Workplace; Dissertation. If you wish, you can also select modules from our Welsh medium creative writing provision: Poetry Workshop; Creative Prose Workshop; Cynghanedd; Script-writing.

Modules our students are currently studying...

If you'd like a closer look at the content of the modules our current students are studying this year please click on the links below;

Year 2 modules

Year 3 modules

* Please note that due to the dynamic nature of our degree programmes specific topics of study/modules are occasionally subject to change.

Please also note that some degree programmes have placements or study periods in other institutions, and during those years no module content is listed.

How will I learn?

You will be taught by means of lectures, seminars and small tutorial groups. You will be assessed through examinations, essays, continuous coursework and oral presentations.

Career prospects

Our graduates go on to careers in education, media/journalism, creative writing, the civil service, PR, marketing, the translation industry, language planning, the heritage industry and IT. Furthermore, this course will provide you with a range of rigorous analytical and presentational skills which will be vitally important in numerous other careers. Bangor also offers excellent opportunities at postgraduate level.

Want to know more about Bangor?

All our courses in Bangor are provided by our academic schools, with staff in these schools specialising in teaching and research related to the subject area. In the two most recent National Students’ Surveys, the School of Welsh at Bangor achieved a remarkable 100% general satisfaction level among its students – the only academic unit throughout Britain to do so in the field of Welsh and Celtic Studies. Find more about us on our website:

For more information, contact:

Professor Gerwyn Wiliams
Admissions Tutor
School of Welsh
Phone: 01248 382240
e-mail: cymraeg@bangor.ac.uk

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