Celtic and French

The relationship between Scotland and France, two nations with Celtic roots, stretches back many centuries. This joint honours programme gives you the opportunity to study the languages, literatures and cultures of the Celtic and French-speaking worlds, which today extend to countries in Europe, Africa and the Americas.

As a world-leading festival city and Scotland's capital, Edinburgh is a fantastic place to study Celtic alongside a global language in cultural context. Our University is unique in Scotland in offering students a full academic year abroad within the four-year honours programme, regardless of whether you spend the year studying or working.

Our courses explore contemporary issues such as language policy and revitalisation, colonisation and decolonisation.

Celtic

At all levels of study on this four-year, joint honours programme, we offer courses in the languages, literatures, histories, and cultures of the Celtic world.

You have the option to study Scottish Gaelic and build up to advanced competency in the language. It does not matter if you are a complete beginner; we stream our Year 1 classes to suit all levels of prior knowledge or none.

A choice of pathways through the programme enables you to develop your own interests in particular areas, periods and disciplines of Celtic studies. Our expertise ranges from the medieval literary tradition in Early Irish and Medieval Welsh to contemporary responses to social, cultural, and linguistic changes in Celtic countries.

French

At Edinburgh, you will study the French language in the context of the diverse countries, cultures and societies in which it is spoken.

On this programme, you will have the opportunity to acquire near-native fluency in French while gaining the broad cultural education valued by graduate employers.

You also have the option to learn the fundamentals of the Basque language and study Basque culture.

To enhance and contextualise your language learning, you will explore Francophone:

• literature and cinema

• political history

• philosophical ideas

Our courses cover material from the Middle Ages to the 21st century. They include specialist options in key disciplines such as decolonial, gender and film studies, all taught by leading experts.

How long it takes to complete this degree programme

This programme is studied over 4 years. This enables us to build choice and flexibility into your studies, giving you time to explore options, find what you like and build your skills.

Your first two years will be your pre-honours years. They will give you a good grounding in your subjects. In addition to your core courses, you will broaden your education and skill set by choosing option courses from a range of disciplines. This gives you the chance to build your intercultural awareness in other areas of the arts, humanities and social sciences.

Your final two years will be your honours years. You will spend Year 3 in a country where French is spoken, gaining lived experience of Francophone culture. Year 4 will be tailored to your interests in specific topics or approaches to Celtic and Francophone Studies. You will also further develop your language and translation skills.

Programme benefits

• Study over four years, giving you choice and flexibility.

• Learn in the heart of Scotland's capital city.

• Try out different subjects in your first two years.

• Join societies related to what you are studying.

• Delve into fantastic libraries and collections.

• Try your hand at creative writing and publishing.