BA (Hons) Gaelic
DURATION
4 up to 8 Years
LANGUAGES
English
PACE
Full time
APPLICATION DEADLINE
Request application deadline
EARLIEST START DATE
Sep 2025
TUITION FEES
EUR 14,998 / per year
STUDY FORMAT
Distance learning, On-Campus
Introduction
What is special about this course?
Discover more about Gaelic society and its origins whilst gaining a high level of fluency in the Gaelic language, on our lively BA (Hons) Gaelic course.
Join the only course offering an immersive degree programme in Scottish Gaelic, as you explore the past, present and future of the Gaelic language, based in the Gàidhealtachd itself, and entirely through the medium of the language. Take advantage of this amazing opportunity to develop your spoken and written language skills, learning from the largest team of Gaelic lecturers in Scotland, based at the National Centre for Gaelic Language and Culture (Sabhal Mòr Ostaig) and UHI North, West and Hebrides, Stornoway campus.
Explore themes including the arts; contemporary and traditional literature; minority language issues; oral tradition; and the relationship of Gaelic to other languages, including Irish Gaelic. Draw on the teaching team's wide range of academic specialisms to enrich your learning and open yourself up to exceptional employment opportunities, when the skills of Gaelic graduates are in higher demand than can be satisfied. Move into your future career path understanding on a deeper level the distinctive contribution Gaelic culture has made to Scotland and the wider world, and fully equipped to be an active part of its future.
Special features
- Campuses in stunning locations in Skye and Lewis with affordable accommodation on site, surrounded by vibrant Gaelic-speaking communities
- Choose to study fully online from home for a more flexible learning route that fits in with your schedule
- Enjoy an immersive language year at level 7 to develop fluency for intermediate learners (on-site, or part-time over two years by distance learning), with a separate pathway allowing fluent speakers to develop and build upon existing skills fully
- Option to spend a semester studying in Nova Scotia or Ireland at Honours level
- Undertake a workplace module to gain real-time experience in Gaelic-related employment
Admissions
Scholarships and Funding
UHI has several scholarships, bursaries, awards, and discretionary fund opportunities available to new and current students. Please use the A-Z of funds or use the filter to see which ones may be relevant to you. All students are welcome to apply.
Further information on funding your studies is also available, please see the attached link or contact the relevant UHI partner.
Students enrolled in Gaelic-medium teaching programs at undergraduate and post-graduate levels can apply to Bòrd na Gàidhlig for some additional funding.
Curriculum
Year 3 - BA
You will study the following core modules:
- Gaelic 3
- Research skills
You will also study 3 of the following optional modules:
- Challenges in rural and other communities
- Developing Gaelic communities: practical skills
- European philosophy
- Gaelic poetry 1600-1900
- History of written Gaelic
- Irish language
- Language policy and language planning
- Modern Gaelic prose literature
- Traditional Gaelic culture
Year 4 - BA (Hons)
You will study the following core modules:
- Dissertation (double credit)
- Translation skills
You will also study 3 of the following optional modules:
- Celtic belief systems
- Gaelic dialects
- Language policy in the workplace
- Special studies in Gaelic
- Successful, sustainable communities
- The Aos Dàna
Program Tuition Fee
Career Opportunities
What can I do on completion of my course?
Once you have completed this course, you might like to consider careers in a wide range of areas where Gaelic is desirable or essential, including:
- Broadcasting
- Teaching
- Local and national government
- Heritage centres and museums
- Public bodies such as Bòrd na Gàidhlig, Gaelic Books Council, etc
- Community organisations with a Gaelic focus
Can I progress into further study?
You may wish to progress from BA (Hons) Gaelic to the following courses:
- PGDE Foghlam bun-sgoile/ard-sgoile
- MEd Foghlam Gàidhlig
- DipHE Na meadhanan Gàidhlig
- MSC Cultar dùthchasach agus eachdraidh na Gàidhealtachd
- MRes Gàidhlig agus Ceiltis
- PhD studies
Program delivery
How will I study my course?
- Full-time
- Part-time (structured)
- Part-time (unstructured)
- This course can be studied either on-site or online
- On-campus students will learn via face-to-face tuition plus online study via the university's virtual learning environment (VLE), with support from your tutors
- Online students will learn via a combination of video-conference lectures and tutorials, as well as online study via the university's virtual learning environment (VLE), with support from your tutors
- Level 7 is an intensive language year with a choice of intermediate or advanced pathways:
- On-campus intermediate learners will follow CertHE An Cùrsa Comais
- Online students will follow CertHE An Cùrsa Adhartais over two years
- Fluent and advanced speakers will follow CertHE Gàidhlig agus Conaltradh on-site
- On-campus intermediate learners will follow CertHE An Cùrsa Comais
- Online students will follow CertHE An Cùrsa Adhartais over two years
- Fluent and advanced speakers will follow CertHE Gàidhlig agus Conaltradh on-site
- For level 8 onwards, you will take part in smaller classes that combine online students (joining by videoconference) and on-campus students, enabling both groups to meet and share. For larger classes, on-site and off-site groups are held separately
How long will my course last?
- Full-time: 4 years @ 35 hours per week
- Part-time (structured): up to 8 years @ 17 hours per week
- Part-time (unstructured): There is no time limit for completion - students whose time commitments do not allow them to study more than say, one module per semester, will not be disadvantaged
Some hours per week indicates the total number of hours you should dedicate to the course, which includes time spent in lectures and your own time spent on individual study and research.
Where can I study my course?
- North, West and Hebrides - Stornoway campus
- Sabhal Mòr Ostaig
- This course can be studied online from anywhere in the world. If you are studying fully online, you should apply to, and will be enrolled and supported by, staff at Sabhal Mòr Ostaig