MA Celtic Civilisation/Scottish Literature

About this course

Celtic civilisation and Scottish literature is a combination that places two of the distinctive cultural traditions of the British Isles in direct dialogue with each other, offering a perspective on Scotland and the wider Gaelic world that goes well beyond the standard English-centric view of the archipelago. Celtic civilisation immerses you in the history of the Celts, the development of their societies, literature, material culture, art, and religion, from the earliest continental Celtic peoples through the insular traditions of Ireland, Scotland, Wales, and Brittany to the present day. Scottish literature engages with the literary tradition of Scotland in all its linguistic diversity, encompassing writing in English, Scots, and Gaelic across periods from the medieval to the contemporary. At the University of Glasgow this part-time programme brings these two fields together within an institution with longstanding strengths in Celtic languages and cultures as well as in Scottish literature. You will study the Celtic world through its textual, material, and cultural evidence, engaging with languages including Old Irish and Scottish Gaelic as they illuminate the development of Celtic civilisation. In Scottish literature, you will read poetry, fiction, and drama by Scottish authors across the centuries, exploring questions of language, identity, place, and the relationship between Scotland and the broader world. A year abroad is incorporated into the programme, allowing you to study in a different country and encounter both Celtic and Scottish literary traditions from a new vantage point. Graduates from Celtic civilisation and Scottish literature programmes move into careers in education, heritage, archiving, journalism, publishing, the arts, and community cultural organisations, particularly those concerned with Gaelic and Scottish heritage. Many continue to postgraduate study in Celtic studies, Scottish literature, or medieval and early modern history, where the depth of cultural and linguistic knowledge developed through the degree is a genuine research asset.

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