The University of Edinburgh
Celtic and English Language MA (Hons)
The University of Edinburgh

Key Course Facts

Student Reviews

Below you can see course specific reviews of 20 graduates of Celtic and English Language MA (Hons) and other courses in English Language at The University of Edinburgh for each of the survey questions in comparison to the average for all UK degree courses in English Language.

Overall student satisfaction
61 /100
20 total respondents

Primarily based on data from undergraduate degree students.

The NSS is commissioned by the Office for Students

Salary

Salary of Graduates in English Studies

Important: Salary data below is not course specific, but contains data of all students of English Language at the university. Due to data collection methodology, salary data is mainly based on data related to undergraduate students.

  15 months after graduation 3 years after graduation 5 years after graduation
Median salary £24000 £23500 £27500
25-75 percentile range £21500 - £28000 £19000 - £29000 £22500 - £36000


Salary of all UK Graduates of English Studies

  15 months after graduation 3 years after graduation 5 years after graduation
Median salary £23254 £21437 £25473
25-75 percentile range £20169 - £26423 £16931 - £25909 £20013 - £30908

Course Description

Study Celtic and English Language at the University of Edinburgh and you will learn about extraordinarily rich cultures, from the Middle Ages to the present day.

Our joint honours programme gives you the opportunity to study the languages, literatures and cultures of the Celtic world while exploring how English has evolved over time.

Combining the study of how language works with linguistic and literary tradition demonstrates that you are a good communicator, and someone open to other cultures and new ideas.

When you graduate, you will have the combination of broad cultural education and specialist knowledge valued by employers worldwide.

Celtic

At all levels of study on this four-year 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.

A choice of pathways through the programme enable you to develop your own interests in particular areas, periods and disciplines of Celtic studies.

Our expertise covers:

  • Scottish Gaelic from the late Middle Ages to the present, including language policy and revitalisation
  • the medieval literary tradition in Early Irish and Medieval Welsh - the most extensive in the whole of Europe
  • the rich oral tradition recorded from the 18th century to the present day
  • poetry from the 18th century golden age of Gaelic literature
  • 19th and 20th century responses to the rapid social, cultural, and linguistic changes in countries where the Celtic languages are spoken
  • the writing, song, and media production emerging from the lively and varied contemporary cultural scene in Gaelic Scotland, Ireland, and Wales

Celtic language study

If you choose to study Scottish Gaelic, 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.

You can also learn a medieval Celtic language at honours level (Years 3 and 4). Both Old Irish and Middle Welsh are available. For this path, you will study Celtic civilisation and literature in Years 1 and 2, with texts presented in English translation.

English Language

The English language has a well-recorded history of more than 1,000 years, and its changes can be traced through written materials ranging from medieval manuscripts to text messages, and more recently, through recordings of spoken English.

Your studies will develop your knowledge and understanding of:

  • the principles of theoretical linguistics
  • the way we learn language
  • the regional and social variations of language, particularly the English language
  • methods of communication

As part of the programme, you can opt to study the Scots language, which has its own rich linguistic and literary tradition.

English Language courses of particular interest to students of Celtic cover:

  • the speech sounds of the world's languages
  • variation in the languages of the world

Why Edinburgh?

Scotland's capital city, Edinburgh has a long-established Gaelic community and a lively contemporary cultural scene. Its collections are outstanding, as are the University's own resources for the study of Celtic and English Language.

Our programme is extremely flexible. In Years 1 and 2, in addition to Celtic and English Language, you will choose option courses from a wide range of disciplines. You will then specialise as you progress through your honours years.

Jobs & Career Perspectives

15 months after graduation, graduates of this course were asked about what they do and, if they are working, about their current job and their perspectives.

Current jobs

Required skill level of job after 15 months

Jobs of graduates of this course (15 months after graduation)

Example below based on all graduates of Celtic and English Language MA (Hons) at The University of Edinburgh

24% Finance Professionals
13% Natural and social science professionals
12% Business and public service associate professionals
10% Elementary occupations
7% Information Technology Professionals
7% Teaching and Childcare Support Occupation
4% Science, engineering and technology associate professionals
3% Media Professionals
3% Secretarial and related occupations
3% Administrative occupations

Grading & Study Time

Entry Requirements / Admissions

UCAS Tariff of Accepted Students for English Language

English language requirements

test Grade Additional Details
IELTS (Academic) 6.5

Total 65 with at least 5.5 in each component.

TOEFL (iBT) 92

Total 92 with at least 20 in each component. We do not accept TOEFL MyBest Score to meet our English language requirements.

Cambridge English Advanced

Total 176 with at least 162 in each component

Cambridge English Proficiency

Total 176 with at least 162 in each component

Trinity ISE

ISE II with distinctions in all four components

PTE Academic 62

Total 62 with at least 54 in each component

Get advice on which foundation courses are best for you to still study Celtic and English Language, MA (Hons), if you do not meet the minimum requirements in terms of UCAS score, A levels, or English language requirements.

Costs

Tuition Fees Celtic and English Language MA (Hons)

Channel Islands £9250 year 1
Ireland £9250 year 1
Scotland £1820 year 1
England UK £9250 year 1
Northern Ireland £9250 year 1
Wales £9250 year 1
EU £26500 year 1
International £26500 year 1

Additional fee information

Scottish students must apply to the Student Awards Agency Scotland (SAAS) for payment of their tuition fees.

EU On 9th July 2020 the decision was made by the Scottish Government to end free university tuition for European Union (EU) students starting in 2021-22. Funding policy for EU nationals and associated groups starting a course of study in academic year 2022-23 or later will be in line with international fees.

Full time international and EU students will pay a fixed annual fee rate for the duration of their programme.

Average student cost of living in the UK

Rent £518
Water, gas electricity, internet (at home) £50
Supermarket shopping £81
Clothing £35
Eating out £33
Alcohol £27
Takeaways / food deliveries £30
Going out / entertainment (excl.alcohol, food) £24
Holidays and weekend trips £78
Transport within city £17
Self-care / sports £20
Stationary / books £13
Mobile phone / internet £13
Cable TV / streaming £7
Insurance £51
Other £95
  
Average student cost of living £1092

London costs approx 34% more than average, mainly due to rent being 67% higher than average of other cities. For students staying in student halls, costs of water, gas, electricity, wifi are generally included in the rental. Students in smaller cities where accommodation is in walking/biking distance transport costs tend to be significantly smaller.

How to apply

Application deadline:

January 1, 2025

This is the deadline for applications to be completed and sent for this course. If the university or college still has places available you can apply after this date, but your application is not guaranteed to be considered.

Possible Entry Points:

  • year 1 (Default entry point)

University Rankings

Positions of The University of Edinburgh in top UK and global rankings.

See all 38 university rankings of The University of Edinburgh

About The University of Edinburgh

The University of Edinburgh is located in the Scottish city of the same name, and is one of the oldest universities in the entire United Kingdom, having opened in the year 1583. The university enjoys a strong reputation for its contributions to international research efforts, which is reflected in their inclusion in the Russell Group, Universitas 21, and Una Europa. Edinburgh offers its residents a historic yet modern city, with a lively nightlife scene, reliable public transport, and friendly locals.

List of 686 Bachelor and Master Courses from The University of Edinburgh - Course Catalogue

Where is this programme taught

Central area campus
map marker Show on map

Similar courses

Program University Student satis­faction Unem­ployed Drop­out Tuition (UK) Tuition (Inter­national) UCAS Tariff City
French and English Language MA (Hons) The University of Edinburgh 52% 5% 5% £9250 £26500 177 Edinburgh On campus Full-time
Russian Studies and English Language MA (Hons) The University of Edinburgh 52% 3% 5% £9250 £26500 176 Edinburgh On campus Full-time
Classics and English Language MA (Hons) The University of Edinburgh 52% 5% 5% £9250 £26500 171 Edinburgh On campus Full-time
Philosophy and English Language MA (Hons) The University of Edinburgh 52% 3% 5% £9250 £26500 172 Edinburgh On campus Full-time
Scandinavian Studies and English Language MA (Hons) The University of Edinburgh 52% 15% 5% £9250 £26500 171 Edinburgh On campus Full-time
English Language and Literature MA (Hons) The University of Edinburgh 52% 3% 10% £9250 £26500 217 Edinburgh On campus Full-time
English Language MA (Hons) The University of Edinburgh 52% 3% 0% £9250 £26500 145 Edinburgh On campus Full-time
Scottish Ethnology and English Language MA (Hons) The University of Edinburgh 72% 2% 5% £9250 £26500 167 Edinburgh On campus Full-time
Portuguese and English Language MA (Hons) The University of Edinburgh 52% 0% 5% £9250 £26500 174 Edinburgh On campus Full-time
Italian and English Language MA (Hons) The University of Edinburgh 52% 3% 5% £9250 £26500 177 Edinburgh On campus Full-time