Celtic Studies and Scottish Studies PhD

Doctorate-level study is an opportunity to expand upon your interests and expertise in a community that really values research, and to make an original, positive contribution to learning in Celtic Studies and Scottish Studies.

We specialise in the languages, literatures, and cultures of the Celtic- and in particular the Gaelic-speaking peoples, from Iron Age Europe to the present, and in Scottish ethnology, the study of Scotland's traditions, belief systems, and forms of cultural expression.

Research community

Based in Scotland's capital and festival city, our research community plays a prominent role in policy development and cultural innovation.

We work at the forefront of linguistic, cultural, literary, and sociolinguistic research in the Celtic languages, with a particular focus on Scottish Gaelic. We play a leading role in relation to language planning and maintenance, particularly for Scottish Gaelic.

The department also includes the longest established Scottish Studies department in Scotland. Over the past 70 years, the archives of the School of Scottish Studies have grown into an unrivalled collection of sound, video, film, and photographic resources that continue to inspire new research and creative work.

We are also the home of the European Ethnological Research Centre, which promotes research into everyday life and society in Scotland through long-term projects such as the Regional Ethnology of Scotland and publications including the series Scottish Life and Society: a compendium of Scottish ethnology.

Scottish ethnology provides a fascinating insight into the traditional and popular culture of Scotland, while giving you a set of ethnographical skills that may be applied to other traditional cultures.

Research excellence

In the latest Research Excellence Framework (REF 2021), our research in Celtic and Scottish Studies was submitted in Modern Languages and Linguistics (Panel D - Arts and Humanities; Unit of Assessment 26).

The results reaffirm Edinburgh’s position as one of the UK’s leading research universities - ranked third in the UK.

As published in Times Higher Education's REF power ratings, this result is based on the quality and breadth of our research in the unit of assessment.

Join our community and undertake a specialised research project under the guidance of experienced and well-published supervisors.

Celtic studies

Our Celtic studies expertise covers:

• Gaelic language and culture in the diaspora
• Gaelic linguistics, historical and contemporary dialectology, and language technology
• Gaelic folklore
• Irish and Scottish Gaelic manuscript culture
• Medieval Gaelic religious culture
• Old Irish and Middle Welsh language, literature, and culture
• Scottish Gaelic and Modern Irish language, literature, and culture
• Sociolinguistics and language policy of Celtic languages
• The 'Celtic Revival' in Scotland

Explore our range of research centres, networks and projects in Celtic and Scottish Studies

Scottish studies and ethnology

Our Scottish studies and ethnology expertise covers:

• custom and belief
• digital folkloristics
• ethnological fieldwork methods
• Gaelic and Scottish language and culture in the diaspora
• heritage studies
• material culture
• oral narrative
• place names
• social organisation
• song and instrumental music and performance

Explore our range of research centres, networks and projects in Celtic and Scottish Studies

Interdisciplinary research

Working with colleagues elsewhere in the School of Literatures, Languages and Cultures, and across the wider University, we are able to support PhD theses crossing boundaries between disciplines and/or languages.

• Be inspired by the range of PhD research in the School of Literatures, Languages and Cultures

Your thesis

Over the course of your PhD, you will be expected to complete an original body of work under the expert guidance of your supervisors leading to a dissertation of between 70,000 and 100,000 words.

You will be awarded your doctorate if your thesis is judged to be of an appropriate standard, and your research makes a definite contribution to knowledge.

Go beyond the books

Beyond the Books is a podcast from the School of Literatures, Languages and Cultures (LLC) that gives you a behind-the-scenes look at research and the people who make it happen.

Listen to a mix of PhD, early career and established researchers talk about their journey to and through academia and about their current and recent research. In the first episode of Series 2, host Emma Aviet talks to Wilson McLeod, Emeritus Professor of Gaelic, about diversity, technology and more.

• Browse Beyond the Books episodes and hear our research community talk about their work

These entry requirements are for the 2025/26 academic year and requirements for future academic years may differ. Entry requirements for the 2026/27 academic year will be published on 1 Oct 2025.

A UK 2:1 honours degree and a masters degree, or their international equivalents, in a related subject. We may also consider your application if you have equivalent qualifications or experience; please check with the School of Literatures, Languages and Cultures (LLC) before you apply.

International qualifications

Check whether your international qualifications meet our general entry requirements:

• Entry requirements by country

English language requirements

Regardless of your nationality or country of residence, you must demonstrate a level of English language competency which will enable you to succeed in your studies.

English language tests

We accept the following English language qualifications at the grades specified:

• IELTS Academic: total 7.0 with at least 6.5 in each component. We do not accept IELTS One Skill Retake to meet our English language requirements.
• TOEFL-iBT (including Home Edition): total 100 with at least 23 in each component. We do not accept TOEFL MyBest Score to meet our English language requirements.
• C1 Advanced (CAE) / C2 Proficiency (CPE): total 185 with at least 176 in each component.
• Trinity ISE: ISE III with passes in all four components.
• PTE Academic: total 73 with at least 65 in each component. We do not accept PTE Academic Online.
• Oxford ELLT: 8 overall with at least 7 in each component.

Unless you are a national of a majority English speaking country, your English language qualification must be no more than three and a half years old from the start of the month in which the programme you are applying to study begins. If you are using an IELTS, PTE Academic, TOEFL, Trinity ISE, or Oxford ELLT test, it must be no more than two years old on the first of the month in which the programme begins, regardless of your nationality. (Revised 14 January 2025 to include Oxford ELLT.)

Degrees taught and assessed in English

We also accept an undergraduate or postgraduate degree that has been taught and assessed in English in a majority English speaking country, as defined by UK Visas and Immigration:

• UKVI list of majority English speaking countries

We also accept a degree that has been taught and assessed in English from a university on our list of approved universities in non-majority English speaking countries (non-MESC).

• Approved universities in non-MESC

If you are not a national of a majority English speaking country, then your degree must be no more than five years old at the beginning of your programme of study.

Find out more about our language requirements:

• English language requirements