Welsh and English Literature (BA)

With our Welsh and English Literature (BA) programme, you’ll develop a thorough understanding of the Welsh language, its literature and culture, and engage with English literature from different periods and cultures, across the range of principal literary genres. You’ll achieve a high level of skill in written and spoken Welsh and English, key skills in collaboration and critical thinking, and well-developed employability and creative skills relevant to modern Wales and beyond. We’ll support you to engage critically and creatively with difficult problems in an open-minded and collaborative way, including on sensitive and controversial topics.

We welcome those who’ve studied Welsh either as a first or second language. If Welsh is a second language to you, you’ll be provided with specific modules in the first and second years to practice and enhance your communication and language skills. After this, first and second language students come together for the majority of second year, and all final year, modules. Module options allow you to explore topics such as historic and contemporary Welsh writing, language policy, and professional translation.

In English Literature, we are intrigued by the connections between literature and film, art, history, technology, language, and everyday life, and our teaching reflects these interests. You’ll learn how literature addresses social, environmental, and economic concerns with the aim of creating a better, more inclusive world and developing sustainable solutions for the future of the planet. In the final year of the programme, you can specialise in your preferred areas of study.

During your degree, you’ll have the opportunity to undertake a work placement in a workplace where Welsh is spoken daily, to develop your confidence and professional skills. You’ll also undertake a dissertation, in which you’ll design and carry out a research project on a topic of your choice related to Welsh language, culture or literature. A final year core module in English Literature gives you the opportunity to undertake a detailed examination of a single text across a whole semester and to use the experience and knowledge gained as the basis of a public-facing piece of work.

You’ll graduate with a range of professional skills, including collaboration, communication and critical analysis. You’ll also be aware of the linguistic and cultural challenges that face contemporary society and industry, and have the ideas and confidence required to solve them. The ability to use the Welsh language at a professional level is also extremely attractive to employers, which means that you have a unique opportunity to ensure an interesting and varied career where you can influence the linguistic, cultural, civic and economic future of Wales.

Careers

Career prospects

Graduates from this programme possess a range of transferable skills and areas of knowledge that are sought after by many employers.

Our graduates are versatile, collaborative, and critically independent individuals who are able to communicate complex ideas effectively to diverse audiences. They demonstrate personal and professional integrity, reliability, and competence, and they have the ability to motivate themselves and others in meeting agreed responsibilities.

By studying language, literature and culture in different linguistic, social and cultural contexts, our graduates develop critical knowledge and awareness of cultural diversity and key bilingual communications skills that are highly valued for jobs and roles that require Welsh, in particular.

University services and schemes are also available to you, providing additional ways to increase your professional skills and confidence. The Cardiff Award provides a framework through which to develop your employability further, and Student Futures is on hand to provide career advice and support in gaining placements specific to your degree. You can also take advantage of programmes like Languages for All to improve your foreign language skills, while support from the Enterprise and Start Up team can help you to bring your ideas to life.

Due to the depth and breadth of their skills and knowledge, our graduates are now following careers in areas such as law, politics, media, performing arts, administration and education, or engaged in postgraduate study.

Placements

In year 2 you’ll undertake a period of work experience in a workplace where Welsh is used on a daily basis. This period of work experience is part of a programme of events designed to focus on developing employability and career skills. We also encourage you to undertake placements off-campus through Student Futures in order to further enhance your employability.