Welsh and English Literature BA (Hons)

Wales has two major literatures, in two languages, with a long and rich history. This is a course for those who want to study the two traditions in parallel: in England and Wales from medieval times to the present, and also in the rest of Britain and around the world. As you read, research and write, you will develop analytical and critical skills relevant to a wide range of careers.

The Welsh language at Bangor is a living language for this century and the next, without forgetting its long history. Here you will have the opportunity to not only study and enjoy one of the most remarkable Celtic literatures in the world, but also to pursue more practical modules that will prepare you for a career and the world of work. In Welsh and English, this course will enable you to research independently, to practise original thinking, to gain an intimate knowledge of literatures and cultures and to master various language registers. Our lecturers include world-renowned creative writers, in both languages, and, if you wish, you can take modules led by these experienced novelists, playwrights and poets.

You will also gain an awareness of Welsh and English in wide international contexts. What is the relationship of Welsh to the other languages of the world? What is ‘world literature’? How have writers and poets responded to global themes such as slavery, the Holocaust and the ecological challenge of the modern industrial world? From the earliest times to the present, the choice of modules is wide and the opportunities to broaden your horizons are endless.

A BA course such as this gives you much more than a certificate: it is a complete cultural and intercultural experience that will enable you to play a professional role in the excitement of a truly bilingual Wales. You can study literatures and cultures alongside language studies, on a rigorous academic course relevant to the social and linguistic needs of Wales. Our graduates work in areas such as the civil service, public relations, marketing, local government, broadcasting, publishing, teaching, translation, the arts and heritage.

Why choose Bangor University for this course?

• Lecturers with international profiles, both academic and creative.
• Taught in small groups, which allows due attention to you and your work.
• Active theatre and poetry groups, both at university and in the wider community.

Additional Course Options

There has never been a more exciting time to study Welsh at Bangor, as an individual subject or in tandem with another field such as English Literature. There has never been more demand for a workforce that can use Welsh at senior professional levels. The goal is clear, it has been set by the Welsh Government: a million Welsh speakers by 2050 and a truly bilingual Wales.  
 
In pursuit of that aim, there will be a great need for confident Welsh-speaking graduates, who can use their language skills in flexible ways, who can think analytically and use their languages - both orally and in writing - in various work situations.  
 
The remarkable professional success of our students in employment - and their varied careers - already proves how entirely relevant this course is to the requirements of contemporary Wales. A proportion of our graduates are attracted into education, to be primary and secondary teachers, headteachers, education officers and directors of education. Others go into further education and to become university lecturers. Teaching Welsh for adults is also a key area. Television and digital and print media - including the BBC centre in Bangor - offer a cross-section of interesting jobs and have attracted other alumni into book publishing, creative writing and television scripting, public relations and marketing. There is also continuing demand for bilingual administrators and local government officers. And without the presence of Bangor's Welsh graduates, the translation industry would be quite different. 

And present day graduates also have every right to aim high. The National Library of Wales, The National Theatre of Wales, Cwmni Da (one of Wales' largest production companies), the Welsh Parliament’s Translation and Reporting Service and Anglesey Council - what do they have in common? Bangor's Welsh graduates have reached the top of their professional careers in them and are at the helm in each of these organisations.      

Opportunities at Bangor

The University’s Careers and Employability Service provides a wide range of resources to help you achieve your graduate ambitions. 

Internships

Bangor University runs a paid internship scheme within the university’s academic and service departments.

Student Volunteering

Volunteering widens your experience and improves your employability. Find out more about volunteering on the Students’ Union’s website.