Welsh for Beginners BA (Hons)

Bangor University

United Kingdom, Bangor

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Home/United Kingdom/Bangor /Bangor University/Welsh for Beginners BA (Hons)

Bangor University

United Kingdom , Bangor

Key Facts

Program Level

Bachelor

Study Type

Full Time

Delivery

On Campus

Course Code

Q565

Campuses

Bangor

Program Language

English

Start & Deadlines

Next Intake Deadlines13-Sep-2026

Apply to this program

Go to the official application for the university

Duration 4 year(s)

Next Intake 13-Sep-2026

Welsh for Beginners BA (Hons)

About

J.R.R. Tolkien once asserted that Welsh “is of this soil, this island, the senior language of…Britain; and Welsh is beautiful”. As Wales develops into a dynamic bilingual country there has never been a more exciting time to study the most vibrant of the Celtic languages. Follow the story of Welsh from the medieval tales of the Mabinogion to the multifaceted Welsh-language culture of contemporary Wales. This four-year programme is designed for beginners and unconfident speakers. It includes an intensive language-focussed Foundation Year, followed by the comprehensive Welsh (second-language pathway) three-year BA degree scheme.

Along this path, Welsh-medium teaching increases gradually as your skills develop, and special modules are designed to facilitate 'crossing the bridge' from learner to enterprising speaker with a degree in Welsh .

Don't worry if you don't have A levels Welsh - we are always happy to consider other qualifications, and alternative experiences: Welsh is a subject for students of all backgrounds. And this four year course allows complete beginners to study with us, even if they have never spoken a word of Welsh.

Doing a degree in Welsh allows you to enjoy and appreciate one of Europe's richest literary cultures - the culture of Wales. You will be given every help to fully participate in the Welsh life of the university and the locality, and you will also learn about Welsh in wider international contexts. We ask questions such as how the fate of the language compares with languages such as Basque and Irish, or how Welsh writers and poets have responded to global themes such as slavery, the Holocaust and the ecological challenge of the modern world.

Why choose Bangor University for this course?

A world-renowned centre for the study of Welsh and Celtic Studies.
Study in the unique Celtic linguistic environment of Gwynedd (north-west Wales) where Welsh remains the language of the majority.

Additional Course Options

Placement Year

This course is available with a Placement Year option where you will study for 1 additional year. The Placement Year is undertaken at the end of the second year and students are away for the whole of the academic year.

The Placement Year provides you with a fantastic opportunity to broaden your horizons and develop valuable skills and contacts through working with a self-sourced organisation relevant to your degree subject. The minimum period in placement (at one or more locations) is seven calendar months; more usually you would spend 10-12 months with a placement provider. You would normally start sometime in the period June to September of your second year and finish between June and September the following year. Placements can be UK-based or overseas and you will work with staff to plan and finalise the placement arrangements.

You will be expected to find and arrange a suitable placement to complement your degree and will be fully supported throughout by a dedicated member of staff at your academic School and the University’s Careers and Employability Services.

You will have the opportunity to fully consider this option when you have started your course at Bangor and can make an application for a transfer onto this pathway at the appropriate time. Read more about the work experience opportunities that may be available to you or, if you have any questions, please get in touch.

International Experience Year

This course is available with an International Experience Year option where you will study or work abroad for 1 additional year. You will have ‘with International Experience’ added to your degree title on graduating.

Studying abroad is a great opportunity to see a different way of life, learn about new cultures and broaden your horizons. With international experience of this kind, you’ll really improve your career prospects. There are a wide variety of destinations and partner universities to choose from. If you plan to study in a country where English is not spoken natively, there may be language courses available for you at Bangor and in your host university to improve your language skills.

You will have the opportunity to fully consider this option at any time during your degree at Bangor and make your application. If you have any questions in the meantime, please get in touch.

Read more about the International Experience Year programme and see the studying or working abroad options on the Student Exchanges section of our website.

Requirements

Entry Requirements

2025 Entry Requirements

Offers are tariff based, 90 - 120 tariff points from a Level 3 qualification e.g.:

A Levels (including grade B in a Humanities subject, e.g. English, French, German, History, Geography, Religious Studies). A level Welsh is not required. General Studies and Key Skills not normally accepted.
BTEC National Extended Diploma and Cambridge Technical Extended Diploma: MMM-DDM
International Baccalaureate Diploma (including grade H5 in a Humanities subject)
Welsh Baccalaureate: We will accept this qualification in conjunction with other level 3 qualifications
City & Guilds Advanced Technical Extended Diploma (1080): considered on a case-by-case basis
Access course in the area of Arts or Humanities: Pass
T Levels: T Levels in a relevant subject considered on a case-by-case basis
Extended Project Qualification: Points can include a relevant Extended Project (EPQ) but must include a minimum 2 full A-levels, or equivalent.

We are happy to accept combinations of the qualifications listed above, as well as alternative Level 3 qualifications such as City & Guilds, Access and Cambridge Technical Diplomas.

We also welcome applications from mature learners.

International Candidates: International Candidates: school leaving qualifications that are equivalent to A levels/Level 3 and/or college diplomas are accepted from countries worldwide (subject to minimum English Language requirements). More information can be found on our International pages.

*For a full list of accepted Level 3 qualifications, go to www.ucas.com.

English Program Requirements

IELTS 6.0 (5.5) or equivalent. Some courses have higher English Language Requirements.

For students educated in English or from an English speaking country we may be able to waive the requirement, if you can provide evidence that you achieved a minimum of a C or equivalent in your high school English (higher for some courses) or a letter from your University confirming your bachelor degree was taught in English.

Career

Bangor's second language students have enjoyed great success recently. Many have gained first class degrees, and some have won University awards for their work (competing with first language students). Some have chosen to go on to successful careers where their Welsh language skills are essential; others have decided to stay in academia, and complete postgraduate degrees in Welsh, either here at Bangor or at other universities internationally.

There has never been a more exciting time to study Welsh at Bangor. 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 this goal there will be a considerable demand for confident Welsh speaking graduates. A degree in Welsh will qualify you as well as any other route in the Humanities would - and doing so better than many other subjects. Employability statistics show, year on year, that graduates from the School of Welsh succeed exceptionally well in finding qualified work. The ability to communicate effectively in spoken and written Welsh is an essential skill in an ever-increasing number of jobs, and Welsh is not a subject that closes any doors on finding work internationally either.

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 graduates go into education, to be primary and secondary teachers, headteachers, education officers and directors of education. Others go into further education and others 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.