Welsh and English Literature (BA)

at Cardiff University

Course structure

This is a three-year, full-time course, consisting of 120 credits a year. You’ll study six 20-credit modules a year, split equally between the subjects.

The modules shown are an example of the typical curriculum and will be reviewed prior to the 2023/2024 academic year. The final modules will be published by September 2023.

Year one

You will take 120 credits in total, equally split between 60 credits in Welsh and 60 credits in English Literature.

The emphasis in year one is on developing key skills (linguistic, analytical, creative and employability) in the fields of language and literature, and all students follow a set number of modules with an appropriate number of contact hours. The School will also provide additional arrangements for second language students to develop and practise their language skills.

For the first-language route the core modules are:

• Iaith ac Ystyr [Language and Meaning]
• Awdur, Testun a Darllenydd [Author, Text and Reader]
• Y Gymraeg yn y Gymru Gyfoes [The Welsh Language in Contemporary Wales]

For the second-language route the core modules are:

• Sgiliau Iaith [Language Skills]
• Sgiliau Astudio Llenyddiaeth [Studying Literature Skills]
• Y Gymraeg Heddiw [The Welsh Language today]

Year one English Literature is a foundation year designed to equip you with the skills for advanced study and to give you an overview of the subject that will enable you to make informed choices from the modules available in years two and three.

 Core modules for year one

Optional modules for year one

Year two

You will take 60 credits in Welsh and 60 credits in English Literature.

In year two Welsh, you will build on the skills and knowledge acquired in year one. The core linguistic elements of the course focus on language skills within both an academic and a vocational context, and include a period of work experience in a workplace in which Welsh is used on a daily basis.

Alongside these core elements, the Welsh course offers optional modules in years two and three in Welsh language, literature and culture, including several with direct relevance to specific fields of employment, such as language planning, scriptwriting and translation.

There are no compulsory modules for English Literature in year two. You may select from a range of modules based on period, genre or theme in which you will be reading a variety of texts in their historical and cultural contexts.

These might include modules such as Shakespeare and Renaissance Drama, The Novel in the Romantic Age, Welsh Fiction and Poetry, as well as Ways of Reading, the American South in Literature and Film or Creative Writing.

 Core modules for year two

 Optional modules for year two

Year three

You will take 60 credits in Welsh and 60 credits in English Literature.

By year three you will have gained experience of a variety of literary periods, topics, genres and approaches, developing your critical faculties and your skills in analysing texts and contexts. You will therefore be in an excellent position to choose between a range of more specialised English Literature modules that engage with current issues in research and scholarship in relation to authors and texts both well-known and possibly less well-known to you.

In Welsh, it is compulsory to choose one of the following modules:

• Blas ar Ymchwil [Research Taster]
• Ymchwilio Estynedig [Extended Research]

You will have a choice of an essay or project for of 5,000 words (20 credits) or 9,000 words (40 credits), to be completed under the direction of a member of staff who is an expert in the relevant field. This may lead to further research or provide an effective showcase for potential employers. You will also choose more optional modules.

 Optional modules for year three

A level
ABB-BBB. Must include Welsh First or Second Language, and Creative Writing, English Language and Literature, or English Literature.

Extended/International Project Qualification: Applicants with grade A in the EPQ/IPQ will typically receive an offer one grade lower than the standard A level offer. Please note that any subject specific requirements must still be met.

International Baccalaureate
32-31 overall or 665 in 3 HL subjects. Must include grade 6 in HL English Language and Literature, English Literature,  or English Literature and Performance. You must also have a Welsh Language qualification equivalent to grade B at A-level.

GCSE
Grade C or grade 4 in GCSE English Language.

IELTS (academic)
At least 6.5 overall with a minimum of 5.5 in each subskill.

TOEFL iBT
At least 90 overall with minimum scores of 17 for writing, 17 for listening, 18 for reading and 20 for speaking.

PTE Academic
At least 62 overall with a minimum of 59 in all communicative skills.

Trinity ISE II/III
II: at least two Distinctions and two Merits.
III: at least a Pass in all components.

The cost of studying at Cardiff University varies largely depending on the type of university and the degree chosen. More often than not, humanities, arts, and education courses are less expensive than degrees in medical, engineering, or management. Furthermore, students who choose to study at the postgraduate level typically pay higher tuition fees, which again vary depending on the programme chosen.

Most universities provide scholarships or financial aid to students in order to help them offset their tuition costs. Students should be aware that additional course fees and incidental expenses may not be included in tuition. On average, international students can expect to pay £18,700 annually, to study in Cardiff University.

We provide our students with a highly satisfying academic experience that assists their development as critically-minded, culturally-aware citizens whose high analytic skills, powers of expression and progressive self-reliance make them extremely attractive to employers.

The demand for Welsh speakers means that a degree in Welsh can be highly valuable for jobs and roles that require bilingual speakers. Many of our graduates are now following careers in areas such as law, politics, media, performing arts, administration and education, or engaged in postgraduate study.

English literature graduates have excellent analytic and communication skills that fit them for a full range of professions and further training. Their cultural expertise and intellectual abilities are valued in the public and private sector, and in contexts as varied as the classroom, the law courts or the media.

In 2016/17, 91% of graduates from the School of Welsh who were available for work reported they were in employment and/or further study within six months of graduating, while 95% of the School of English, Communication and Philosophy’s graduates who were available for work reported they were in employment and/or further study within six months of graduating.