BA

Welsh / History

BA Welsh / History Code QV51 Attend an Open Day Attend an Open Day

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Key Facts

QV51

  • UCAS Tariff

    120 - 104

  • Course duration

    3 years

Available for September start 2025

Further details on entry requirements

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By choosing to study the BA Welsh / History degree at Aberystwyth University, you will divide your time between two highly renowned departments. The Department of Welsh and Celtic Studies leads the sector in fields such as creative writing, Welsh in the professional workplace and translation services. History has been taught in Aberystwyth since 1872, which means that our department is the oldest in Wales and one of the foremost in the UK. On the Welsh modules, we will introduce you to engaging and interesting courses that are relevant to our way of seeing Wales and the world through Welsh. The History modules will introduce themes from the middle ages to today and will include political, social, economic and cultural history. This course offers an engaging combination of subjects, and gaining a degree in Welsh / History will offer opportunities to work in a range of professional careers in Wales and beyond.

Course Overview

During your time as a student in the Department of Welsh and Celtic Studies you will get to choose from a wide variety of modules that span a wide range of interests and you will become part of the buzz for which the Department is known. You will be taught by specialists who are innovators in their fields and you will follow an exciting and challenging course. You will select subjects from our wide range of modules which reflect the latest research interests of our lecturers, from the history of our literature to contemporary literature, and from sociology of the Welsh language to the registers and dialects of Welsh, and creative writing and scriptwriting.

Most of us are curious about the past and about the way in which human society has evolved over time. As well as being interesting in itself, studying history will allow you to put the past into perspective by giving you the opportunity to skills that are essential to becoming a historian - the skills of analysis, interpretation and communication. In the Department of History and Welsh History you will have opportunities to work with primary and secondary sources from the start of the course. You will also have the opportunity to understand the place of the British Isles in Europe and in the world more widely, from the middle ages to today, by selecting topics from the wide range of modules that are available to you.

Our Staff

All academic staff in the Department of Welsh and Celtic Studies are research active scholars and experts in their chosen fields of study, including the study of languages and literatures as well as creative writing.

Staff in the Department of History and Welsh History are active researchers and experts in their field of History. Most are qualified to PhD level and hold PGCHE. To find out more about our staff, please visit our departmental staff page.

Modules September start - 2025

Please note: The modules listed below are those currently intended for delivery during the next academic year and may be subject to change. They are included here to give an indication of how the course is structured.

Core

Module Name Module Code Credit Value

Options

Module Name Module Code Credit Value
'Hands on' History: Sources and their Historians HY10420 20
Europe and the World, 1000-2000 HY12420 20
Medieval and Early Modern Britain and Europe, 1000-1800 HY11420 20
People, Power and Identity: Wales 1200-1999 WH11720 20
The Modern World, 1789 to the present HY11820 20

* Also available partially or entirely through the medium of Welsh

Careers

What can I do with a degree in Welsh / History?

During the course you will develop a host of transferable skills that are highly valued by employers. Here are some examples: 

  • exploring and analysing data 
  • thinking creatively and effective problem solving  
  • working independently 
  • organising and managing time, including the ability to meet tight deadlines 
  • expressing ideas and communicating information clearly and coherently, orally and in writing 
  • self-motivation and self-reliance 
  • team work - the ability to discuss concepts in groups, discussing various ideas and reaching an agreement 
  • information technology skills. 

Career prospects

Our graduates have been successful in securing professions in many different fields:

  • archiving
  • commerce
  • education
  • entrepreneurship
  • law
  • politics
  • presenting
  • publishing
  • the civil service
  • the Media
  • the police
  • tourism.

The research and analysis skills that you will develop during the your degree course will also serve as a solid foundation for studying at postgraduate level and for a carreer in academia.

What opportunities for work experience will be available while I study? 

Find out more about the different opportunities offered by the

Aberystwyth University Careers Service. 

Improve your employment opportunities with GO Wales and the Year in Employment Scheme which are managed by the Careers Service. 

Student placements in the inheritance sector

The Department of History and Welsh History has strong connections with the inheritance sector and an established portfolio of student placements. In the past, students have spent up to three weeks in the National Library of Wales (including Welsh medium opportunities), Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Wales and the Antiquarian Society in London. These placements offer an opportunity to get practical work experience and obtain an understanding of the inheritance sector, and are very valuable for any CV!

Teaching & Learning

What will I learn?

In your first year you will be introduced to the main themes that are central to studying Welsh and that are intrinsic to being a historian.

In Welsh, depending on whether you are on the first language or second language pathway, you may: critically explore poets and authors from 1900 until today; learn about the main trends in the Welsh literary tradition and critically appreciate a selection of individual texts; critically explore Wales's literary figures (in poetry and prose); be introduced to the transferable skills associated with studying language and literature that will be helpful to you in crafting written assignments and developing more general skills; study the registers of the language alongside the characteristics of standard Welsh; discuss the contemporary world through Welsh to strengthen your oral skills; and develop written skills and your understanding of Welsh grammar.

In History, you will be introduced to a variety of skills, techniques and exercises that are crucial to studying a degree and studying history specifically. You will also learn about sources and their historians - from manuscripts to newspapers, and from official documents to music - and you will consider how historians have used a wide range of sources to interpret the past. Original sources are the clues that historians use to create a picture of the past. You will learn how to engage critically with these and this will prepare you for your own history detective work in the future. You can also choose topics from a selection of modules that are specific to the history of Wales.

In your second year you will study core modules in Welsh but will select the History topics from a wide range of modules.

Depending on the language pathway, you will develop your ability to write correct Welsh of a high standard and to speak it eloquently, and you will continue with the first-year module that looks at the registers of the language and characteristics of standard Welsh, including the spelling conventions, literary forms, the mutations and idioms. In addition to that, you will have an opportunity to develop linguistic and practical skills that will be advantageous to you in the bilingual professional workplace in Wales.

In History, you will choose topics from a wide range of modules. Modules vary between themes such as: Wales and the Tudors; culture; society and the Victorians; the media and society in 20th Century Britain; to China since 1800; between revolution and reformation; image wars in south east Asia; studying 20th Century propaganda; and the civil rights movement in America.

In your final year in the Welsh modules, depending on whether you're following the first language or second language pathway, you will continue to work on developing your writing skills using standard and correct Welsh and speaking it eloquently, but apart from that you will be free to select topics from a very wide range of modules in both subjects. Please see the modules tab for further information.

How will I be taught and assessed?

You will be taught through a combination of traditional lectures, seminars and other innovative teaching methods. In the seminars, the groups are smaller and the atmosphere more informal, to foster open discussion. You will be assessed through essays, examinations, continuous assessment, specific exercises, research work and developing ideas, giving presentations, and working as part of a team, amongst others.

Personal Tutor

A personal tutor will be allocated to you for the duration of your degree course. The tutor will be able to help you with any problems or queries that you may have, whether academic or personal. You are welcome to contact your personal tutor at any time if you need assistance.

Student Testimonials

I came here on an open day and fell in love with the place and its atmosphere, so I decided to come here to study. I got a scholarship to come here, which was also a big help.

It was easy for me to settle in here. As it’s such a small town, everything is close together and it’s full of students. There is a homely feeling about the place, and it doesn’t take much time for you to make friends.

The Department of History and Welsh History is excellent. It’s easy to communicate with department staff and they’re always there for you if you’ve got any problems.

As I am studying Welsh and History, the National Library is very useful - every single book is available as it’s a copyright library.

I’m a member of the Aberystwyth Welsh Students' Union (UMCA). There are plenty of societies here; it’s incredible. By being a member of these societies you mix with other students.

The thing that I like most about Aber is the social life, the town’s warm atmosphere and the fact that everything is close together. The only thing I don’t like is the hill!

I would definitely recommend others to study at Aberystwyth University. This is the best experience you will get! Ceri Phillips

I was very happy to receive the Coleg Cymraeg Cenedlaethol’s Motivation Scholarship and every penny is useful to me as I start my degree at Aberystwyth. Welsh is my first language and I followed all my subjects through the medium of Welsh in school, so it was a natural choice to do so at university. The good name of the Department of History and Welsh History and the Welsh society in Aberystwyth was what attracted me here. Heledd Eleri Evans

Typical Entry Requirements

UCAS Tariff 120 - 104

A Levels BBB-BCC to include B in Welsh 1st or 2nd Language

GCSE requirements (minimum grade C/4):
English or Welsh

BTEC National Diploma:
DDM-DMM, plus B in A level Welsh 1st or 2nd Language

International Baccalaureate:
30-28, plus B in A level Welsh 1st or 2nd Language

European Baccalaureate:
75%-65% overall, plus B in A level Welsh 1st or 2nd Language

English Language Requirements:
See our Undergraduate English Language Requirements for this course. Pre-sessional English Programmes are also available for students who do not meet our English Language Requirements.

Country Specific Entry Requirements:
International students whose qualification is not listed on this page, can check our Country Specific Entry Requirements for further information.

The University welcomes undergraduate applications from students studying the Access to Higher Education Diploma or T-level qualifications, provided that relevant subject content and learning outcomes are met. We are not able to accept Access to Higher Education Diplomas or T-levels as a general qualification for every undergraduate degree course.
Our inclusive admissions policy values breadth as well as depth of study. Applicants are selected on their own individual merits and offers can vary. If you would like to check the eligibility of your qualifications before submitting an application, please contact the Undergraduate Admissions Office for advice and guidance.

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