BA

Welsh / Education

BA Welsh / Education Code QX53 Attend an Open Day Attend an Open Day

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Key Facts

QX53

  • UCAS Tariff

    120 - 104

  • Course duration

    3 years

Available for

Further details on entry requirements

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The BA Welsh / Education degree course at Aberystwyth University will enable you to develop your skills and competencies in Welsh, and study Welsh Literature alongside Education. This course is the perfect combination if you are considering a career in the education sector, in whatever field. The broad aspect of both subjects taught on this course along with your ability to express yourself effectively and purposefully in Welsh, both in writing and speech, will also offer you all sorts of other exciting career opportunities in the future.

Course Overview

By choosing to study BA Welsh / Education at Aberystwyth University, you will have the opportunity to explore children and teenagers’ development, and come to understand the educational systems that provide the framework for that development. Alongside the Education subjects, you will study Welsh in a department that leads the sector in fields such as creative writing, Welsh in the professional workplace and translation services. The Welsh / Education degree course will motivate and inspire you. 

On the Education modules, you will explore how people learn, how their environments impact on their learning, how we make decisions, and how our understanding of learning and teaching has developed over the years. This will include elements of psychology, sociology, politics and history. In addition to that, there is a focus on supporting learners throughout their time in school. 

The Welsh modules will give you an opportunity to broaden your horizons through learning about literature, culture, politics, history and the sociology of Welsh. You will study fascinating subjects that reflect the latest research interests of our lecturers, from the history of our literature to contemporary literature, and from the sociology of the Welsh language to registers and dialects of Welsh, as well as creative writing and scriptwriting. 

To complement your studies, you will be able to benefit from the closeness of the National Library of Wales with its wonderful collections of literary, audio and visual resources, and to take advantage of the vibrant Welsh social life here in Aberystwyth. You can join UMCA (the Welsh Students' Union), live in Pantycelyn hall or Fferm Penglais, and take part in all sorts of fun activities that are organised for our Welsh-speaking students. 

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.

Undergraduate lecturers in the School of Education are either qualified to PhD standard or are experienced practitioners in their field. All teaching staff currently possess, or are working towards, a recognised teaching qualification.

Careers

During the BA Welsh / Education degree 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. 

Jobs 

In the field of Education, as well as entering the Primary teaching sector, graduates have secured work in a variety of other areas such as: 

  • speech therapy 
  • social work 
  • children's wellbeing 
  • the leisure industry 
  • law 
  • researching.

A degree with Education can also lead to opportunities in other areas, such as student support in the FE or HE sectors, and the training sector. A dedicated adviser with experience in education will be able to provide advice right from your first year.

Graduates who have studied Welsh at university are able to show achievement at a high level, and there is evidence that these graduates are in high demand in a wide variety of jobs. As well as going into Education, the Welsh media attracts many to performing and producing. Others find work as translators or administrators. The research and analysis skills you will have developed during your degree course will also give you a solid foundation to study at postgraduate level and for a life 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. 

Teaching & Learning

What will I learn? 

In the first year the Education modules will introduce you to the ways in which children learn, child-care practices and developmental psychology, relating these to a practical context of working with young children. You will also be introduced to the characteristics of an effective learning environment. If you're following the Welsh first language pathway you will concentrate on a variety of literary periods and other aspects of the subject. This will be an opportunity for you to see which aspects of Welsh interest you the most. This will be helpful to you when you come to design your own unique combination of modules in the second and third years. If you're on the second language pathway you will study specific modules that will develop your writing and speaking skills and enhance your vocabulary. This will give you an opportunity to gain confidence and improve your linguistic skills with the support of the staff and your fellow students. You will also be introduced to Welsh literature, both contemporary and historical. 

In the second year the Education modules will concentrate on psychology and learning with the aim of extending your knowledge and critical understanding of the major theories of thinking and learning. You will also be able to choose from a collection of engaging optional modules. Those of you who are on the Welsh first language pathway will choose the modules that interest you the most from a collection of engaging optional modules. Those of you on the second language pathway be introduced to the basic principles of standard Welsh, such as the registers of the language and the spelling conventions, and you will develop your ability to write standard Welsh correctly and speak it eloquently. There will also be an opportunity to develop linguistic and practical skills that will be beneficial to you in the bilingual workplace in Wales, and to select a few optional modules.  

In the last year the Education modules will focus on the role of assessment in an educational context, ranging from the informal classroom assessment of learning to assessment systems at a national scale. You will also choose from a collection of engaging optional modules that are available, according to your own interests. First language pathway Welsh students will choose from a collection of engaging optional modules, according to personal interests and those of you on the second language pathway will continue to develop and refine your abilities to express yourself in Welsh confidently, both speaking and writing. By the end of the course you will have reached the same standard as first language students and will graduate with the same qualification. 

How will I be taught? 

In both the Department of Welsh and Celtic Studies and the School of Education 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. 

How will I be assessed? 

Your work will be assessed through examinations, continuous assessment, and essays and exercises. 

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. 

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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