Welsh

Wales has an unbroken literary tradition that extends back to such medieval highlights as the tales of the Mabinogion (which include the Welsh Arthurian legends), the heroic poetry of the Book of Aneirin and the love and nature poetry of Dafydd ap Gwilym. During the twentieth century, writers such as T. Gwynn Jones, Saunders Lewis, Kate Roberts and T.H. Parry-Williams gave a dynamic new direction to the literature of Wales in the Modern period, experimentation which continues, ensuring that the unique Welsh aesthetic makes a vital contribution to local and international cultural concerns.

You may have an interest in the social history of minority languages and the manner of their survival in the modern world. How did Welsh survive the industrial revolution? What was the fate of the Welsh diaspora in north America and its own Welsh-language literature? What of the Welsh communities in Patagonia, Argentina? What is the connection between Welsh and the growth of nationalism in modern Wales? How does the Welsh literary tradition develop in recent times of multiculturalism and devolution? If you are intrigued by such questions, it is likely that an MA in Welsh (Cymraeg) is for you!

It is possible to study with us through the medium of English or Welsh.

Wales is a bilingual country in which English and Welsh are legally recognised as official languages. In fields as varied as education, language planning, media and journalism, the civil service, the heritage industry, public relations and marketing, there is a great demand for graduates who have competence in Welsh and an ability to work in a bilingual environment. Those who wish to pursue academic interests will gain a sound basis to enable progression to PhD level.

The School of Welsh and Celtic Studies has research expertise in all major areas of Welsh literature and its staff also includes some of the most prominent writers and poets in contemporary Wales, such as Professor Angharad Price, Professor Jason Walford Davies, Professor Jerry Hunter and Professor Gerwyn Wiliams. We also work closely with other academic Schools in the University, e.g. with History and Welsh History in the field of Celtic Studies and with Modern Languages in the fields of translation studies and comparative literature. The main aim of our research is to place Welsh literature in new intellectual contexts. At Bangor, the objective remains to study Welsh literature not as remnants of a 'Celtic' past but as a manifestation of a viable literature that belongs to the modern world.