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Gilmorehill Campus

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Year 1: In the first year there are three parallel courses, one for students with a good pass in Higher Gàidhlig, a second for those with a good pass in Higher Gaelic and a third for absolute beginners. Whether you are a native speaker of Scottish Gaelic, a learner or a complete beginner, our Gaelic programme allows you to develop advanced language skills at the same time as acquiring in-depth knowledge and understanding of Scottish Gaelic language, culture and literature, and those of related languages such as modern Irish.

You will also study two other subjects in year 1 according to your interests: see Degrees in Arts, Science and Social Sciences.

Year 2: In the second year you continue to broaden your knowledge of Scottish Gaelic literature, as well as deepening your language skills.

If you progress through the courses for advanced Gaelic in first year, you will study 19th-century Gaelic writers such as Norman MacLeod; 17th- and 18th-century poetry (including Iain Lom and Sìleas na Ceapaich); aspects of Gaelic linguistics including phonetics and sociolinguistics.

If you progress through the beginners course, you will continue to hone your language skills and also study a range of Gaelic writing including novels by Iain Mac a’ Ghobhainn and poetry by Somhairle Mac’Illeathain, some of which are taught through the medium of Gaelic.

Students who are not fluent Gaelic speakers have the opportunity to improve their fluency by attending a three-week inter-university Gaelic summer school.

You will also study one or two other subjects in year 2 according to your interests: see Degrees in Arts, Science and Social Sciences.

Years 3 and 4: If you progress to Honours (years three and four), you will concentrate on modern Scottish Gaelic, language and literature, whilst broadening out to the study of Irish and of the development and varieties of the Gaelic languages.

This allows you to study aspects of Gaelic literature and language in more depth, mostly through the medium of Gaelic, and to develop your critical and analytical skills. Among the courses on offer are; 20th-century Gaelic war poetry; Women’s poetry between the 15th and 17th centuries; The clearances through the eyes of the Gaels; Gaelic autobiography; History of the Gaelic book; Modern Irish; Gaelic dialectology; Classical Gaelic; Celtic place-names.

You also write a dissertation, allowing you to research a relevant topic of your own choosing.

In terms of language skills, you are trained to a high level of language proficiency.

Entry Requirements

2026 entry requirements

Standard entry: 5 Highers at AAAAB (by end S6 with min BBBB after S5) including English and a humanities subject at AA (AB or BA may be considered).

Entry to year 2 may be possible with 3 Advanced Highers in relevant subjects.

Widening access entry: 4 Highers at AABB or BBBB (by end S6) including English and a humanities subject. Completion of pre-entry programme is necessary.