History and Welsh (BA)
Within this degree scheme, students will have the opportunity to pair the popular and fascinating subject of History with the Welsh language, its literature and culture.
By combining these two courses, students will gain a wealth of transferable skills and knowledge beneficial to the world of employment, opening the doors to a variety of career paths. The time spent on each subject is effectively halved, enabling students to study the Welsh language, its literature and culture, whilst exploring and understanding key moments in history.
The Welsh programme is relevant to contemporary Wales and delivered by a school noted for its research quality and impact. The programme's main aim is to produce graduates who have three key attributes: firstly, a thorough academic and practical understanding of the Welsh language, its literature and culture; secondly, a high level of skill in written and spoken Welsh; and thirdly, well-developed employability and creative skills that are highly valued in today's competitive workplace.
The programme has been carefully designed with these attributes in mind, and so offers a wide range of core and optional modules which will provide you with a grounding in language and literature as well as the opportunity to specialise in areas of personal or vocational interest.
The degree aims to develop your knowledge and critical understanding of the political, social, economic, and cultural structures of past societies and to cultivate intellectual skills such as the ability to assess evidence critically, to evaluate different interpretations of the evidence, to construct arguments on the basis of evidence, and to express opinions cogently in speech and in writing.
History covers the period from the fall of the Roman Empire to the present day. There is a balance between modules covering specific historical periods and thematic modules that examine broad social and cultural topics, such as warfare, gender, religion, art, medicine and science.
The degree provides the training necessary for students who wish to study either subject at postgraduate level, and a valuable range of intellectual and transferable skills for students who wish to enter other professions.
|Entry point||September 2016|
|Studying in Welsh||This course offers elements that are taught through the medium of Welsh. Please contact the Admissions tutor for more information.|
|Typical places available||The School of History, Archaeology and Religion typically has 320 places available. The School of Welsh typically has 30 places available.|
|Typical applications received||The School of History, Archaeology and Religion typically receives 1800 applications. The School of Welsh typically receives 100 applications.|
|Typical A level offer||ABB including History and Welsh. We do not include General Studies or Critical Thinking in our offers.|
|Typical Welsh Baccalaureate offer||Grade A in the Core, and grades AB in GCE Advanced Level subjects, to include History and a B in Welsh. Excluding General Studies.|
|Typical International Baccalaureate offer||34 points with 6 points in History|
|Other qualifications||Applications from those offering alternative qualifications are welcome.|
Detailed alternative entry requirements are available for this course.
|QAA subject benchmark|
Dr Lloyd Bowen, Admissions Tutor
Dr Rhiannon Marks, Course Administrator
Dr Rhiannon Marks, Admissions Tutor
Important Legal Information: The programme information currently being published in Course Finder is under review and may be subject to change. The final programme information is due to be published by May 2016 and will be the definitive programme outline which the University intends to offer. Applicants are advised to check the definitive programme information after the update, to ensure that the programme meets their needs.
This is a three-year degree programme comprising some core modules that provide essential skills and training as well as a wide variety of optional modules for you to select from to tailor your degree to meet your interests.
In Year 1, you take 60 credits of History modules. First language students will take 60 credits in Welsh while second language students will take 80 credits in Welsh.
Students of this course can choose to study modules outside of their allocated School(s) core and optional modules. These can be chosen from modules from participating Academic Schools.
|Module title||Module code||Credits|
|Llenyddiaeth Gymraeg||CY1743||20 credits|
|O Destun I Draethawd||CY1744||20 credits|
|Cyflwyniad I'r Gymraeg||CY1742||20 credits|
|Medieval Europe||HS1101||20 credits|
|Early Modern England and Wales 1500-1700||HS1106||20 credits|
|The Making of The Modern World, 1750-1970||HS1105||20 credits|
|Modern Wales||HS1104||20 credits|
|Sgiliau llafar||CY1500||20 credits|
|Defnyddio'r Gymraeg||CY1501||20 credits|
|Astudio Barddoniaeth||CY1502||20 credits|
|Astudio Rhyddiaith||CY1503||20 credits|
|Diwylliant y Gymraeg||CY1750||20 credits|
|Making Global Histories: Asia and the West||HS1108||20 credits|
In Year 2, you take 60 credits of Welsh modules and 60 credits of History modules.
Students studying this course may take one or two modules from another Academic School, selected from the University’s Free Standing Module Collection.
In Year 3, you take 60 credits of Welsh modules and 60 credits of History modules.
In Welsh you will undertake an extended essay or project (4,000 or 8,000 words).
School of Welsh
We provide exciting and challenging teaching in order to help our students succeed in a competitive environment. One of our core principles is that the teaching is informed and led by research. You will therefore learn about the latest ideas from scholars who are contributing to the development and future of their specialist subjects.
The teaching is usually delivered through the medium of lectures and seminars which provide you with the opportunity to discuss the subject matter in detail within small groups. However, there is also an important role to be played by one on one tutorials, workshops and languages classes.
Each module is supported by electronic teaching materials shared via Learning Central, part of the University’s virtual learning environment. You will receive personal pastoral care within the School, alongside the University’s central support services for accommodation, counselling, disability, dyslexia, finance and careers.
Our programmes have been carefully designed and planned to ensure you experience a range of assessment methods including coursework essays, examinations/written class tests, dissertation, portfolios, written reports and oral examinations. This helps to ensure that you can demonstrate your skills to the best of your ability and reach your potential.
School of History, Archaeology and Religion
You will develop a range of intellectual skills: critical thinking, evaluating evidence, constructing evidence-based arguments, and presenting opinions effectively in writing and in debate. Additionally, you will gain practical skills such as team-working, independent research, and time management. Teaching methods include lectures, seminars, practicals, field trips, and one-to-one tutorials. You will also undertake independent study and research, with guidance from tutors. Assessment, including coursework, exams, practical work, and oral presentations, will test the different skills you have learned.
The School of History, Archaeology and Religion enables you to develop in a high-quality learning environment, supported by a student-orientated approach to the acquisition of knowledge and skill.
History provides significant opportunities for learning and teaching through the medium of Welsh. Subject to staff availability, seminar teaching in Welsh is available on some or all of the major core courses, and at least one Welsh language option is offered in Years Two and Three. Welsh language supervision is also available for long essays (Exploring Historical Debate) and dissertations, and students may elect to write all or some of their assessed work and examinations in Welsh.
School of Welsh
The demand for Welsh speakers across a range of industries (including the media, education, local and national government, public and private sectors), means that a degree in Welsh can be a 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, and at all levels.
In 2013/14, 100% of the School’s graduates were in employment or further study within six months of graduating.
School of History, Archaeology and Religion
In 2013/14, 92% of the School's graduates who were available for work reported they were in employment and/or further study within six months of graduation.
The School of Welsh admits around 35 students every year to its undergraduate degree programmes.
The School of History, Archaeology and Religion admit around 260 students each year to its undergraduate degree programmes.
The School of History, Archaeology and Religion= 1650
The School of Welsh = 130
QAA subject benchmark
|QAA subject benchmark|
Overview and aims of this course/programme
Welsh is an exciting, broad and challenging academic discipline which involves producing, presenting and interpreting written texts and oral subjects, as well as the nature and history of the language. Studying the Welsh language fosters an open and flexible mind as well as the ability to consider different concepts. In turn, this will enable students to discuss and interpret modern developments as well as the cultures and values of the past. After studying Welsh, students will be ready to take advantage of all the opportunities that the language offers in today’s world.
CardiffUniversity’s School of Welsh has a definite vision with regard to its graduates. This vision is based on the belief that developing excellent academic skills provide the necessary ammunition to pursue a successful career in a wide range of fields. As a result, a typical Welsh graduate will be a successful communicator with the ability to analyse and interpret the world around them in a critical and creative way. They will have the ability to act independently at a high level, and their skills will benefit them in the academic world as well as in the workplace. These skills will be based on a sound knowledge and understanding of the Welsh language, its literature and culture, as well as an informed awareness of its place in the modern world.
Students at the School of Welsh will study at a vibrant university in the capital city of Wales, where opportunities in the Welsh language are expanding continually. One of the main characteristics of Cardiff University, and also the School of Welsh, is the emphasis placed on research-led teaching. In other words, students at the School of Welsh will be taught by members of staff that produce research of the highest quality, who then use this research when teaching a wide range of areas. Students will also benefit from opportunities to use their skills and knowledge in different contexts, be they academic (including a research project) or practical (including work experience).
The knowledge and skills of those students that graduate from the School of Welsh will be suitable for a wide range of occupations, including the following fields: education, media and other creative industries, the heritage industry, local and national government, business and marketing. A degree in Welsh is also excellent preparation for further study, whether in the field of Welsh itself, in other related academic areas or in occupational fields such as education, the law and public relations.
The BA in Welsh and History conforms to the standards set out in the Credit and Qualification Framework for Walesand the Quality Assurance Agency (QAA)benchmarks.
The BA (Joint Honours) in Welsh and History offers candidates the opportunity to pursue an advanced programme of study, dividing their modules equally between Welsh, History and in the first year potentially one further subject area. The study of History at Cardiff enables you to learn about the very different worlds of people in the past and to better understand the present, giving you an insight into the history of societies in diverse parts of the globe and the processes of change that have affected them. Above all you will learn to ‘do history’ yourself, and will thus acquire the sorts of skills that employers prize: the ability to think independently, to analyse and assess a body of material, assess its strengths and weaknesses, and present your conclusions in well-written, lucid prose, as well as verbally. Many of these skills are fostered also in the Welsh component of the programme, which enables students to gain experience of a wide range of areas of Welsh – language, history, culture – while tracing subdisciplinary pathways throughout the scheme and focusing on at least one specialism in the final year. The option, offered by both subjects, to write a dissertation in the final year enables students if they wish to choose a topic that draws on both disciplines of the degree. The programme is especially suited to those seeking a career in the heritage, arts or culture sectors, or in teaching and academia. It can just as effectively lead on to other types of graduate employment, or provide the foundation for postgraduate study in Welsh, history or other humanities subjects.
What should I know about year five?
Teaching sessions at the School of Welsh are interactive and practical, and therefore students are expected to attend every one of their classes (be they lectures, workshops, seminars or other sessions). In some cases, for example maternity or disability, we may make alternative arrangements for you.
BA in Welsh and History modules vary in terms of length, but as a rule they will be 20 credits. Each 20 credit module will require at least two hundred hours of study, including the hours spent attending classes, studying independently, preparing assessments and/or sitting examinations and tests. There will usually be approximately 30 hours of contact with a tutor for each 20 credit module, although this can vary in relation to the nature of the module.
Students and members of staff are expected to respect Cardiff University’s Policy on Dignity while Working and Studying, which can be seen here. You should develop a professional attitude towards your work, including attending personal tutor sessions, checking your e-mails regularly and responding to them, being punctual when attending classes, and informing the School when you are absent. The School of Welsh is committed to helping you throughout your studies, so please tell us if you have any concerns. We will respect your confidentiality on every occasion.
Students are expected to:
- attend punctually all timetabled classes (i.e. lectures, seminars, tutorials and instrumental/vocal lessons), notifying the relevant School (in advance where possible) in cases of unavoidable absence.
- prepare adequately for and contribute to seminars and tutorials.
- avoid plagiarism (plagiarism being work which uses the words or ideas of others without acknowledging them as such).
- take responsibility for their own learning and (with appropriate guidance) monitor their own progress and take advantage of the feedback given.
- complete their assessments on time and in accordance with the instructions given.
- engage in between three and four hours of independent study (or private practice) for every taught hour of study. Increasing independence of learning is expected in both subjects as the programme progresses.
- regularly access their University e-mail account and respond promptly to communications.
- familiarize themselves with School and University policies and regulations (e.g. School handbooks).
The programme seeks to integrate disabled students as fully as possible into academic life by making existing classes as accessible as possible and, in the rare cases where these attempts prove inadequate, to provide an alternative, active learning experience of equivalent quality. A student who experiences a change in their personal circumstances (e.g. maternity/paternity) should consult their personal tutor with a view to following the university guidelines on Interruption of Study.
Students are expected to adhere to the Cardiff University policy on Dignity at Work and Study.
How is this course/programme structured?
This is a 3 year full time prorgamme, consisting of 120 credits a year.
What should I know about year four?
No specific equipment required
What should I know about year three?
This degree programme will allow you to develop many valuable skills. Some of them will be specific to the field of Welsh, while others will be more general and very relevant to the workplace. These include the following skills: communication and presenting information, ideas and debates (orally and in writing, individually and as part of a team); using information technology (linguistic software, word processing, data bases, the internet); analysing and presenting numerical information; working in a group and developing interpersonal skills; identifying, recording and communicating relevant attainments with regard to your career; managing your own learning (including time-management); showing a commitment to continuous learning and development.
The project/extended essay will help you to gain in confidence when working independently and will give you the opportunity to gain experience of a wide range of practical research skills. The sessions with a director will allow you to develop detailed discussion skills and to develop original ideas.
In addition to the discipline-specific skills outlined in the learning outcomes above, the programme fosters a range of generic and employability skills. These include
- advanced oral and written communication skills
- the ability to apply logical and analytic thinking to problems in other disciplines
- independent learning and critical skills (reasoning, evaluating evidence, problem-solving, relating theory to practice)
- coping with uncertainty/complexity
- creativity and innovative thinking
- digital and IT literacy
What should I know about the preliminary year?
The BA in Welsh and History uses several different methods of learning and teaching. During your degree, you will attend lectures, contribute to seminars and group work, complete practical tasks, undertake a period of work experience and complete an extended piece of independent work under the guidance of a tutor. The learning will usually take place in the Humanities Building, although it is possible that you will undertake field work away from the campus.
The programme is based on a range of core (mandatory) and optional modules. Usually, a module will include a series of lectures or workshops supported by seminars for smaller groups, where the field in question can be discussed in more detail. Every year, you will be required to study 60 credits in the School of Welsh and 60 credits in History. Most modules in the School of Welsh are 20 credits in length.
There are two routes in the first year, one for students that have studied Welsh as a first language and the other for students that have studied Welsh as a second language. Both routes will include core modules in the fields of literature and language. There will be an opportunity to discuss literature from different periods and to look at the Welsh language in terms of its grammar and its place in modern Wales. The first year will equip you with the research and presentation skills that you will need to complete your degree.
Furthermore, during the second year, you will follow a further module (or modules in the case of the Welsh as a second language route) on the Welsh language and the different ways in which it is used in today’s Wales, including a period of work experience. You will also follow several optional modules in fields of your choice.
In the final year, you will choose further optional modules, as well as writing an extended essay or project on a subject of your choice – either 5,000 words (20 credits) or 10,000 words (40 credits).
Most History modules are taught through a combination of lectures, private study, seminars and individual feedback. Lectures, usually one per week, provide guidance concerning the issues and problems to be followed up in your own reading and writing. For each seminar you will do six to eight hours of preparation, and in the session itself you will use the knowledge thus acquired to present and test your arguments. In the process, you will also receive feedback on them from lecturers and fellow students. In your essays you will combine a range of sources – sometimes contradictory – into a coherent argument of your own, backed by evidence. Again, you will receive individual feedback from lecturers, in writing and orally.
Welsh modules involve a range of learning and teaching styles, including (but not limited to) lectures, small-group seminars and workshops, individual tutorials or solo instrumental tuition, ensemble instrumental tuition and practical rehearsals, and independent study. Supplementary resources are available through various channels, including Learning Central (the university’s Virtual Learning Environment) and from commercially available software resources for which the School holds licences.
Requests for reasonable adjustment in the provision of teaching and/or learning materials can be made to the schools’ Disability Contacts, who will liaise with the Disability and Dyslexia Centre as required.
Certain History modules can be taught through the medium of Welsh.
What should I know about year one?
During your time studying for a BA in Welsh degree, you will be assessed using each one of the following methods:
- individual oral presentations
- extended essay or project (up to 5,000 or 10,000 words)
Depending on your degree route and your choice of modules, you could also be assessed using the following methods:
- classroom tests
- group presentations
- portfolios (of linguistic exercises or creative work)
There will also be opportunities to prepare formative tasks. These are tasks that do not count towards your final mark but which give you the opportunity to receive feedback on your progress. These tasks can be oral presentations during seminars, drafts of essays, short written pieces or computer-based tasks. The feedback can be in oral, written or electronic form.
The School of Welsh welcomes applications from disabled students; we may be able to offer alternative assessment methods in some cases.
In History you will be assessed largely by written examinations and coursework essays. You will also write longer essays, source criticisms, critical reviews of scholarly articles, and give oral presentations in certain courses. The marking criteria for this work measure the extent to which you have achieved the learning outcomes for the Programme. Progression is built into assessment, in that students do smaller guided tasks in Year 1, as well as formative essays in Years 2 and 3. Progression is also evident in the growing emphasis on lengthier, independent work.
Assessment in Welsh may involve any one or a number of the following:
- Group work
- Continuous assessment
- Written examinations
- Oral presentations
Guidance on specific provision and reasonable adjustments in assessment for disabled students or those affected by the consequences of ongoing illness or injury are set out in School Handbooks. Adjustments to the conduct of an assessment are usually possible unless the mode of assessment is integral to the learning outcomes of the module concerned (e.g. performance as a mode of assessment on a performance module).
In History you will receive feedback through formative written work, seminar discussion, written feedback on essays, and essay tutorials. In Music many of the Year 1 modules involve regular oral feedback on weekly tasks. In Years 2 and 3 feedback is received in group seminars and workshops, individual lessons and one-to-one tutorials, and in written comments on summative assessments.
We will support your studies in several ways. Firstly, you will have a personal tutor who will meet you at least three times a year to discuss your progress and any other matters that arise. You will be given punctual feedback on all your assessments (including examinations), and your personal tutor will be able to help you make effective use of the feedback in order to improve your work in the future. Several modules also include formative assessments. You will receive feedback on these assessments, but they will not count towards your final grade.
Every module will use the Learning Central website, which is CardiffUniversity's Virtual Learning Environment. Through the Learning Central site, you will have access to materials that are relevant to the module, such as multimedia material, presentations, lecture handouts, bibliographies, further links, electronic exercises, discussion circles etc.
You will have an opportunity to reflect on your progress and the skills that you have developed through a section of Learning Central called Personal Development Planning. There, with help from your personal tutor, you will be able to record your achievements in different fields (whether they are part of the curriculum or not).
Furthermore, centrally, the university offers a range of services to support you, including the Careers Service, the Counselling Service, the Disability and Dyslexia Service, the Student Support Service, and excellent libraries and resource centres.
Students are assigned a Personal Tutor (one in each School) with whom to discuss and reflect upon academic progress and personal development through the programme (Personal Development Planning resources are available online to all students via Learning Central). Your personal tutor is also able to discuss any programme-wide issues, including problems or circumstances that may be adversely affecting their studies. If your Personal Tutor is unavailable, and you wish urgently to discuss matters with a member of staff, you may seek advice from the Senior Tutor (History) or Director of Undergraduate Studies (Welsh), or another member of staff. Matters relating to a specific module may be raised with the module tutor. Many members of staff have weekly office hours in which you may seek further support.
Careers advice is available from the Schools’ designated career consultants in the university Careers Service.
A typical BA in Welsh and History graduate will be able to do the following:
· demonstrate intellectual skills that enable close reading, description, analysis and the production of different types of texts (including producing texts in the field of creative writing in the case of some students)
· analyse the core role of language in the process of creating meaning, and the ability to appreciate the affective force of language
· appreciate how cultural preconceptions affect the process of forming an opinion
. evaluate relevant texts, concepts and theories in the field of Welsh and discuss them by using appropriate vocabulary
· show an understanding of a range of texts from different historical periods and from different genres
· show a good understanding of the position and importance of the Welsh language in the modern workplace
· implement the knowledge, understanding and skills that they have developed:
o in the workplace, by completing a period of work experience and a critical evaluation of the experience
o by completing an essay or extended project which is a product of independent study under the guidance of a tutor, showing the relevance of that work in relation to the next step of your career
· utilise basic numerical skills when evaluating data in relation to the Welsh language
· use information technology to present and analyse materials in an effective and polished manner, including the use of software to correct and improve the language
· produce written and oral Welsh of a high standard
· use other written linguistic registers, orally and in writing, in different contexts, including the workplace
Graduates from this programme will be able to
- develop a reasoned, coherent, argument about specific problems, deploying appropriate evidence, and demonstrating awareness of the limits of their knowledge.
- identify patterns of change and to locate detailed examination of particular themes, episodes and events within them.
- demonstrate critical understanding of the past through study of historians’ work (historiography) and of source material.
- demonstrate an understanding of debates concerning the place of history in contemporary society.
- demonstrate a significant degree of specialist knowledge and understanding in one or more of the following: Welsh language, culture and history.
How will I be taught?
The following are amongst the most significant characteristics of this degree programme:
· the opportunity to follow a degree programme that develops skills that are relevant to both the academic world and the workplace.
· the emphasis on practical research skills, that will benefit you throughout your career
· the emphasis placed on independent learning in a supportive environment
· the experience of being taught by staff that will recognise you as an individual
· the experience of being taught by lecturers that undertake original research work of the highest quality and push the field’s boundaries
Dr Lloyd Bowen, Admissions Tutor
Dr Rhiannon Marks, Course Administrator
Dr Rhiannon Marks, Admissions Tutor
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Get information and advice about making an application, find out when the key dates are and learn more about our admissions criteria.How to apply