BA (Hons) Gaelic and Education
AWARD: UndergraduateSTUDY MODE: Full-time,On-campus
DURATION: 4 years for BA Hons
CODE: XQ10
COURSE LEADER: Shona Cormack
COURSE CONTACT: Eilidh Grant ( )
SPECIAL FEATURES
The BA (Hons) Gaelic and Education is delivered through the medium of Scottish Gaelic and has a focus on immersion and bilingual teaching practices in schools. The Programme provides fluent speakers and learners with the opportunity to gain an Honours award and teaching qualification in four years. This allows you a direct route into teaching, in a field where there is a skills shortage. You will study both language and education components in an immersion situation and the programme is designed for Secondary Teaching (Gaelic as a subject) or Gaelic-medium and bilingual Primary Teaching and includes 30 weeks of school experience over Years 1 to 4. Students study in an immersive language and culture-rich environment, providing a solid foundation for practice in Gaelic/Gaelic-medium settings.
DESCRIPTION
The BA (Hons) Gaelic and Education is a Gaelic-medium Initial Teacher Education programme delivered within the UHI Gaelic and Related Studies Scheme (GRSS). Students undertake Years 1 and 2 of the Gaelic and Related Studies Scheme, in addition to education seminars and 9 weeks of school placement. In years 3 and 4, a combined programme of education/professional studies and GRSS modules is offered, including 21 further weeks of placement. The programme is designed for onsite delivery but distance learning may be possible in Years 3 and 4 with permission from the Head of Studies. In order to access school placements, distance learners in Years 3 and 4 must live within reach of schools offering Gaelic-medium education.
COURSE CONTENT
Year 1 of the GRSS is primarily a language foundation year and depending on your linguistic ability on entry, you can study either An Cùrsa Comais or Gaelic and Communication on campus. An education module and 3 weeks of school placement will also form part of Year 1. In Year 2 you will study GRSS core modules in Gaelic language and in Gaelic-related subjects, including two modules on Gaelic education and 6 weeks of school placement. The education/professional studies modules in Years 3 and 4 include Children and their Learning and The Critical and Enquiring Professional. Across all years of the programme, students will complete 30 weeks of school placements in a variety of settings offering Gaelic-medium/Gaelic education.
CORE MODULES
Module Code: UQ509824
Credits: 20
The purpose of this module is to enhance further the language skills developed at SCQF Level 8, to enable the student to achieve subtlety and confidence of expression in Gaelic in a comprehensive range of contexts and to equip the student to engage in academic discourse at graduate level through the medium of Gaelic.
On successful completion of this module students should be able to:
- critically discuss complex topics in Gaelic;
- make effective and detailed oral presentations in Gaelic;
- use a variety of registers for different purposes as appropriate;
- interpret and paraphrase technical, specialist, archaic and older literary forms of language;
- demonstrate an ability to use Gaelic readily in contexts and domains where there is customarily a presumption towards switching to English.
Module Code: UQ509825
Credits: 20
This module is intended to give a student the knowledge of what research is and the skills to complete a small research project of their own. The student is first introduced to definitions of research and debates about the uses, ethics of and reliability of research. Students then discuss how to define an appropriate research question and how to draw up a short research proposal.
The module aims to give the student a grounding in good practice and basic research skills that lead to them into becoming more independent thinkers and practitioners. The module also prepares students for further research work at SCQF Level 10, in the Honours Dissertation.
On successful completion of this module students will:
- have general knowledge of what constitutes academic research, research ethics and research methods
- have practical skills in and understanding of the research process, including identifying a suitable topic, choosing appropriate research methods, ethical issues, data analysis methods, and how to write up research results
- be able to critique and integrate different sources of data to form a clear, well-argued, referenced argument based on first-hand research work.
YEAR 1 – SCQF Level 7
Year 1 of the GRSS is a language foundation year and, depending on your linguistic ability on entry you can either study An Cùrsa Comais or Gaelic and Communication. An education module and 3 weeks of school placement will also form part of Year 1.
YEAR 2 – SCQF Level 8
In Year 2 you will study Scheme core modules in Gaelic language and in Gaelic-related subjects. Education modules consist of weekly seminars, 6 weeks of school placements and a contextual module on Gaelic education.
YEAR 3 – SCQF Level 9
- Gaelic Language 3
- Research Skills
- Children and their Learning
- Professional Practice 1 (9 weeks)
- Optional Module from Level SCQF 8, 9 or 10
YEAR 4 – SCQF Level 10
- Degree Dissertation
- The Critical and Enquiring Professional
- Professional Practice 2 (12 weeks)
- Optional Module from Level SCQF 9 or 10
PROGRESSION ROUTES & EMPLOYMENT PROSPECTS
- Secondary teaching (Gaelic language)
- Gaelic-medium primary teaching
- Further post-graduate study opportunities
UCAS - ENTRY REQUIREMENTS
Entry to Years 1 and 2 of the GRSS, normally requires students to have 3 SQA Higher grade passes of which 3 must be at grade BBC or above, including Gàidhlig (Fluent speakers) or Gaelic (Learners) at B or above. Applicants with other qualifications will also be considered.
- Prior to the commencement of the course, you will be required to attend an interview in accordance with guidelines for admission to Initial Teacher Education in Scotland. Gaelic language skills will also be assessed prior to entry in order to place you on the appropriate first year course as a fluent speaker or a learner. In order to undertake school placements, you will be required to satisfactorily complete Disclosure Scotland procedures (PVG).
- In order to undertake school placements, you will be required to satisfactorily complete Disclosure Scotland procedures (PVG).
- The qualifications below are essential for primary and secondary teaching in Scotland. It is recommended that you have these qualifications before starting the programme or, at the latest, by the end of year 2 of the programme: Higher (or A level) English at grade C or above Mathematics at National 5, Standard Grade Credit, Intermediate 2 or GCSE at grade C.
It is possible for successful applicants to defer an offer of a place to the following year. For example, you may wish to take a year out to go travelling or to work as a classroom assistant in a school before starting your course.
- It is possible for successful applicants to defer an offer of a place to the following year. For example, you may wish to take a year out to go travelling or to work as a classroom assistant in a school before starting your course.
There are subject specific entry guidelines for secondary teaching stipulated in GTC Scotland. These are available on the GTC Scotland website: Memorandum on Entry Requirements to Programmes of Initial Teacher Education in Scotland, 2019
How to apply
All prospective students must apply through the Universities and Colleges Admissions Service (UCAS). This is the central admissions service for all universities and colleges of higher education in the UK.
Contact details: Registry & Admissions Office Sabhal Mòr Ostaig Sleat Isle of Skye IV44 8RQ Tel: 01471 888304 Email:
COURSE FEE 2025/26
* In most cases, Scottish domiciled fee status students have their fees paid for them by the Student Awards Agency for Scotland (SAAS) and may be eligible for living cost support.
Undergraduate, full-time
Cost per year for 120 credit module