Research Degrees
MPhil (one year) or PhD (three years)
For these research degrees a topic is chosen (subject to approval by the Department) from the field of Welsh language and literature. Researchers in recent years have worked on a wide variety of topics: e.g. language acquisition and language planning; the language of television; personal names in early Wales, Cornwall and Brittany; masculinity and medieval Welsh literature; dress and dress accessories in medieval literature; the early poetry of Guto’r Glyn; the Red Bandits of Mawddwy in folklore and literature; the poetry of Lewis Morris; the Lleifior novels of Islwyn Ffowc Elis; aspects of the novels of Marion Eames, Eigra Lewis Roberts, and Sonia Edwards; 'Salmau Cân' by Edmwnd Prys; and the poetry of Menna Elfyn. Students can draw on the very wide range of academic expertise provided by the Department’s staff in both Welsh and other Celtic languages. Since the staff includes several renowned writers, the Department is well-placed to provide supervision of practice-led doctorates that focus on the composition of a piece of extended creative work.
All research students are assigned to the care of two supervisors who are specialists in the chosen field. A full programme of research and skills training is provided by the University, and a subject-specific course is provided by the Department, with a special emphasis on writing, publishing and on communicating research to others in an effective way. Where possible, research students are given the opportunity to teach undergraduate seminars in the Department.
MPhil (one year) or PhD (three years) in Irish and Scottish Gaelic
A good degree in Irish or Celtic Studies is required. We welcome students who wish to undertake research on aspects of Irish or Scottish Gaelic Studies, in the fields of language, literature and cultural studies. The Department has notable strengths in two special areas: the Celts in Continental Europe and Asia Minor, in particular the study of place-names and personal-names; and the Celtic diaspora in the 19th century and the fortunes of Irish and Scottish Gaelic language and culture in North America. Recent doctoral theses have included studies on the field of Celtic Place-names of Gaul and Iberia; and a study of the Scottish Gaelic dialect of the Island of Diùra (Jura).