MA Celtic & Anglo-Saxon Studies and History
About this course
An MA in Celtic & Anglo-Saxon Studies and History, this undergraduate degree explores the cultures, languages, and societies of medieval Britain, Ireland, and Scandinavia alongside a broader historical curriculum. Core topics include Research Methods, Historical Research, Communication & Writing, and Critical & Analytical Thinking. Students may optionally undertake a period of study abroad during their degree. The first year introduces foundational university study through compulsory modules such as Academic Writing for Language & Literature, Getting Started at the University of Aberdeen, Barbarians, Romans, Gods and Warriors, Ancient Empires: Religion, Power and Politics, and Making History, alongside optional language modules in Modern Irish, Scottish Gaelic, and Latin. Second-year students can select from optional courses examining Gaelic Ireland, medieval folklore, and classical perceptions of Celtic peoples. The third year shifts towards historiography with the compulsory Thinking History module, complemented by options covering Scottish archaeology, Old English, and medieval literature. In the final year, students can pursue advanced independent study through options like the Dissertation in Celtic & Anglo-Saxon Studies, History in Practice, or the Undergraduate Dissertation in History, alongside specialised historical subjects spanning Enlightenment thinking, European monarchies, and the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
Written by AI from the university's course page and module list. It can get details wrong, so check the official course page before you rely on it.
Entry requirements
A level: BBC IB: 32 points including 5, 5, 5 at HL. SL in English is also required. SQA Highers: BBBB. BTEC Level 3 Extended Diploma: DMM in related subjects. Note: BTEC Level 3 Extended Certificate (Subsidiary Diploma) achieved at Distinction level, is normally acceptable in lieu of one A Level at grade B.) GCSE English (or equivalent) is required at Grade C/4 or above. GCSE Mathematics at Grade C/4 is also required for Accountancy, Economics and Finance programmes. Irish Leaving Certificate: Five subjects at Higher at H3.
See the highest paying Languages & English degrees in the UK →
See the highest paying History, Philosophy & Religion degrees in the UK →
What students say
Based on about 32 final-year students who answered, across similar courses at this university
- Teaching on my course: 94%
- Learning opportunities: 92%
- Assessment and feedback: 85%
- Academic support: 97%
- Organisation and management: 87%
- Learning resources: 95%
- Student voice: 84%
Do students stay on the course?
Based on about 60 students who started, across similar courses at this university
- Continued on course: 88%
- Left higher education: 11%
- Moved to a lower qualification: 1%
What graduates do next
Based on about 41 graduates who answered, across similar courses at this university
- Working: 65%
- Working and studying: 12%
- Further study: 13%
- Unemployed: 1%
Most common jobs
- Secretarial and related occupations: 15%
- Teaching Professionals: 10%
- Elementary occupations: 10%
- Administrative occupations: 10%
- Sales occupations: 10%
- Find their work meaningful: 60%
- Feel on track for their future plans: 40%
- Use what they learnt on the course: 35%
Where graduates work (5 years on)
Based on about 80 graduates, across similar courses at this university
- North East: 2%
- North West: 4%
- East Midlands: 1%
- West Midlands: 2%
- East of England: 2%
- London: 13%
- South East: 3%
- South West: 2%
- Scotland: 68%
- Northern Ireland: 2%
Who gets in
Based on about 80 students who started, across similar courses at this university
- A levels: 91%
- A degree: 1%
- Other HE qualification: 8%
Modules
- Academic Writing for Language & Literature
- Getting Started at the University of Aberdeen
- Barbarians, Romans, Gods and Warriors
- Ancient Empires: Religion, Power and Politics
- Making History
- Modern Irish Language for Beginners 1
- Modern Irish Language for Beginners 2
- Gaelic Scotland
- Gaelic for Beginners 1a
- Latin 1
- Gaelic for Beginners 1b
- Latin 2
- Love, Loss and Revival: Gaelic Ireland, 1700 to the Present
- Otherworld: Lost Gods and Hidden Monsters of Medieval Scotland
- The Celts, Their Neighbours, and The Classical World
- Ancient Empires: Religion, Power and Politics
- Scottish Folklore and Oral Traditions
- Triumph and Tragedy: A Literary and Historic Tour of Gaelic Scotland
- Thinking History
- Scottish Archaeology
- Celtic Scotland: Gaelic Cultural Moments Middle Ages to Present
- Introduction to Old English Language
- Independent Study In Celtic & Anglo - Saxon Studies A
- Myths, Legends and Poetry of the Mediaeval Gaels
- Decolonial England: Languages and Identities from 450 to the Present
- Dissertation in Celtic & Anglo - Saxon Studies
- History in Practice
- Undergraduate Dissertation in History
- Special Sub: Enlightenment Compared: Ireland, Scotland, Central Europe
- Special Sub.: Britain and Revolutionary Russia 1917 - 1924
- Special Sub: the Child as Subject in the British World
- Spec Sub: Court Society in Late Medieval Europe (C. 1300 – C. 1500)
- Special Sub:european Constitutional Monarchies in the Long 19thcentury
- Special Subject: History of the Israeli Palestinian Conflict
- Special Subject: Myths of the North
- Celtic Scotland: Gaelic Cultural Moments Middle Ages to Present
- Introduction to Old English Language
- Myths, Legends and Poetry of the Mediaeval Gaels
- Decolonial England: Languages and Identities from 450 to the Present
- Independent Study In Celtic & Anglo - Saxon Studies B
Questions about this course
How much do graduates of MA Celtic & Anglo-Saxon Studies and History at University of Aberdeen earn?
The median salary is £25,000 after 15 months, £24,000 after 3 years, £28,000 after 5 years. After five years the middle half of graduates earn between £23,500 and £38,500. The £28,000 median after five years is the same as the UK median for Celtic studies.
What do graduates of MA Celtic & Anglo-Saxon Studies and History at University of Aberdeen do next?
90% were in work or further study 15 months after finishing (Graduate Outcomes 2023-24).
Are students happy with the teaching on MA Celtic & Anglo-Saxon Studies and History at University of Aberdeen?
94% of final-year students were positive about the teaching in the National Student Survey 2025-26.
What grades do I need for MA Celtic & Anglo-Saxon Studies and History at University of Aberdeen?
The typical offer is BBC at A level, or 32 points in the IB. The average entrant had 165 UCAS points.
Does MA Celtic & Anglo-Saxon Studies and History at University of Aberdeen include a placement year or year abroad?
The course has an optional year abroad.
How many students continue on MA Celtic & Anglo-Saxon Studies and History at University of Aberdeen?
88% of students continued into their second year, and 11% left higher education.