Celtic Society
One of the oldest, most famous and liveliest student societies in the University. The Society organises social and cultural events, including Welsh and Irish themed evenings and traditional music sessions.
Gaelic and Geography at Aberdeen combines all the advantages of in depth study of the language, literature and culture of Scotland’s oldest language – as a native speaker or complete beginner.
Developing your skills in the language will complement your geography studies immensely as you learn about the Earth, the environment and the way humans have lived with it for centuries.
We have been teaching Scottish Gaelic (Gàidhlig) and culture for a hundred years, led by teachers and researchers passionate about Gaelic, and whose work directly influences Scottish policy on keeping Gaelic alive, healthy and important in Scotland today.
Gaelic Studies concentrates on modern Scottish Gaelic language, literature and society. There are three distinct language streams in the degree course: for absolute or near beginners, for those with Higher Gaelic (learners), and for those with Higher Gàidhlig (native speakers).
The beginners’ intensive course helps students work towards fluency in both reading and writing in as short a time as possible, while the courses for those who have done Gaelic already focus on improving accuracy and increasing students’ vocabulary and range of expression.
In addition to the language, from first year onwards our students have the chance to learn about areas like folklore, literature, language planning, linguistics and sociolinguistics.
This particular degree programme covers the core courses as set out in the standard Geography degree. Geography is the study of the Earth's surface, with particular emphasis on the relationships between people and their environment. Few other subjects cover such a diversity of phenomena, combining elements of the natural sciences, the social sciences and the humanities.
In the first two years, compulsory studies in Gaelic will take up only some of your curriculum, and you choose other subjects to study alongside. So, it is important that you consider the broad range of subjects you might like to take before you arrive.
At Aberdeen, our Gaelic degree is offered as a Joint-Degree programme, so you can choose from Year 1 to have two main areas of study. The following information will help you identify what other subjects you can study with Gaelic to Honours level.
Select ONE of the following options:
Beginners
Intermediate/Advanced
Plus select further credit points from courses of choice to reach 120 credit points.
We will endeavour to make all course options available. However, these may be subject to change - see our Student Terms and Conditions page.
Students are assessed by any combination of three assessment methods:
The exact mix of these methods differs between subject areas, year of study and individual courses.
Honours projects are typically assessed on the basis of a written dissertation.
Why Gaelic Studies
Why Geography
The University of Aberdeen is delighted to offer eligible self-funded international on-campus undergraduate students a £6,000 scholarship for every year of their programme.
View the Aberdeen Global ScholarshipThe information below is provided as a guide only and does not guarantee entry to the University of Aberdeen.
SQA Highers
Standard: BBBB
Applicants who have achieved BBBB (or better), are encouraged to apply and will be considered. Good performance in additional Highers/ Advanced Highers may be required.
Minimum: BBC
Applicants who have achieved BBC at Higher and meet one of the widening participation criteria above are encouraged to apply and are guaranteed an unconditional offer for MA, BSc and BEng degrees.
Adjusted: BB
Applicants who have achieved BB at Higher, and who meet one of the widening participation criteria above are encouraged to apply and are guaranteed an adjusted conditional offer for MA, BSc and BEng degrees.
We would expect to issue a conditional offer asking for one additional C grade at Higher.
Foundation Apprenticeship: One FA is equivalent to a Higher at A. It cannot replace any required subjects.
More information on our definition of Standard, Minimum and Adjusted entry qualifications.
A LEVELS
Standard: BBC
Minimum: BCC
Adjusted: CCC
More information on our definition of Standard, Minimum and Adjusted entry qualifications.
International Baccalaureate
32 points, including 5, 5, 5 at HL.
Irish Leaving Certificate
5H with 3 at H2 AND 2 at H3.
Entry from College
Advanced entry to this degree may be possible from some HNC/HND qualifications, please see www.abdn.ac.uk/study/articulation for more details.
The information displayed in this section shows a shortened summary of our entry requirements. For more information, or for full entry requirements for Arts and Social Sciences degrees, see our detailed entry requirements section.
To study for an Undergraduate degree at the University of Aberdeen it is essential that you can speak, understand, read, and write English fluently. The minimum requirements for this degree are as follows:
IELTS Academic:
OVERALL - 6.0 with: Listening - 5.5; Reading - 5.5; Speaking - 5.5; Writing - 6.0
TOEFL iBT:
OVERALL - 78 with: Listening - 17; Reading - 18; Speaking - 20; Writing - 21
PTE Academic:
OVERALL - 59 with: Listening - 59; Reading - 59; Speaking - 59; Writing - 59
Cambridge English B2 First, C1 Advanced or C2 Proficiency:
OVERALL - 169 with: Listening - 162; Reading - 162; Speaking - 162; Writing - 169
Read more about specific English Language requirements here.
You will be classified as one of the fee categories below.
Fee category | Cost |
---|---|
RUK | £9,535 |
Tuition Fees for 2025/26 Academic Year | |
EU / International students | £20,800 |
Tuition Fees for 2025/26 Academic Year | |
Self-funded international students commencing eligible undergraduate programmes in 2025/26 will receive a £6,000 tuition waiver for every year of their programme - See full terms and conditions | |
Home Students | £1,820 |
Tuition Fees for 2025/26 Academic Year |
Students from England, Wales and Northern Ireland, who pay tuition fees may be eligible for specific scholarships allowing them to receive additional funding. These are designed to provide assistance to help students support themselves during their time at Aberdeen.
View all funding options in our Funding Database.
There are many opportunities at the University of Aberdeen to develop your knowledge, gain experience and build a competitive set of skills to enhance your employability. This is essential for your future career success. The Careers and Employability Service can help you to plan your career and support your choices throughout your time with us, from first to final year – and beyond.
You will be taught by a range of experts including professors, lecturers, teaching fellows and postgraduate tutors. However, these may be subject to change - see our Student Terms and Conditions page.
One of the oldest, most famous and liveliest student societies in the University. The Society organises social and cultural events, including Welsh and Irish themed evenings and traditional music sessions.
The University’s award winning Sir Duncan Rice Library is listed in the “Top 20 spellbinding University libraries in the World”. It contains over a million volumes, more than 300,000 e-books and 21,000 journals.
Find out moreDiscover Uni draws together comparable information in areas students have identified as important in making decisions about what and where to study. You can compare these and other data for different degree programmes in which you are interested.