The Celtic Studies Program is a degree program in the Department of Scandinavian at the University of California, Berkeley. Its purpose is to bring together faculty and students with interests in the cultures, languages, literature, and history of the Celtic regions.
The major in Celtic Studies is designed to give students both a broad understanding of the place of Celtic languages and cultures and a firm grounding in one or more of the Celtic languages (modern Irish or Welsh, and study in Old and Middle Irish, Breton, and Medieval Welsh). In addition to at least three semesters of language study and the other major requirements, students will be required to organize their studies with reference to one methodological or disciplinary area chosen from anthropology, art history, comparative literature, linguistics, history, Scandinavian, or a related language and literature.
The Celtic Studies Program accepts entrants to the major from both freshmen and transfer students. The major is not impacted, and the program welcomes all Celtic Studies enthusiasts.
Declaring the Major
Students interested in the major should make an appointment early in their academic career via email with the undergraduate student services adviser. At the time of consultation, the adviser will review the student's transcript and will work with them to incorporate interests, plan for studying abroad, and create a double major plan if they are interested in combining two disciplines while at UC Berkeley.
Honors Program
In order for students to graduate with honors in Celtic Studies, they must have achieved an overall grade point average (GPA) of 3.3 or higher in all work completed at the University and a minimum 3.5 GPA in all courses required for the major, as well as the honors seminar.
Minor Program
The Celtic Studies Program offers a minor in Celtic Studies. Students interested in the minor should email the undergraduate student services adviser to set up an appointment for a transcript review and to create a study list plan.
Other Majors and Minors offered by the Department of Scandinavian
In addition to the University, campus, and college requirements, listed on the College Requirements tab, students must fulfill the below requirements specific to their major program.
General Guidelines
All courses taken to fulfill the major requirements below must be taken for graded credit, other than courses listed which are offered on a Pass/No Pass basis only. Other exceptions to this requirement are noted as applicable.
No more than one upper division course may be used to simultaneously fulfill requirements for a student's major and minor programs, with the exception of minors offered outside of the College of Letters & Science.
A minimum grade point average (GPA) of 2.0 must be maintained in both upper and lower division courses used to fulfill the major requirements.
For information regarding residence requirements and unit requirements, please see the College Requirements tab.
Students who have a strong interest in an area of study outside their major often decide to complete a minor program. These programs have set requirements.
General Guidelines
All minors must be declared before the first day of classes in your Expected Graduation Term (EGT). For summer graduates, minors must be declared prior to the first day of Summer Session A.
All upper-division courses must be taken for a letter grade.
A minimum of three of the upper-division courses taken to fulfill the minor requirements must be completed at UC Berkeley.
A minimum grade point average (GPA) of 2.0 is required in the upper-division courses to fulfill the minor requirements.
Courses used to fulfill the minor requirements may be applied toward the Seven-Course Breadth requirement, for Letters & Science students.
No more than one upper division course may be used to simultaneously fulfill requirements for a student's major and minor programs.
All minor requirements must be completed prior to the last day of finals during the semester in which the student plans to graduate. If students cannot finish all courses required for the minor by that time, they should see a College of Letters & Science adviser.
All minor requirements must be completed within the unit ceiling. (For further information regarding the unit ceiling, please see the College Requirements tab.)
Five upper division courses/20 units chosen from Celtic Studies course offerings and/or relevant courses offered in outside departments approved in advance by the major advisor.
Undergraduate students must fulfill the following requirements in addition to those required by their major program.
For a detailed lists of L&S requirements, please see Overview tab to the right in this guide or visit the L&S Degree Requirements webpage. For College advising appointments, please visit the L&S Advising Pages.
All students who will enter the University of California as freshmen must demonstrate their command of the English language by fulfilling the Entry Level Writing requirement. Fulfillment of this requirement is also a prerequisite to enrollment in all reading and composition courses at UC Berkeley and must be taken for a letter grade.
The American History and American Institutions requirements are based on the principle that all U.S. residents who have graduated from an American university should have an understanding of the history and governmental institutions of the United States.
All undergraduate students at Cal need to take and pass this campus requirement course in order to graduate. The requirement offers an exciting intellectual environment centered on the study of race, ethnicity and culture of the United States. AC courses are plentiful and offer students opportunities to be part of research-led, highly accomplished teaching environments, grappling with the complexity of American Culture.
College of Letters & Science Essential Skills Requirements
The Quantitative Reasoning requirement is designed to ensure that students graduate with basic understanding and competency in math, statistics, or computer/data science. The requirement may be satisfied by exam or by taking an approved course taken for a letter grade.
The Foreign Language requirement may be satisfied by demonstrating proficiency in reading comprehension, writing, and conversation in a foreign language equivalent to the second semester college level, either by passing an exam or by completing approved course work taken for a letter grade.
In order to provide a solid foundation in reading, writing, and critical thinking the College of Letters and Science requires two semesters of lower division work in composition in sequence. Students must complete parts A & B reading and composition courses in sequential order by the end of their fourth semester for a letter grade.
College of Letters & Science 7 Course Breadth Requirements
The undergraduate breadth requirements provide Berkeley students with a rich and varied educational experience outside of their major program. As the foundation of a liberal arts education, breadth courses give students a view into the intellectual life of the University while introducing them to a multitude of perspectives and approaches to research and scholarship. Engaging students in new disciplines and with peers from other majors, the breadth experience strengthens interdisciplinary connections and context that prepares Berkeley graduates to understand and solve the complex issues of their day.
Unit Requirements
120 total units
Of the 120 units, 36 must be upper division units
Of the 36 upper division units, 6 must be taken in courses offered outside your major department
Residence Requirements
For units to be considered in "residence," you must be registered in courses on the Berkeley campus as a student in the College of Letters & Science. Most students automatically fulfill the residence requirement by attending classes at Cal for four years, or two years for transfer students. In general, there is no need to be concerned about this requirement, unless you graduate early, go abroad for a semester or year, or want to take courses at another institution or through UC Extension during your senior year. In these cases, you should make an appointment to meet an L&S College adviser to determine how you can meet the Senior Residence Requirement.
Note: Courses taken through UC Extension do not count toward residence.
Senior Residence Requirement
After you become a senior (with 90 semester units earned toward your B.A. degree), you must complete at least 24 of the remaining 30 units in residence in at least two semesters. To count as residence, a semester must consist of at least 6 passed units. Intercampus Visitor, EAP, and UC Berkeley-Washington Program (UCDC) units are excluded.
You may use a Berkeley Summer Session to satisfy one semester of the Senior Residence requirement, provided that you successfully complete 6 units of course work in the Summer Session and that you have been enrolled previously in the college.
Modified Senior Residence Requirement
Participants in the UC Education Abroad Program (EAP), Berkeley Summer Abroad, or the UC Berkeley Washington Program (UCDC) may meet a Modified Senior Residence requirement by completing 24 (excluding EAP) of their final 60 semester units in residence. At least 12 of these 24 units must be completed after you have completed 90 units.
Upper Division Residence Requirement
You must complete in residence a minimum of 18 units of upper division courses (excluding UCEAP units), 12 of which must satisfy the requirements for your major.
Major Map
Major maps are experience maps that help undergraduates plan their Berkeley journey based on intended major or field of interest. Featuring student opportunities and resources from your college and department as well as across campus, each map includes curated suggestions for planning your studies, engaging outside the classroom, and pursuing your career goals in a timeline format.
Use the major map below to explore potential paths and design your own unique undergraduate experience:
We provide programmatic and individual advising services to prospective and current students who are pursuing major and minor tracks in our department. We assist with a range of issues including course selection, academic decision-making, achieving personal and academic goals, and maximizing the Berkeley experience.
If you are looking to explore your options, or you are ready to declare a major, double major, or minor, contact the undergraduate student services adviser.
Terms offered: Spring 2019, Spring 2014, Spring 2013
Reading and composition course based on works of Celtic writers both in English and in translations from Celtic languages. In addition to training in textual analysis and descriptive and argumentative writing, the courses will discuss the notion of Celtic "voices": distinctive modes of cultural expression chosen by important authors from a Celtic milieu. Readings will be chosen from a variety of modern Irish, Welsh, highland Scots, and Breton writers. R1A satisfies the first half of the Reading and Composition requirement, and R1B satisfies the second half. Voices of the Celtic World: Read More [+]
Rules & Requirements
Prerequisites: Satisfaction of the Entry Level Writing Requirement
Requirements this course satisfies: Satisfies the first half of the Reading and Composition requirement
Hours & Format
Fall and/or spring: 15 weeks - 3 hours of lecture per week
Terms offered: Spring 2025, Fall 2024, Summer 2024 Second 6 Week Session
Reading and composition course based on works of Celtic writers both in English and in translations from Celtic languages. In addition to training in textual analysis and descriptive and argumentative writing, the courses will discuss the notion of Celtic "voices": distinctive modes of cultural expression chosen by important authors from a Celtic milieu. Readings will be chosen from a variety of modern Irish, Welsh, highland Scots, and Breton writers. R1A satisfies the first half of the Reading and Composition requirement, and R1B satisfies the second half. Voices of the Celtic World: Read More [+]
Rules & Requirements
Prerequisites: Previously passed an R_A course with a letter grade of C- or better. Previously passed an articulated R_A course with a letter grade of C- or better. Score a 4 on the Advanced Placement Exam in English Literature. Score a 4 or 5 on the Advanced Placement Exam in English Language and Composition. Score of 5, 6, or 7 on the International Baccalaureate Higher Level Examination in English
Requirements this course satisfies: Satisfies the second half of the Reading and Composition requirement
Hours & Format
Fall and/or spring: 15 weeks - 3 hours of lecture per week
Summer: 6 weeks - 7.5 hours of lecture per week 8 weeks - 6 hours of lecture per week
Terms offered: Fall 2023, Fall 2021, Fall 2019
A beginning course in Modern Irish. Students will be learning the basics of Irish grammar, and developing ability to understand, speak, read and write the language. Elementary Modern Irish: Read More [+]
Hours & Format
Fall and/or spring: 15 weeks - 3 hours of lecture per week
Terms offered: Fall 2024, Fall 2022, Fall 2020
Introduction to modern Welsh conversation and grammar. Emphasis in the first-semester class is on pronunciation, mastering consonant mutations, using several tenses (present, perfect, imperfect, past), and the acquisition of basic vocabulary and idiom. Simple written materials based on traditional Welsh stories will supplement classroom oral-aural work. Introduction to Modern Welsh: Read More [+]
Hours & Format
Fall and/or spring: 15 weeks - 3 hours of lecture per week
Terms offered: Fall 2024, Fall 2023, Fall 2022
An overview of the history of Celtic-speaking peoples from Indo-European times, including linguistic/archaeological evidence for the emergence of the Celtic language group in 1st millenium B.C. Europe. Celtic religion and comparative Indo-European mythology. Discussion of the validity of classical reports of the Celtic culture. Celtic tribal migrations in the historical period; the foundation of Brittany. The decline and suppression of modern Celtic languages; Celts in the New World. The World of the Celts: Read More [+]
Hours & Format
Fall and/or spring: 15 weeks - 3 hours of lecture per week
Summer: 6 weeks - 8 hours of lecture per week 8 weeks - 5.5 hours of lecture per week
Terms offered: Spring 2024, Spring 2022, Spring 2020
The second semester of Modern Irish. Continuing instruction in speaking, comprehension, reading and writing skills. By the end of this semester, students will have become acquainted with all of the central grammatical constructions of Irish, and will be ready to begin reading accessible Irish prose. Intermediate Modern Irish: Read More [+]
Terms offered: Spring 2025, Spring 2021, Spring 2017
Continuation of Celtic Studies 16, emphasizing progress in conversation, grammar, and idiom. Using tenses previously learned, students will learn how to ask and answer many types of questions and will learn conjugated prepositions and idiomatic uses of prepositions. Future and conditional tenses and simple relative clauses will be introduced. Level-appropriate written materials will supplement class work, and students will begin learning about Welsh culture as they learn the language. Intermediate Modern Welsh: Read More [+]
Terms offered: Fall 2017, Spring 2017, Fall 2016
Group study of selected topics not covered by regularly scheduled courses. Directed Group Study: Read More [+]
Rules & Requirements
Prerequisites: Freshman or sophomore standing
Repeat rules: Course may be repeated for credit without restriction.
Hours & Format
Fall and/or spring: 15 weeks - 1-4 hours of directed group study per week
Terms offered: Fall 2012, Fall 2007, Fall 2003
This course will teach students to speak, read, and write modern literary Breton. We will follow the curriculum established by the only good introductory Breton text in English, which I will supplement with exercises and readings from current Breton publications and contemporary literature. Students will have covered most of the grammar of Breton by the end of the course. Elementary Breton: Read More [+]
Hours & Format
Fall and/or spring: 15 weeks - 3 hours of lecture per week
Terms offered: Spring 2008, Spring 2004, Spring 1997
Advanced readings in Breton. Continuation of Celtic Studies 102A. This course will teach students to speak, read, and write modern literary Breton. It will follow the curriculum established by the only good Breton text in English, which will be supplemented with exercises and readings from current Breton publications and contemporary literature. Advanced Breton: Read More [+]
Rules & Requirements
Prerequisites: Celtic 102A
Hours & Format
Fall and/or spring: 15 weeks - 3 hours of lecture per week
Terms offered: Spring 2019, Spring 2017, Spring 2015
A detailed introduction to the orthography, phonology and grammar of Old Irish designed to provide the student with the subsequent capacity to read with comprehension and to translate (with the aid of dictionary or glossary) any edited text in Old Irish or Middle Irish. Old and Middle Irish: Read More [+]
Rules & Requirements
Prerequisites: Celtic 15 and 85 or consent of instructor
Hours & Format
Fall and/or spring: 15 weeks - 3 hours of lecture per week
Terms offered: Spring 2016, Fall 2014, Spring 2013
A selective study of major surviving works of Welsh prose and poetry of the Middle Ages, with special attention to the development of the legendary history of King Arthur in Europe. All work will be read in English, but course will be coordinated with 106A-106B for those who wish to do some of the readings in Welsh. Welsh and Arthurian Literature of the Middle Ages: Read More [+]
Rules & Requirements
Repeat rules: Course may be repeated for credit when topic changes.
Hours & Format
Fall and/or spring: 15 weeks - 3 hours of lecture per week
Terms offered: Spring 2010, Spring 2006, Spring 1999
A selective study of major surviving works of Welsh prose and poetry of the Middle Ages, with special attention to the development of the legendary history of King Arthur in Europe. All work will be read in English, but course will be coordinated with 106A-106B for those who wish to do some of the readings in Welsh. Welsh and Arthurian Literature of the Middle Ages: Read More [+]
Rules & Requirements
Repeat rules: Course may be repeated for credit when topic changes.
Hours & Format
Fall and/or spring: 15 weeks - 3 hours of lecture and 1 hour of discussion per week
Terms offered: Spring 2024, Fall 2022, Spring 2019
A selective study of key themes in modern Irish literature. Texts will include novels, short stories, and poetry and will concentrate on translations of works originally written in Irish. All work will be read in English, but the course will be coordinated with 75 or 115A-115B for those who wish to do some of the reading in Irish. Irish Literature in Translation: Read More [+]
Rules & Requirements
Repeat rules: Course may be repeated for credit with instructor consent.
Hours & Format
Fall and/or spring: 15 weeks - 3 hours of lecture per week
Terms offered: Fall 2024, Spring 2023, Fall 2020
A study of medieval Celtic culture, its society, laws, religion, history, and the daily life of the Celtic peoples, as they are reflected in a selection of texts ranging from medieval literary works to legal texts and historical chronicles. All works will be read in English translation. Medieval Celtic Culture: Read More [+]
Hours & Format
Fall and/or spring: 15 weeks - 3 hours of lecture per week
Terms offered: Fall 2024, Spring 2023, Spring 2022
A comparative introduction to modern Celtic cultures: principally Irish, Welsh, Scottish Gaelic and Breton. The development of the distinctive cultures of the Celtic "nations without states" from 1500 to the present; an examination of the role of minority cultures and minority languages in larger political cultural entities. Theme topics will vary, but will include folklore, nationalism and linguistic history from time to time. Aspects of Modern Celtic Cultures and Folklore: Read More [+]
Rules & Requirements
Repeat rules: Course may be repeated for credit up to a total of 6 units.
Hours & Format
Fall and/or spring: 15 weeks - 3 hours of lecture per week
Terms offered: Spring 2025
This course offers an interdisciplinary approach to Irish music, through which we will explore the music of Ireland and its diaspora utilizing a range of scholarly lenses such as music history and theory, ethnomusicology and ethnography, literature and memoir, etc. In addition to such recent groundbreaking studies as Deirdre Ní Chonghaile’s collecting music in the Aran Islands and Tes Slominski’s Trad Nation, we will also be engaging with the music itself, from traditional Irish music to contemporary music genres like punk and hip-hop. Introduction to Irish Music: Read More [+]
Hours & Format
Fall and/or spring: 15 weeks - 3 hours of lecture per week
Terms offered: Spring 2023, Fall 2021, Fall 2019
Gaelic literature 700-1800 (in translation). Study of the prose saga-cycles, satire, classical lyric poetry, and bardic poetry, developing the mythological and traditional background of modern Irish literature. Irish Literature: Read More [+]
Rules & Requirements
Repeat rules: Course may be repeated for credit with instructor consent.
Hours & Format
Fall and/or spring: 15 weeks - 3 hours of lecture per week
Terms offered: Fall 2017, Fall 2015, Fall 2013
This course continues the Celtic Studies 16-86 sequence. Advanced grammatical concepts are introduced and vocabulary building (especially idioms) is emphasized. Students read materials such as magazines, newspapers, catalogues, and popular novels. Regular language laboratory attendance is required. Modern Welsh Level 3: Read More [+]
Rules & Requirements
Prerequisites: Celtic 16 and 86 or consent of instructor
Hours & Format
Fall and/or spring: 15 weeks - 3 hours of lecture per week
Terms offered: Spring 2016, Spring 2014, Spring 2010
This course continues the Celtic Studies 16-86-144A sequence. Emphasis is on mastering the fine details of Welsh grammat (including prepositional idioms), accent reduction, and acquiring conversational ease. Dialect information is introduced. Supplementary reading will introduce students to the standard literary languages; brief compositional exercises will be based on this material. Modern Welsh Level 4: Read More [+]
Rules & Requirements
Prerequisites: Celtic 144A or consent of instructor
Hours & Format
Fall and/or spring: 15 weeks - 3 hours of lecture per week
Terms offered: Fall 2024, Fall 2020, Fall 2018
The third level course in modern spoken Irish designed for students who have completed two semesters of formal instruction. Continued stress on vocabulary building and reading of texts with intensive conversation drills to activate the learned vocabulary. Idiomatic usage will be reinforced in both oral and written exercises. Class activities will include conversation and discussion of assigned texts in Irish. Intermediate Irish Language: Read More [+]
Rules & Requirements
Prerequisites: Celtic Studies 15 and 85 or consent of instructor
Hours & Format
Fall and/or spring: 15 weeks - 3 hours of lecture per week
Terms offered: Spring 2025, Spring 2015, Spring 2013
The fourth semester of Modern Irish. Readings in Irish literature will be a major focus of the curriculum, but will also be accompanied by advanced grammatical instruction and conversational practice. Modern Irish Level Four: Read More [+]
Rules & Requirements
Prerequisites: Celtic 145A or consent of instructor
Hours & Format
Fall and/or spring: 15 weeks - 3 hours of lecture per week
Terms offered: Spring 2024, Spring 2022, Spring 2020
Selected works of medieval Welsh prose and poetry are read in Middle Welsh. Grammar instruction and in-class translations accompany lectures on important themes in medieval Welsh literature. Medieval Welsh Language and Literature: Read More [+]
Hours & Format
Fall and/or spring: 15 weeks - 3 hours of lecture per week
Terms offered: Spring 2016, Spring 2014, Fall 2012
A selection of medieval Welsh prose and poetry is read in Middle Welsh in conjunction with lectures on key themes in medieval Welsh literature and tradition. Medieval Welsh Language and Literature: Read More [+]
Rules & Requirements
Prerequisites: 106A or consent of instructor
Hours & Format
Fall and/or spring: 15 weeks - 3 hours of lecture per week
Terms offered: Spring 2015, Fall 2012, Spring 1999
Topics in the linguistics of the Celtic languages. Likely subject matters include synchronic structure of a Celtic language or languages, history of the Celtic language family, philology and paleography of older Celtic texts, sociolinguistics of the modern Celtic languages, linguistic characteristics of Celtic poetic, and oral traditional literature. Celtic Linguistics: Read More [+]
Rules & Requirements
Prerequisites: Prior acquaintance with at least one Celtic language, consent of instructor
Hours & Format
Fall and/or spring: 15 weeks - 3 hours of lecture per week
Terms offered: Spring 2024, Fall 2022, Fall 2021
The course will introduce students to the pre-Christian beliefs of the Celtic and Indo-European worlds, to the historical narratives in which such beliefs are embedded, and to the methodology of investigating ancient and medieval belief systems. Celtic Mythology and Oral Tradition: Read More [+]
Hours & Format
Fall and/or spring: 15 weeks - 3 hours of lecture per week
Terms offered: Fall 2023, Fall 2015, Spring 2015
Topics in this course will be offerings on areas of Celtic language and culture which are not covered in other Celtic studies courses. Topics might include (but would not be limited to) the Celtic romantic tradition, the Celt in films, Celtic art, nationalist politics in Celtic regions, and current trends in Celtic research. Topics in Celtic Studies: Read More [+]
Rules & Requirements
Prerequisites: Completion of reading and composition 1A-1B or equivalents; consent of instructor
Repeat rules: Course may be repeated for credit when topic changes.
Hours & Format
Fall and/or spring: 15 weeks - 3 hours of lecture per week
Terms offered: Spring 2014, Spring 2012, Spring 2011
From the Classical age to the 21st century, Celts have fascinated people. This course explores the different ways in which Celtic peoples have been perceived by outsiders, and the ways in which Celts have presented themselves to the world. The recurring themes of freedom and independence, as well as the warrior and druid types, are stressed. The course also explores the ways in which the Romantic idealizations of Celts have been appropriated by native nationalist political movements and by European imperialist ventures. All readings in English. Celtic Romanticism: Read More [+]
Hours & Format
Fall and/or spring: 15 weeks - 3 hours of lecture per week
Terms offered: Spring 2025, Spring 2021, Spring 2019
This course considers the evidence for the presence of early Christian believers in the so-called "Celtic" areas of western Europe. Students will examine how the Celtic peoples received Christianity in the context of native (pagan) religion; they will look specifically at how the Roman Church doctrine influenced the doctrinal stands of the early Celtic church(es), and vice versa, with particular attention to the Pelagian controversy, the date of Easter, the monastic tonsure, and the use of penitentials. The period covered is approximately 70 CE to 800 CE. Celtic Christianity: Read More [+]
Hours & Format
Fall and/or spring: 15 weeks - 3 hours of lecture per week
Terms offered: Fall 2017, Spring 2017, Fall 2016
Course may take one or two semesters at the option of the instructor and student with credit to be earned upon completion of a successful thesis. Successful completion of the course will normally, but not necessarily, mean the awarding of honors. Honors Course: Read More [+]
Rules & Requirements
Prerequisites: Open only to honors seniors in the group major in Celtic Studies
Hours & Format
Fall and/or spring: 15 weeks - 0 hours of independent study per week
Grading/Final exam status: Letter grade. This is part one of a year long series course. A provisional grade of IP (in progress) will be applied and later replaced with the final grade after completing part two of the series. Final exam not required.
Terms offered: Fall 2017, Spring 2017, Fall 2016
Course may take one or two semesters at the option of the instructor and student with credit to be earned upon completion of a successful thesis. Successful completion of the course will normally, but not necessarily, mean the awarding of honors. Honors Course: Read More [+]
Rules & Requirements
Prerequisites: Open only to honors seniors in the group major in Celtic Studies
Hours & Format
Fall and/or spring: 15 weeks - 0 hours of independent study per week
Grading/Final exam status: Letter grade. This is part two of a year long series course. Upon completion, the final grade will be applied to both parts of the series. Final exam not required.
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