Gaelic Studies and Sociology

Explore Gaelic language, literature and culture whilst studying modern societies in Sociology. Gaelic Studies allows you to explore wide ranging disciplines covering language, literature and culture with emphasis on the current day and links with Celtic languages. You have the opportunity to combine this language with Sociology and the study of modern societies.

Gaelic Studies at Aberdeen is the perfect programme and location to explore the Gaelic language, its history, literature and Gaelic culture up to the present day. Whether you are a native speaker or complete beginner, you will be inspired by our world-leading experts in the Gaelic field and gain valuable skills and wide career options. 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.

You will learn more about Scotland's oldest living language and develop your Gaelic skills in a friendly and supportive environment, either as your main focus of study or in addition to other subjects – for example you may be a teacher keen to add teaching in Gaelic language to your skill set.

Today, there are nearly 3,000 people in north-east Scotland with knowledge of Gaelic and our students and staff play an important role in the local community through Gaelic-interest clubs, activities, networks and organisations. Opportunities for graduates fluent in Scottish Gaelic are very good. Teaching, Gaelic development, arts management and librarianship are all career options and the commitment in Scotland to Gaelic broadcasting means increasing demand for Gaelic graduates to work in the media.

Sociology at Aberdeen opens up your ‘sociological imagination’, as you explore how society shapes us as individuals in all sorts of ways, helping us to understand ourselves, our relationships, and the challenges we face in a changing world. Top-rated excellent teaching and a culture of dynamic research will give you the skills to be a sought-after graduate by employers in many sectors. Sociology at Aberdeen explores the issues and challenges of modern societies and how they have developed through time until the present day. You will gain a deep understanding of how society influences people and explore a range of different themes, including social awareness.

You will study topics as wide-ranging as sociology of the family, work-life balance, crime, religion and the state. And you will become skilled in the social research methods used to gather the evidence to better understand aspects of society – which could be observation, interviews, large-scale surveys or analysing the content of documents and videos.

You will thrive in our friendly and vibrant international community, on our beautiful medieval campus with great facilities for learning, sports and leisure and many opportunities to develop additional skills and designed to make you a highly sought-after graduate in whatever career path you choose.

Sociology at Aberdeen is rated 4th in Scotland in the Complete University Guide 2023.