Education and Welsh (a Pathway for Second Language Students), BA (Hons)

Explore Educational Practice in a Digital Age

Pupils holding hands up

Course Overview

Our BA Education and Welsh is a research-informed three-year course, which supports the development of the knowledge and skills needed for a wide range of careers in Welsh medium contexts in the field of education and beyond.

Education is an important area of study that draws on the disciplines of psychology, sociology, philosophy and history. In your Education focused modules, you will be introduced to a range of topics including education policy, teaching and learning, wellbeing, additional learning needs, equity, equality and diversity, and philosophy and theory in education.

Your second language Welsh focused studies will enable you to examine different perspectives on Welsh language, literature and culture, providing you with opportunities to discuss the Welsh language’s international context, while exploring global connections and multiculturalism in Wales. You will also be supported in improving your Welsh language skills, including your grammar and vocabulary, and can explore the uses of the Welsh language, including public relations and digital communication.

You will be equipped with a solid grounding in contemporary theories and concepts that are informed by a strong research base. You will graduate with the skills needed to think critically about education and apply your knowledge to real-world settings in educational contexts and across the wider world. This programme goes beyond traditional study; inviting you to explore what it means to speak, write, and live through the medium of Welsh in the twenty-first century.

This programme is designed for second language Welsh speakers, and includes opportunities to improve your Welsh language skills – if you are a first language Welsh speaker, we also have a pathway for first language students.

Why Education and Welsh (a Pathway for Second Language Students) at Swansea?

You will be based on our stunning Singleton Park Campus, in parkland overlooking Swansea Bay on the edge of the Gower Peninsula. Throughout the programme, you will have the opportunity to:

  • Explore educational practice in the digital age, by studying digital learning technologies that are at the forefront of current trends in education
  • Learn about historic and contemporary education policy and practice
  • Gain an understanding of what education looks like in different countries, exploring the relationships between equality, equity and diversity in education
  • Examine issues relating to additional learning needs and wellbeing
  • Study different theories and philosophies of teaching and learning

You will also have the opportunity to:

  • Improve your Welsh language skills
  • Learn from exceptionally qualified prominent Welsh authors and poets, two of whom are winners in the Book of the Year competition in Wales
  • Benefit from Coleg Cymraeg’s Welsh Language Scholarships, as well as the University’s Academi Hywel Teifi Scholarships

You will be joining a high-performing programme - Education at Swansea is currently ranked:

  • Top 15 in the UK for Research Quality (Complete University Guide 2026)
  • Top 20 in the UK for Graduate Prospects (Complete University Guide 2026)
  • Top 301-400 in the World (Shanghai Rankings (Academic Rankings of World Universities) Global Ranking of Academic Subjects 2025)

Your Education and Welsh (a Pathway for Second Language Students) Experience

You will undertake 120 credits per year, with 60 credits of Education and 60 credits of Welsh modules. The programme has a flexible approach, and you will have the option to choose a number of modules in each year, allowing you to shape your own learning. In your final year, you will undertake a compulsory research module and dissertation, which you will complete while being supported by your supervisor.

You will be introduced to a range of topics that are relevant to contemporary education including equity and diversity, policy and practice, wellbeing and digital technologies, theories of teaching and learning, and the curriculum in Wales. You will also engage with recent developments such as the Welsh Language and Education Act (2025), enabling you to understand how language policy shapes access, equity and provision within the Welsh education system. Education and Welsh graduates have the knowledge and skills needed to think critically about theory and concepts of education, and become research informed graduates that are able to apply their knowledge to real-world settings in education and beyond.

Across the programme, teaching is delivered through a range of formats, including lectures, workshops and one-to-one personal tutoring. The programme is designed to encourage the development of key skills and competencies including critical thinking, independent thought, collaboration, communication, organisation and time management. You will be supported in developing your depth and breadth of knowledge through independent reading, workshop activities and assignment preparation and submission, as well as collaborative group work, presentations and self-directed learning.

This programme also includes the opportunity to undertake a Year Abroad, enhancing your learning and offering invaluable life experience. 

The optional Foundation Year for this programme can give you an exciting introduction to higher education, setting you up with the skills, confidence, and knowledge that you’ll need to be successful in your undergraduate degree. It’s ideal if you need a little more support after further education, or are returning to education after a gap. Following successful completion of the Foundation Year, you will progress onto Year 1 of your BA.

Education and Welsh (a Pathway for Second Language Students) Employment Opportunities

Employability, and increasing your prospects as a graduate, is a central part of the degree and is embedded across the entire programme, with opportunities for developing employability skills available to you at every level.

You will have access to a suite of lectures and workshops that focus on key employability skils. These lectures and workshops develop your skills in cv writing, preparing for interviews, career decision making, networking, team working and time management.

Graduates of this programme progress onto a range of destinations. These include Initial Teacher Education (ITE) programmes in primary or secondary education, master’s degrees in education or childhood studies, or other postgraduate level studies. Potential careers include roles in education, youth work, social work, the third sector, social and educational research, local authorities, community learning organisations, public sector organisations, early years management, nurseries and pre-school and higher education.

Modules

We're currently reviewing our curriculum to enhance your learning experience and embed skills that will benefit your future career. This means that some modules may be subject to change.

Entry Requirements

We consider all applicants on their own merits and welcome applications from students with a wide range of qualifications.

Education and Welsh (a Pathway for Second Language Students), BA (Hons)

Education and Welsh (a Pathway for Second Language Students) with a Year Abroad, BA (Hons)