Gaelic Language and Cultural Sustainability
The Gaelic Language and Cultural Sustainability program was designed in partnership with the Gaelic community and is designed to provide future language and culture leaders with the skills and knowledge needed to safeguard and steward Gaelic language and culture into the future. The program is offered as a major in the Bachelor of Arts in Community Studies (BACS) degree, through which students will become fluent Gaelic speakers and engage with Gaelic culture while also learning about how and why languages become endangered, how languages can be revitalized, how to learn and teach languages, what makes a community resilient, and how to collaborate with other language communities.
Major Requirements:
Gaelic language requirements (24 credits):
24 credits of Gaelic language, as follows:
GAEL-1101 and 1103
GAEL-2102 OR GAEL-2101 and 2103
GAEL-3102 OR GAEL-3101 and 3103
GAEL-4102 OR GAEL-4101 and 4103
Cultural sustainability requirements (24 credits):
9 credits of Gaelic, Scottish, Irish, of Celtic culture, such as:
MUSI-2109: Cape Breton Fiddle Music
MUSI-2203/FOLK-2113: Intro to Celtic Instrumental Music
MUSI-2214/FOLK-2261: Intro to Celtic Dance
HIST-2102: Celtic History
HIST-3122: The Modern Scottish Highlands
ENGL-2463: Modern Celtic Literature
RELS-2105: Celtic Religion & Christianity
(Note that students completing the Beinn Mhàbu Foundation Year will have completed this requirement)
ANTH-1105/LACS-1XXX: Global Language Revitalization
3 credits of qualitative research methods, such as
FOLK/ANTH/MUSI-2114: Ethnography
HIST-2123: Stories We Tell
COMM-2173: Videography
AN/S-2217: Qualitative Research Design
HIST-4101: Digital History
Beaton Archival Internship
AN/S/POLS/COMM-3216: Building Resilient Communities
LACS-3XXX: Language Learning and Teaching
LACS-4XXX: Linguistic and Cultural Reconciliation
Program Requirements/Regulations: Bachelor of Arts Community Studies 4-year Major/Minor program options (120 credits):
Bachelor of Arts Community Studies (BACS) Core plus COMS-4100 (30 credits)
Of the 48 credits required in the Major subject, there shall be a maximum of 9 credits at the 1000 level and a minimum of 24 credits at the 3000 or 4000 level, of which at least 9 credits must be at the 4000 level.
Of the 24 credits required in the Minor subject, there shall be a maximum of 9 credits at the 1000 level and a minimum of 6 credits at the 3000 or 4000 level.
18 credits electives
The Bachelor of Arts Community Studies (BACS) core includes two mandatory work placements (which may be paid or unpaid) and experiential learning is integrated throughout its courses.
To graduate with a Major, students must achieve an average of at least 65% overall in the final two years of their degree, and an average of at least 65% in the Major discipline.
Electives: Students who are enrolled in this program can take at least 18 credits of electives.
Certificate Regulations:
The Certificate in Gaelic Language: consists of 30 credits: 24 in Gaelic language and 6 in Gaelic culture, such as:
MUSI-2109 Cape Breton Fiddle Music
MUSI-2203/FOLK-2261 Intro to Celtic Instrumental Music
MUSI-2214/FOLK-2261 Intro to Celtic Dance
HIST-2102 Celtic History
HIST-3122 The Modern Scottish Highlands
ENGL-2463 Modern Celtic Literature
RELS-2105 Celtic Religion & Christianity
The Certificate in Cultural Sustainability (Gaelic): consists of 30 credits: 24 in cultural sustainability and 6 credits in the Gaelic language. Cultural Sustainability courses consist of the following:
9 credits of Gaelic, Scottish, Irish, or Celtic Culture, such as:
MUSI-2109 Cape Breton Fiddle Music
MUSI-2203/FOLK-2113 Intro to Celtic Instrumental Music
MUSI-2114/FOLK-2261 Intro to Celtic Dance
HIST-2102 Celtic History
HIST-3122 The Modern Scottish Literature
ENGL-2463 Modern Celtic Literature
RELS-2105 Celtic Religion & Christianity
ANTH-1105/LAC-1XXX Global Language Revitalization
3 credits of qualitative research methods, such as FOLK/ANTH/MUSI-2114 Ethnography
HIST-2123 Stories We Tell
COMM-2173 Videography
AN/S-2117 Qualitative Research Design
HIST-4101 Digital History Beaton Archive Internship
AN/S/POLS/COMM-3216 Building Resilient Communities
LACS-3XXX Language Learning and Teaching
LACS-3XXX Linguistic and Cultural Reconciliation
Condition to Graduation: In addition to meeting all program-specific course and credit requirements, students must achieve an average of at least 65% overall in the final two years of their degree, and an average of at least 65% in the Major discipline to be eligible to graduate. Students will not normally be eligible to graduate while on Probationary status or Required to Withdraw status. A student denied graduation while on Probationary status or Required to Withdraw status may submit a request for Academic Consideration to the Academic Review Sub-Committee.
Additional Information related to the Program Delivery:
- Online/distance options exist for portions of the program, including Gaelic language courses.
- Students may also take Gaelic beyond the first year through the Gaelic College’s 4-week intensive immersion course, offered each May and accredited through CBU. Rooted in the Gàidhlig aig Baile (Gaelic in the Home) method, the 4-week immersion course is highly experiential, involving language learning through activities and incorporating weekly fieldtrips into the community.
- Students have the option of doing the first two years of the program through the Gaelic College’s Beinn Mhàbu Foundation Year program. Students in the foundation year will live in Mabou, in Nova Scotia’s Gaelic heartland, and courses will involve in-community projects, fieldtrips, and other experiential learning opportunities.
- Students also have the option of spending a year on exchange to Sabhal Mòr Ostaig, Scotland‘s Gaelic-medium college (part of the University of Highlands and Islands). Students interested in going on exchange will typically do so during their third year of study.
