Director: Professor James Donnelly, 608/263-1971, jsdonnel@wisc.edu
Advisor: Professor Thomas Archdeacon, 608/263-1778, tjarchde@wisc.edu
Celtic studies is a multidisciplinary field encompassing the history and culture of those peoples who presently inhabit the northwestern perimeter of Europe, including Ireland (both north and south), Scotland, Wales, Brittany, and the Isle of Man. Since peoples speaking Celtic languages once occupied a much larger geographical area than this, Celtic studies also addresses the prehistory and early history of continental Europe.
The chief Celtic languages spoken today are Irish, Scots Gaelic, and Welsh, each boasting a major literature dating back to the Middle Ages. Celtic folklore and mythology have long attracted attention and admiration. In addition, artists, writers, and musicians living in various parts of the world have drawn inspiration from Celtic sources or have defined their identity with relation to traditionally Celtic lands. Emigration from Ireland and other traditionally Celtic lands, along with the integration of those emigrants into new societies elsewhere, is another topic addressed by Celtic studies.
The Celtic Studies Program offers the undergraduate certificate in Celtic studies. It is also possible to major in Celtic studies under the provisions of the individual major program.
The certificate is available to students working for a baccalaureate degree in any UW-Madison school or college, as well as to Special students. The certificate requires at least 18 credits with a grade point average of at least 2.0. With permission of the Celtic studies advisor, up to 12 of those credits may be earned in the UW-Madison study-abroad programs at Trinity College Dublin and at the National University of Ireland-Galway, or through other approved programs of study abroad.
Students pursuing the certificate in Celtic studies have a range of course options. Most of the core courses are offered by the departments of history and English. Other departments that contribute to the Celtic studies curriculum include anthropology, classics, folklore, French and Italian, music, Scandinavian studies, sociology, and women's studies.
Students planning to pursue the certificate should register their names with the Celtic studies advisor and consult with him or her about appropriate courses and their availability. For more information about the Celtic Studies Program and course offerings, see www.celticstudies.wisc.edu.