Plan your first year curriculum
You’ll need at least 120 credits gained from courses in the College of Arts over your first and second year in order to progress to an Honours degree in the College of Arts. You can take one subject (Single Honours) or two subjects (Joint Honours) to Honours level.
You should take three subjects in your first year, any of which you would consider for Level 2 courses in your second year.
In your second year, you’ll usually take two subjects at Level 2 alongside one other subject. This is to make sure you:
- meet the requirement of having 80 credits at Level 2 to progress to Honours
- have more than one choice of subject at Honours level if needed.
Check Level 2 Core Lecture Times when you’re choosing your first year courses to make sure you don’t choose courses that will clash in second year. We recommend you construct a timetable on paper, as this will assist you in the enrolment process, ensuring you are not trying to enrol in classes which are at the same time.
College of Arts Subjects
The College is composed of the four Schools mentioned below which teach the listed undergraduate subjects:
School of Critical Studies
| English Literature | English Language and Linguistics |
|---|---|
| Scottish Literature | Theology and Religious Studies |
School of Culture and Creative Arts
| Film and Television Studies | History of Art |
|---|---|
| Music | Theatre Studies |
| Creative Arts & Industries |
School of Humanities (Sgoil nan Daonnachdan)
| Archaeology | Celtic and Gaelic (Celtic Civilisation, Gaelic Language) |
|---|---|
| Classics (Classical Civilisation, Greek, and Latin) | Digital Media and Information Studies |
| History | Philosophy |
School of Modern Languages and Cultures
| Chinese (Mandarin) | Comparative Literature |
|---|---|
| Czech | French |
| German | Italian |
| Polish | Portuguese |
| Russian | Spanish |
In most cases you can:
- study a subject that you have no prior experience or knowledge of
- take a different subject to Honours level than the one you put on your UCAS form
- choose a subject offered by another College.
Please see for exceptions to this.
Remember you must take at least 120 credits from Arts subjects over your first and second year in order to progress to an Honours degree in the College of Arts, or you will have to apply for a transfer to another College. Contact the Arts Advising team (arts-advising@glasgow.ac.uk) for help or advice.
Restrictions to course choices
There are some subjects where there are restrictions on entry or things to consider when choosing your courses in first year.
Celtic Civilisation, Portuguese, Russian and Scottish History
These subjects can only be taken as Joint Honours with another subject. Please note that entry for Scottish History is the same as for single or joint History. If you qualify for Celtic Civilisation, however, you also qualify for Celtic Studies, joint or single. This option requires you to study 40 credits of either Modern Gaelic (available from beginner), Old Irish, or Medieval Welsh (no previous language experience required) in either Junior or Senior Honours.
English Literature, Scottish Literature and English Language & Linguistics Single Honours
You must take Level 1 English Language & Linguistics either in your first or second year to take either English Literature or Scottish Literature to Single Honours.
You need to take either Level 1 Scottish Literature in your first year or Level 1 English Literature in your first or second year to take English Language & Linguistics to Single Honours.
English Language & Linguistics and Theatre Studies
If you wish or need to include both English Language and Linguistics Level 1 and Theatre Studies Level 2 in your curriculum over years 1 and 2, you should take English Language and Linguistics 1 in your first year in order to avoid a timetable clash.
English Language & Linguistics and Russian
There’s a timetable clash between Level 1 English Language & Linguistics and Level 2 Russian, so you should take Level 1 English Language & Linguistics in first year if you also wish to take Level 2 Russian.
Film and Television Studies
You must include Film and Television Studies on your UCAS form when applying to the University to be eligible to enrol on courses in this subject.
Modern Languages
School of Modern Languages and Cultures
You must have SQA Higher, Advanced Higher or A-level in the relevant language at Grade B or A, achieved within the previous 3 years to take Non-Beginners language courses.
Level 1 Beginners courses are available to students who don’t meet this requirement.
If you take a Non-Beginners language course, you must also take the Culture course for that language at level 1 and the additional Core Culture course.
Gaelic Language (Celtic & Gaelic )
Available for:
- Beginners (little or no ability in the language)
- Gaelic Intermediate for those who have some ability and/or qualifications in Gaelic (e.g. Higher Gaelic)
- Gaelic Advanced for fluent speakers, and taught through the medium of Gaelic. (e.g., Higher Gàidhlig).
Please consult the subject area if you are unsure about which of the Gaelic courses to enrol in.
Mathematics
All students intending to study Mathematics in first year (Mathematics 1) must meet the entry requirements for Mathematics.
Entry requirements for Mathematics 1 (Semester 1 and Semester 2 course, 40 credits) are:
- A in Higher Maths, or B in Advanced Higher Maths or equivalent
- Or A in Maths A Level or B in Further Maths A Level or equivalent
Mathematics 1 is the only course from which progression to Level 2 or Honours Mathematics is possible. For full entry requirements for Mathematics degree programmes, please check our Mathematics page.
Music
Students considering studying Music on an MA degree plan should have passed ABRSM Music Theory at grade 5 or hold equivalent musical knowledge and experience. Students on a BMus programme will have been specifically admitted to that programme.
Please look at our undergraduate Music degree programmes for more information on the entry requirements for Music MA.
Politics (available as Joint Honours only in the College of Arts)
You must include Politics on your UCAS form when applying to the University to ensure enrolment on courses in this subject.
Psychology
Students must have at least a Standard Five (or equivalent) in Mathematics to take Psychology at Honours.