Join our online Gaelic beginners’ course for the workplace.

This is a flexible, beginners’ Gaelic language course for anyone keen to use Gaelic in their place of work.

You’ll learn to speak and understand Gaelic that you can use in greetings and basic interactions wherever you work.

If your employer has a Gaelic Language Plan or a positive language policy, this course will support you in making Gaelic more visible in your organisation and encourage more people to learn the language.

Who is this online Gaelic course for?

This course is designed for complete beginners in the Gaelic language.

It’s ideal for anyone working in a public-facing organisation who would like to use some Gaelic in their workplace.

What you’ll study

You’ll cover the following oral and aural Gaelic language skills:

  • greeting clients and customers in Gaelic
  • basic Gaelic responses
  • apologising in Gaelic for switching to English
  • recognising individual and organisation names in Gaelic
  • how to pronounce Gaelic logos and branding that may be in use in your organisation.

By the end of this course, you’ll be able to...

  • Greet people in Gaelic.
  • Understand basic conversation openers and responses in Gaelic.
  • Model positive language awareness in any organisation that’s subject to Gaelic language monitoring.

How you’ll study

Online learning

This Gaelic course is delivered flexibly, 100% online. You can study with us anywhere in the world and manage your study hours to suit you.

The course is taught at absolute beginners’ level, or A1 on the CEFR (Common European Framework of Reference for Languages).

You’ll have four weeks of teaching, then a final week for assessments.

Your teaching

Your teaching is delivered through MyAberdeen, our online Virtual Learning Environment (VLE). It holds all the materials, tools and support you’ll need in your studies. Take a look around MyAberdeen.

You can access your learning materials on computer, smartphone and laptop, 24 hours a day. You’ll find a range of resources at your fingertips, including:

  • video lectures
  • live online teaching sessions
  • quizzes
  • audio clips
  • reading materials
  • discussion boards with colleagues and tutors
  • the online resources of our award-winning Sir Duncan Rice Library.

Live online teaching sessions

You’ll have two live online sessions each week, for the first four weeks of the course. They’ll take place on:

  • Tuesdays at 11am, and
  • Wednesdays at 1pm.

These are interactive small-group teaching sessions where you’ll get to learn from and chat with your tutor and colleagues. Each session is scheduled to last 45 minutes.

Alongside your teaching sessions, you’ll have materials to work through by yourself.

Your tutors

You’ll learn from experienced Teaching Assistants under the supervision of academic staff from our School of Language, Literature, Music and Visual Culture.

You’ll be assessed entirely online via:

  • an online oral test – reproducing the materials you’ve been learning, simulating greetings and exchanging pleasantries
  • an online listening test – testing your recognition of language practised in the course.

This course totals approximately 50 hours of study and assessment time.

That’s around 10 – 12 hours per week, including self-learning.

This is an indicative guide to the time required for a typical student to achieve the learning outcomes.

Activities at fixed times

You’ll have two fixed, interactive group teaching sessions each week, for the first four weeks of the course. Each session will last 45 minutes.

These will take place on:

  • Tuesdays at 11am, and
  • Wednesdays at 1pm.

Apart from these sessions, you can largely set your own study hours each week to cover the materials. MyAberdeen is available 24/7, so you can log in and study when it suits you.

Our first-class support structure will ensure that you aren’t alone in your studies. You’ll have contact with your tutors via MyAberdeen. You can use social media and discussion boards to chat with your fellow students too.

We provide a wide range of services to support you in your studies and beyond:

Wherever you are in the world, you’ll feel part of our very special Aberdeen learning community.

Your course coordinator

Professor Moray Watson

Moray is a Professor of Gaelic and Translation Studies.

He is Director of Ionad Eòghainn MhicLachlainn: the National Centre for Gaelic Translation.

Moray researches broadly in the field of Translation Studies, with special focus in translator training, skills acquisition and literary translation. In Gaelic studies, his main focus is modern literature.

View Moray’s profile

Where this will take you

Build your learning

You’ll earn 5 credits at undergraduate level (SCQF 7) with this course. Find out about credits.

This course leads onto our second online Gaelic course:

It provides more useful language for the workplace, and is ideal if you work in a customer service setting.

Careers

This course will give you a short introduction to Gaelic that you’ll find useful in your daily work.

If you work for a public body, it will help them meet their obligations in their Gaelic Language Plan.

Continuing Professional Development (CPD)

Your employer or professional institute may recognise this course for CPD. Talk to your employer or institute to find out more.

Free career support

Access our free careers service while you study.

  • 1:1 appointments
  • CV checks
  • Interview prep
  • Job opportunities

See how our careers service can help you.

Entry requirements

Entry requirements

We welcome students from all over the world.

This course has no formal entry requirements. You do not need to provide proof of your qualifications.

But you do need to check the entry guidance above to understand the level of teaching delivered, to decide if this course is right for you.

If you do not have qualifications from the UK, check the equivalent teaching level for your country.

Visa requirements

You do not need a student visa to study online with us.

English language requirements

Teaching is delivered in English.

You do not have to provide proof of your English language skills to join this course. But we want to make sure that you can use English well enough to study successfully.

Recommended level of English

For this course, we recommend the following level of English language proficiency.

These are our Undergraduate Standard requirements, and these are minimum scores.

IELTS Academic, IELTS UKVI Academic, and IELTS Online (not IELTS Indicator or IELTS General Training)

  • 6.0 overall
  • 5.5 for listening, reading and speaking
  • 6.0 for writing

TOEFL iBT and TOEFL iBT Home Edition

  • 78 overall
  • 17 for listening
  • 18 for reading
  • 20 for speaking
  • 21 for writing
  • TOEFL DI code is 0818

Cambridge English: B2 First, C1 Advanced, or C2 Proficiency

  • 169 overall
  • 162 for listening, reading and speaking
  • 169 for writing

LanguageCert Academic/LanguageCert Academic SELT

  • 65 overall
  • 60 for listening, reading and speaking
  • 65 for writing

LanguageCert International ESOL B2 Communicator (Written and Spoken) – Online / In-centre

  • Overall Pass
  • 33 for listening, reading and speaking
  • 38 for writing

Oxford ELLT Digital – English Language Level Test Online

  • 6.0 overall
  • 5.0 for listening, reading and speaking
  • 6.0 for writing

PTE Academic (online test not accepted)

  • 59 overall
  • 59 for listening, reading, speaking and writing

Duolingo tests taken from 1 July 2024 onward

  • 105 overall
  • 95 for listening, reading and speaking
  • 105 for writing

Trinity ISE – Trinity Integrated Skills in English

  • Pass overall at ISE II
  • A merit in lisening, reading and speaking
  • A distinction in writing

University of Aberdeen English Pre-sessional Programme (PSE)

  • Pass
  • Valid for one year. Refresher can be offered if out of date

Pre-sessional academic English preparation programmes undertaken at other UK universities

  • Pass at an equivalent of 6 (B2)
  • B2 in all four skills
  • Certification must be within one year prior to the start of your course

For more information about language qualifications see our English Language Requirements page.

You will need access to:

A computer (PC, laptop or Mac) operating on either:

  • Windows 10 or later
  • macOS 10.15 (Catalina) or later.

Most teaching materials are smartphone- and tablet-friendly. But we recommend a proper laptop or desktop for completing assignments comfortably.

Reliable internet access

We recommend:

  • a wired connection
  • a minimum download speed of 2 Mbps so you can take part fully in live sessions.

Speakers or headphones

  • We recommend a headset with built-in microphone and earphones if you’re likely to study in an environment with background noise.
  • A webcam is optional, but you may like to use one for some interactive sessions.

Software

We’ll give you access to Office365 applications. This means you can use online versions of Microsoft Word, Excel, and PowerPoint and install these programs on up to five personal devices.

If your course requires specialist software, we’ll provide you with access to this and a licence that lasts throughout your studies.

See our detailed IT requirements for more information.

When you study with us, you can expect a first-class support structure so that you’re never alone in your studies.

But learning online does mean you have to motivate yourself and manage your own time.

Your most important commitment will be time – the time to work through, reflect on and understand your teaching materials.

Before you start a course that involves a high degree of independent study, we recommend looking at the time you will be able to devote to your studies each week:

  • Be realistic
  • Create a weekly schedule as a guide

If you have any questions about studying online, get in touch with our friendly team. We’re here to help.

Fee payment

Your course fee needs to be paid in full before you start your course.

We accept payment via Visa Debit, Visa Credit and Mastercard.

Ways to save

You may be able to get help funding this course via:

  • discounts – if any discounts are available for this course, they’ll appear in the section below
  • employer sponsorship – we accept full and partial fee payments from sponsors.

Find out more about funding options.

Student card

All our students are entitled to a University of Aberdeen student card. This gives you access to a range of student discounts around the city and online.

You do not need to know any Gaelic to join this course. It’s for complete beginners in the language.

The course is for anyone working in a public-facing role who would like to use some Gaelic in their workplace

It’s an undergraduate course, delivered at the absolute beginners’ level of Gaelic (A1 CEFR Gaelic).

If in doubt about whether your language skills are at the right level for this course, we’re here to help. Get in touch for advice via email.