Celtic Studies

Please see the concentration worksheet and list of eligible courses in English and related fields for this concentration.

According to Celtic tradition, the Irish Celts descended from Japheth son of Noah, whose progeny wandered through Mediterranean lands and eventually made their way to Ireland. Although it is useful to know that the Celtic peoples once inhabited large sections of Europe, most of what students will explore in this concentration is modern literature of the Celtic "fringe"--literature of Ireland, Wales and Scotland--which has deep roots in the literature and mythology of the ancient Celts. The courses most central to this concentration in English are English 058 and 258, and students are strongly encouraged to supplement their study of modern Irish literature by exploring the exchange programs between Penn and University College Dublin, Trinity College Dublin, and University College Cork. Students should consider taking courses in the Irish language (Linguistics 131), and in folklore, archaelogy, and history.