Graduate Program

The PhD program in Celtic languages and literatures is the only one of its kind in North America. Unlike graduate degree programs in North America and abroad that focus exclusively on Irish or one of the other Celtic languages, the Harvard program provides training in several Celtic languages and affords PhD students the opportunity to conduct advanced research in one or more of the Celtic traditions.

Secondary Field

PhD students in any department in the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences at Harvard may undertake Celtic as a formal Secondary Field by taking four half-courses in Celtic. In the secondary field, a student concentrates on just one of the Celtic languages, either Irish or Welsh.

Graduate students in other departments at Harvard are welcome to take occasional courses in the Celtic Department without completing the Secondary Field.

Ad Hoc Degree

A student enrolled in the PhD program in Celtic Languages and Literatures who has formulated or is in the process of formulating an interdisciplinary research project may, but is not required to, arrange to pursue an Ad Hoc PhD that combines Celtic with one or more other disciplines in a personally tailored program.  The application process to create an Ad Hoc PhD program is described here.  Note that the student must have completed at least one full year in a GSAS PhD program before applying to pursue an Ad Hoc degree.