Celtic Studies

The Celtic Studies Program is open to undergraduate students in the Faculty of Arts and Science at the University of Toronto, and students from across the University are welcome to join our classes. The program introduces students to a wide variety of undergraduate courses on the languages, literature, history, music, folklore, art and archaeology of the peoples of Ireland, Scotland and Wales. We examine Celtic identities in the modern as well as the ancient and medieval world and explore the transmission of these traditions to Canada and the United States.

Our program attracts visiting professors from Ireland, organizes conferences with international scholars, and offers summer scholarships for students to study across the Atlantic. We provide intellectually stimulating courses in a personal, student-friendly learning environment.

The Celtic Studies program is a good preparation for a career in education, journalism, arts and entertainment, or communications. Many of our students proceed to graduate work in the fields of history, mediaeval studies, literature, archaeology, folklore, and library science.

  • Special to our Program

    Celtic Studies Course Union

    The Celtic Studies Course Union aims to unite students enrolled in the Celtic Studies program and classes. The union provides a social environment for students with common interests through free lectures and events like music sessions, movie nights, dances, and professor/student socials.

    Garm Lu

    Garm Lu is a Canadian Celtic Arts Journal published by the Celtic Studies Course Union. It showcases Canadian-Celtic works, ranging from papers to poems and photos and has been in print since 1986.

  • Scholarships and Awards

    The Irene J. McGovern and John Ward McGovern Scholarship

    Value $5000, open only to students registered at St. Michael’s College.

    This scholarship is awarded to a St. Michael’s College full-time student who will have completed their second year or higher of an undergraduate program by May 2021, and whose course of study involves a concentration or major focus in Celtic Studies. Students qualifying for the scholarship will have high academic achievement, particularly in the areas of Celtic History and Literature. The scholarship will be applied to the recipient’s tuition fees in September and any credit remaining after reduction of tuition fees will be mailed to the recipient.

    Applications now open. Click here to apply. 

    The Eileen Allen Scholarship

    Open to all students in the Faculty of Arts and Science who are registered in Celtic Studies courses.

    This scholarship is awarded to a student who wishes to attend the Annual Conference of the Canadian Association for Irish Studies. Information regarding the conference can be obtained from the Celtic Studies Office or from the Canadian Association for Irish Studies.

    St. Michael’s College Scholarships for Summer Study

    Open to all students in the Faculty of Arts and Science who are registered in Celtic Studies courses.

    These scholarships are funded by St. Michael’s College and by the Anna Mary Bridget Loftus Fund and are available to students who wish to study overseas during the summer. The staff of the Celtic Studies Program must approve the course of study requested by the student. Information on various summer school options is available at the Celtic Studies Office.

    Students who are applying to attend the Irish Summer Language School in An Cheathrú Rua, Co. Galway may be eligible for the Ireland Canada University Foundation scholarship. The successful students will be selected from the applicants for the St. Michael’s College Summer Scholarship and do not need to submit a separate application. Likewise students who wish to attend a Summer School in Scotland may be eligible for the St. Andrew’s Society of Toronto scholarship; the successful student will be selected from the applicants for the St. Michael’s College Summer Scholarship.

  • 2023-2024 Program Requirements: Specialist

    You are responsible for fulfilling the program requirements of the year you first joined the Celtic Studies program. Both the CLT and SMC program courses you have completed count toward your program requirements. Please check your specific program requirements and progress on Degree Explorer.

    For the most up-to-date requirements and current course offerings, please see the University of Toronto Timetable Builder and Faculty of Arts & Science Calendar.


    If you have any questions, please contact us at smc.programs@utoronto.ca

    Examines the literature, languages, history, music, folklore and archaeology of the peoples of Ireland, Scotland and Wales in the ancient and modern worlds, including the transmission of Celtic traditions to Canada and the United States.

    Enrolment Requirements:

    This is an open enrolment program. A student who has completed 4.0 credits may enrol in the program.

    Completion Requirements:

    (10.5 credits including 4.0 credits at the 300+level, 1.0 of which must be at the 400-level)

    1. CLT240H1 and CLT241H1

    2. 2.0 credits from the following language courses: CLT141Y1/​ CLT242Y1/​ CLT243Y1/​ CLT251H1/​ CLT252H1/​ CLT331H1/​ CLT332H1

    3. 6.0 credits from the list above and/or SMC165H1/​ MST226H1/​ CLT250H1/​ CLT333H1/​ CLT334H1/​ CLT335Y1/​ CLT337H1/​ CLT338H1/​ CLT341H1/​ CLT342Y1/​ CLT343H1/​ CLT344Y1/​ CLT345H1/​ CLT346H1/​ CLT347H1/​ CLT348H1/​ CLT350H1/​ CLT351H1/​ CLT355H1/​ CLT356H1/​ CLT373H1/​ CLT374H1/​ CLT375H1/​ CLT376H1/​ CLT377H1/​ CLT378H1/​ CLT395Y1/​ CLT396H1/​ CLT411H1/​ CLT412H1/​ CLT413H1/​ CLT416H1/​ CLT440H1/​ CLT441H1/​ CLT444H1/​ CLT445H1/​ SMC441Y1/​ SMC457H1

    4. CLT451Y1

    5. 0.5 credit from CLT341H1/​ CLT348H1/​ CLT377H1/​ CLT378H1/​ CLT444H1/​ CHC232H1/​ CHC370H1/​ CHC371H1/​ CHC383H1/​ MST341H1/​ SMC385H1 or 0.5 credit 200+ level from Breadth Requirement Category 5: The Physical and Mathematical Universes.

    Note: Effective Fall 2021, courses associated with St. Michael’s College’s Celtic Studies, Christianity and Culture, and Mediaeval Studies programs will have the new “CLT,” “CHC,” and “MST” designators respectively.

  • 2023-2024 Program Requirements: Major

    You are responsible for fulfilling the program requirements of the year you first joined the Celtic Studies program. Both the CLT and SMC program courses you have completed count toward your program requirements. Please check your specific program requirements and progress on Degree Explorer.

    For the most up-to-date requirements and current course offerings, please see the University of Toronto Timetable Builder and Faculty of Arts & Science Calendar.


    Examines the literature, languages, history, music, folklore and archaeology of the peoples of Ireland, Scotland and Wales in the ancient and modern worlds, including the transmission of Celtic traditions to Canada and the United States.

    Enrolment Requirements:

    This is an open enrolment program. A student who has completed 4.0 credits may enrol in the program.

    Completion Requirements:

    (6.5 credits, including at least 2.0 credits at the 300+level, of which 0.5 credit must be at the 400-level)

    1. CLT240H1 and CLT241H1
    2. 1.0 credit from the following language courses: CLT141Y1/​​ CLT242Y1/​ CLT243Y1/​​ CLT251H1/​​ CLT252H1/​​ CLT331H1/​​ CLT332H1
    3. 4.0 credits from the list above and/or SMC165H1/​ MST226H1/​ CLT250H1/​​ CLT333H1/​​ CLT334H1/​​ CLT335Y1/​​ CLT337H1/​​ CLT338H1/​​ CLT341H1/​​ CLT342Y1/​​ CLT343H1/​​ CLT344Y1/​​ CLT345H1/​​ CLT346H1/​​ CLT347H1/​​ CLT348H1/​​ CLT350H1/​​ CLT351H1/​​ CLT355H1/​​ CLT356H1/​​ CLT373H1/​​ CLT374H1/​​ CLT375H1/​​ CLT376H1/​​ CLT377H1/​​ CLT378H1/​​ CLT395Y1/​​ CLT396H1/​​ CLT411H1/​​ CLT412H1/​​ CLT413H1/​​ CLT416H1/​​ CLT440H1/​ CLT441H1/​​ CLT444H1/​​ CLT445H1/​​ SMC441Y1/​ SMC457H1
    4. 0.5 credit from CLT341H1/​​ CLT348H1/​​ CLT377H1/​​ CLT378H1/​​ CLT444H1/​ CHC232H1/​​ CHC370H1/​​ CHC371H1/​​ CHC383H1/​​ MST341H1/​ SMC385H1 or a 0.5 credit at the 200/300/400-level from Breadth Requirement Category 5: The Physical and Mathematical Universes.

    Note: Effective Fall 2021, courses associated with St. Michael’s College’s Celtic Studies, Christianity and Culture, and Mediaeval Studies programs will have the new “CLT,” “CHC,” and “MST” designators respectively.

  • 2023-2024 Program Requirements: Minor

    You are responsible for fulfilling the program requirements of the year you first joined the Celtic Studies program. Both the CLT and SMC program courses you have completed count toward your program requirements. Please check your specific program requirements and progress on Degree Explorer.

    For the most up-to-date requirements and current course offerings, please see the University of Toronto Timetable Builder and Faculty of Arts & Science Calendar.

    Examines the literature, languages, history, music, folklore and archaeology of the peoples of Ireland, Scotland and Wales in the ancient and modern worlds, including the transmission of Celtic traditions to Canada and the United States.

    Enrolment Requirements:

    This is an open enrolment program. A student who has completed 4.0 credits may enrol in the program.

    Completion Requirements:

    4.0 credits chosen from those listed below, including at least 1.0 credit at the 300+ level

    CLT141Y1/​ CLT240H1/​ CLT241H1/​ CLT242Y1/CLT243Y1/​ CLT250H1/​ CLT251H1/​ CLT252H1/​ CLT331H1/​ CLT332H1/​ CLT333H1/​ CLT334H1/​ CLT335Y1/​ CLT337H1/​ CLT338H1/​ CLT341H1/​ CLT342Y1/​ CLT343H1/​ CLT344Y1/CLT345H1/​ CLT346H1/​ CLT347H1/​ CLT348H1/​ CLT350H1/​ CLT351H1/​ CLT355H1/​ CLT356H1/​ CLT373H1/​ CLT374H1/​ CLT375H1/​ CLT376H1/​ CLT377H1/​ CLT378H1/​ CLT395Y1/​ CLT396H1/​ CLT411H1/​ CLT412H1/​ CLT413H1/​ CLT416H1/​ CLT420H1/​ CLT440H1/​ CLT441H1/​ CLT444H1/​ CLT445H1/​ MST226H1/​ SMC165H1/​ SMC441Y1/​ SMC457H1

    Note: Effective Fall 2021, courses associated with St. Michael’s College’s Celtic Studies, Christianity and Culture, and Mediaeval Studies programs will have the new “CLT,” “CHC,” and “MST” designators respectively.

  • Course Offerings 2023-2024

    Proposed course offerings and information for the 2023/2024 academic year are detailed in the PDF below. For the most up-to-date course listings please see the Faculty of Arts and Science Timetable.

    As of the 2021/2022 academic year all Celtic Studies courses have new course codes. Both the old SMC program courses and new CLT courses will count toward your Celtic Studies program requirements. If you notice a course not being counted in Degree Explorer please contact us at smc.programs@utoronto.ca.

    The course re-coding is taking place across all St. Michael’s College courses. As of Fall 2021, Mediaeval Studies courses are coded as MST courses, Celtic courses are CLT courses, and Christianity and Culture courses are CHC courses.

    Proposed Celtic Course Offerings 2023-2024

  • Program Contacts

    Faculty

    Brent Miles, Assistant Professor

    Odette Hall, room 025
    brent.miles@utoronto.ca

    Mark G. McGowan, Professor & Program Coordinator

    Odette Hall, room 127
    mark.mcgowan@utoronto.ca

    Ann Dooley, Professor Emerita

    Odette Hall, room 023
    ann.dooley@utoronto.ca

    David A. Wilson, Professor

    Odette Hall, room 021
    david.wilson@utoronto.ca

    Pa Sheehan

    Odette Hall, room 027
    pa.sheehan@utoronto.ca

    Emer Maguire, Ireland Canada University Foundation Visiting Scholar
    Odette Hall, Room 024

    Kelly Library Liaison

    Richard Carter
    Kelly Library, room 127
    416-926-1300 ext. 3444
    richard.carter@utoronto.ca

    Contact Richard with any library-related questions, including using online resources, arranging library instruction, ordering new titles, and getting help with research.

    SMC Programs

    For more information about the program, including queries about enrollment and completion, contact smc.programs@utoronto.ca.