Culture and Heritage BA (Hons)
Course code V900
What is special about this course?
The BA (Hons) Culture and Heritage, and related joint honours degrees, will appeal to anybody who has an interest in how the identity of the Highlands and Islands was formed, how history and decisions taken outside the region have fashioned our character and landscapes, and how that translates to life today.
You will study a wide range of subjects allowing you to explore the key cultural, historical, literary, language, musical and philosophical issues of the region, at both regional and national levels, as well as placing them within a global context. The programme covers everything from art, film, and literature, to museums, Vikings, and language.
The course is aimed at anyone who wishes to study in this growing interdisciplinary field. You can set your own research agenda, enabling you to choose your topics for study at all levels. Teaching is multi-disciplinary, and you will bring this all together in your learning throughout your studies.
Take this unique opportunity to immerse yourself in the wealth of culture and heritage within the Highlands and Islands of Scotland, and gain an understanding of our place in the world today.
Please see our FAQ sheet for further information on this course.
Special features
- Gain a unique understanding of the communities of the Scottish Highlands and Islands – the customs, traditions and values
- Choose from a range of many interdisciplinary subjects to suit your own interests and career path
- Study to suit your personal circumstances, full-time or part-time
- Study individual modules for personal or professional development
- Choose this single-honours programme or one of our joint-honours programmes, combining Culture and Heritage with nine other subjects
Entry requirements
Entry to year one:
- 3 Scottish Highers at grade BBC or above OR
- 2 A levels at grade BC or above
- At least two should be from the list of relevant academic subjects.
- Applicants with other relevant qualifications or experience will be considered on an individual basis
Advanced entry to year two:
- HNC Social Sciences (12 SQA credits) with 3 additional SQA credits at level 7, and at least grade C in the Graded Unit will be considered for direct entry to year two
Access routes
SWAP Access courses
If you are eligible to undertake Scottish Wider Access Programmes (SWAP), please visit our SWAP access list for further information on grade profiles and available subjects.
Year 1 - CertHE
Core modules are:
- Scotland: the brand
- Culture. Heritage. What?
- What is culture?
- Scotland's music
You will also choose two option modules from across the university's humanities portfolio
Year 2 - DipHE
Core modules are:
- Folklore
- Tradition, custom and belief
You will choose two of the following option modules::
- Languages on the edge
- Golden mead and burning hearts
- Displaying the past: museum studies
You will also choose two option modules from across the university's humanities portfolio.
Year 3 - BA
Core modules are:
- Interdisciplinary project
- Perceptions of heritage
- Scotland in film
- Celtic and Celtic revival art in Scotland 600-2000
- The Scottish Enlightenment and Highland society
You will also choose one option module from across the university's humanities portfolio.
Year 4 - BA (Hons)
Core modules are:
- Scottish tradition in philosophy
- Faeries and fables: the story of Gaelic literature
- Highland journeys
- Vikings and Valkyries
You must also complete a dissertation.
How will I study my course?
- Full-time
- Part-time (structured)
- Part-time (unstructured)
- You will learn through a combination of scheduled video conference lectures and tutorials, and online study via the university’s virtual learning environment (VLE), with support from your tutors. There is normally a weekly two-hour timetabled video conference lecture for each module.
How long will my course last?
- Full-time: 4 years @ 40 hours per week
- Part-time (structured): 8 years @ 20 hours per week
Number of hours per week indicates the total number of hours you should dedicate to the course, which includes time spent in lectures and your own time spent on individual study and research.
Where can I study my course?
- Argyll
- HTC
- Inverness
- Moray
- North, West and Hebrides
- Orkney
- Perth
- Shetland
- This fully online course can be studied from anywhere in the world
- Students based near to one of the listed campuses should apply to, and be enrolled and supported by, their local campus
- All other students should apply to, and will be enrolled and supported by, UHI Orkney
Start date
- September
- January
Fees
For students normally domiciled in Scotland, with a term-time address in Scotland, the following fees apply:
This includes
- EU nationals with settled or pre-settled status in the UK,
- EEA/Swiss nationals with settled status in the UK
- EEA/Swiss nationals with pre-settled status who are self-employed or migrant workers in the UK.
| 2024-25 | 2025-26 | |
|---|---|---|
| Full-time (120 credit modules) per year | £1,820 | £1,820 |
| Part-time (structured) (3 x 20 credit modules) per year | £915 | £915 |
| Part-time (unstructured per module) (per 20 credit module) | £305 | £305 |
Rest of the UK students
For students normally domiciled in the rest of the UK (England, Wales and N. Ireland) or assessed as rest of the UK for fee status the following fees apply:
| 2024-25 | 2025-26 | |
|---|---|---|
| Full-time online per year (120 credit modules) | £6,120 | £6,420 |
| Part-time online (per 20 credit module) | £1,020 | £1,070 |
International students
For students who do not normally reside in the UK studying online from their home country, or living in the UK but assessed as international for fee status, the following fees apply:
This includes EU/EEA and Swiss nationals without settled status in the UK and EEA and Swiss nationals with pre-settled status who are not self-employed or migrant workers in the UK.
| 2024-25 | 2025-26 | |
|---|---|---|
| Full-time online per year (120 credit modules) | £6,960 | £7,080 |
| Part-time online (per 20 credit module) | £1,160 | £1,180 |
A no fee increase guarantee is available for self-funding full-time and structured part-time rest of the UK and international undergraduate students for continuous study for the same award, up to the permitted standard time limit for the relevant award.
Funding
UHI has a number of scholarships, bursaries, awards, and discretionary fund opportunities available to new and current students. Please use the A-Z of funds or use the filter to see which ones may be relevant to you. All students are welcome to apply.
Further information on funding your studies is also available, please see the attached link or contact the relevant UHI partner.
What can I do on completion of my course?
Once you have successfully completed your BA (Hons) Culture and Heritage, you might like to consider careers in:
- Primary and secondary teaching in English, history and modern studies
- Interpretation with a range of wildlife or heritage groups, including Historic Environment Scotland, National Trust for Scotland, NatureScot, and Scottish Forestry
- Heritage and tourism sectors
- Museums, archives and libraries sector
- Government agencies and local authorities
- Research and academia
- Community development
- Policy development
- Marketing and PR
- Journalism and the media
Can I progress into further study?
For information about further study options, please see our list of Postgraduate progression routes from Humanities degrees.
We also offer a range of postgraduate research degrees: MRes, MPhil and PhD.
Is there more information available online?
You can use the above QR code to connect directly to the course details.
I’m passionate about culture and heritage and this course was the only one that fit my own interests. Being able to also have an element of Gaelic culture and heritage in my course was fantastic. I can’t speak highly enough of the staff who have supported me through my journey at UHI. From the very first day there has been help available. The relationship between the teaching staff and the student is so important and that’s one of the reasons I’m considering further study at UHI. The Culture and Heritage team have been utterly fantastic.
That flexibility also means that fellow students are based all over Scotland but that has not been a barrier to forming friendships and supportive study groups, in fact, fellow students are also one of my favourite things – there has been a mix of students, all different ages, nationalities and backgrounds and that has really added to the experience for me.
Margaret is studying the BA (Hons) Culture and Heritage with Gaelic Studies at UHI Inverness.
Apply for Culture and Heritage BA (Hons)
We are delighted that you are thinking about studying at the University of the Highlands and Islands. We operate a fair and open admissions system committed to equality of opportunity and non-discrimination. We consider all applications on merit and on the basis of ability to achieve, without discrimination on grounds of gender, age, disability, ethnicity and socio-economic background. We welcome applications from all prospective students and aim to provide appropriate and efficient services to students with disabilities.