Best colleges for Celtic Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics
A program that focuses on the historical and modern languages spoken by the Celtic peoples of the British Isles, Continental Europe, and Asia Minor, including, but not limited to, modern languages such as Irish, Scots Gaelic, Welsh, and Breton; and extinct or revived languages such as Cornish, Manx, Galatian, and others.
1 U.S. institutions graduated 2 Celtic Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics students in 2024–25 (IPEDS). It is CIP 16.1301, a specialization of Celtic Languages (CIP 16.13), and leads most directly to the Interpreters and Translators occupation (BLS SOC 27-3091).
About Celtic Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics programs
A program that focuses on the historical and modern languages spoken by the Celtic peoples of the British Isles, Continental Europe, and Asia Minor, including, but not limited to, modern languages such as Irish, Scots Gaelic, Welsh, and Breton; and extinct or revived languages such as Cornish, Manx, Galatian, and others. Includes instruction in philology; linguistics; dialects and pidgins; literature; and applications to business, science/technology, and other settings.
Source: National Center for Education Statistics, Classification of Instructional Programs (CIP 2020).
The Celtic Languages program focuses on the historical and modern languages spoken by the Celtic peoples, including Irish, Scots Gaelic, Welsh, and Breton, among others. This program is designed for students interested in exploring the rich linguistic and literary traditions of the Celtic cultures across the British Isles and beyond.
Learn more about Celtic Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics →
Students in this program gain skills in speaking, active listening, reading comprehension, and writing, while also studying philology, linguistics, and literature. Coursework may include the study of dialects, pidgins, and applications of Celtic languages in various professional settings.
Credentials awarded
What Celtic Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics graduates earned in 2024–25, by award level (IPEDS completions).
- Doctor's degree - research/scholarship2 graduates / yr · 1 institution100%
Graduates over time
Celtic Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics completions reported to IPEDS each year, all award levels combined.
| Year | Graduates |
|---|---|
| 2012 | 4 |
| 2013 | 6 |
| 2014 | 4 |
| 2015 | 6 |
| 2016 | 8 |
| 2017 | 4 |
| 2018 | 2 |
| 2019 | 5 |
| 2020 | 2 |
| 2021 | 4 |
| 2022 | 4 |
| 2023 | 3 |
| 2024 | 9 |
| 2025 | 2 |
Top 1 institutions for Celtic Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics, ranked by graduates
Graduates (IPEDS completions), 2024–25. Award levels show which credentials each institution confers in this specialization.
| # | Institution | Graduates / yr | Grad rate | Net price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Harvard University Cambridge, MAPrivate not-for-profitDoctoral | 2 | 98% | $15,013 |
Offered in 1 states
Where Celtic Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics graduates come from. Each state links to all Celtic Languages programs offered there.
| State | Institutions | Graduates / yr | Top institution by graduates |
|---|---|---|---|
| Massachusetts | 1 | 2 | Harvard University2 / yr |
Careers & outlook
The payoff after graduation: occupation 27-3091, Interpreters and Translators, and its national outlook.
Graduates can pursue careers as interpreters and translators, with a median wage of $59,440. The job outlook for this field indicates little or no change, with an annual opening of approximately 6,900 positions, typically requiring at least a Bachelor's degree.
Top-paying metros
Career pathways for CIP 16.1301
The occupations the NCES crosswalk maps this 6-digit code to, with BLS pay and 10-year outlook.
| Occupation | US median pay | Growth | Openings / yr | Typical entry education |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Interpreters and Translatorsprimary SOC 27-3091 | $60,170 | +1.7% Little or no change | ~6,900 | Bachelor's degree |
Foreign Language and Literature Teachers, Postsecondary SOC 25-1124 | $79,350 | -0.2% Little or no change | ~1,900 | Doctoral or professional degree |
Job Zone Four: Considerable Preparation Needed
- Education
- Most of these occupations require a four-year bachelor's degree, but some do not.
- Experience
- A considerable amount of work-related skill, knowledge, or experience is needed for these occupations. For example, an accountant must complete four years of college and work for several years in accounting to be considered qualified.
- Training
- Employees in these occupations usually need several years of work-related experience, on-the-job training, and/or vocational training.
Related careers
Skills & knowledge in Celtic Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics programs
From the U.S. Dept. of Labor for the occupation this specialization most leads to.
Skills you'll build
Knowledge areas
Abilities that matter most
Day-to-day work activities
What graduates do on the job
- Follow ethical codes that protect the confidentiality of information.
- Translate messages simultaneously or consecutively into specified languages, orally or by using hand signs, maintaining message content, context, and style as much as possible.
- Listen to speakers' statements to determine meanings and to prepare translations, using electronic listening systems as necessary.
- Compile terminology and information to be used in translations, including technical terms such as those for legal or medical material.
- Refer to reference materials, such as dictionaries, lexicons, encyclopedias, and computerized terminology banks, as needed to ensure translation accuracy.
- Check translations of technical terms and terminology to ensure that they are accurate and remain consistent throughout translation revisions.
Tools and technology used
Common questions
What languages will I study?+
You will study modern and historical languages such as Irish, Scots Gaelic, Welsh, and Breton, along with some extinct or revived languages.
What skills will I develop in this program?+
You will develop skills in speaking, active listening, reading comprehension, and writing, as well as critical thinking and learning strategies.
What careers can I pursue after graduation?+
You can work as an interpreter or translator, and there are also opportunities in education as a foreign language and literature teacher.
What is the job outlook for this field?+
The job outlook shows little or no change, with around 6,900 annual openings and a median wage of $59,440.
What is the CIP code for Celtic Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics?+
Celtic Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics is CIP 16.1301 in the NCES Classification of Instructional Programs (CIP 2020), a 6-digit specialization within Celtic Languages (CIP 16.13). NCES defines it as: A program that focuses on the historical and modern languages spoken by the Celtic peoples of the British Isles, Continental Europe, and Asia Minor, including, but not limited to, modern languages such as Irish, Scots Gaelic, Welsh, and Breton; and extinct or revived languages such as Cornish, Manx, Galatian, and others. Includes instruction in philology; linguistics; dialects and pidgins; literature; and applications to business, science/technology, and other settings.
How many institutions offer Celtic Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics programs?+
1 U.S. institutions reported Celtic Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics graduates in IPEDS 2024–25, across 1 states, awarding 2 credentials in the year. That is 100.0% of all Celtic Languages graduates.
How much do Celtic Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics graduates earn?+
Earnings are not published at the 6-digit CIP level by any federal source. The Interpreters and Translators occupation, which Celtic Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics most directly leads to, pays a median of $60,170 a year nationally (BLS OEWS May 2025).
About the data on this page
Every figure comes from an official federal or public source. Here is each one and the release it is currently on.
Program definitions are from the NCES Classification of Instructional Programs (CIP 2020). Skills, knowledge, abilities, work activities, tools, and job zones are from the O*NET database by the U.S. Department of Labor, used under the CC BY 4.0 license. This specialization accounts for nearly all Celtic Languages graduates, so its figures match the Celtic Languages program page.
Explore every U.S. college in one conversation
Clema turns plain-language questions into sourced answers across every U.S. institution — earnings, aid, acceptance, graduation, safety, and athletics from IPEDS, College Scorecard, and 10+ federal datasets, built in.
Free for teams up to 3 · No credit card