Scottish studies

Stone inscribed with 'Clan Fraser' on a field.

Culloden Battlefield: The Clan Fraser grave marker at Culloden Battlefield, site of the 1745 Jacobite Rising, is arguably the most visited thanks to the television series, Outlander. Credit: VisitScotland / Kenny Lam.

Forth Bridge at twilight.

Forth Bridge: As seen from South Queensferry west of Edinburgh, this cantilevered railway bridge that spans the Firth of Forth was opened in 1890 and is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Credit: VisitScotland / Kenny Lam.

Horse head sculptures depicting the mythical Kelpies.

The Kelpies, Helix Park: These 30-metre tall sculptures of kelpies, or shape-shifting water spirits, were designed by artist Andy Scott to represent Scottish industry and economy. Credit: VisitScotland / Kenny Lam.

Close-up photo of a Lewis Chessman.

The Lewis Chessman: Popular among chess players and used in one of the Harry Potter films, 78 Lewis Chessmen and 14 other gaming pieces, likely from the twelfth century, were discovered in 1831 in the sands of Uig Bay, Isle of Lewis. Credit: VisitScotland / Kenny Lam.

A shot of Up Helly Aa participants dressed as Vikings.

Up Helly Aa: Shetland’s Viking Fire Festival, Up Helly Aa, is the largest event of its kind in Europe, celebrating the end of winter and return of the sun. Credit: VisitScotland / Luigi Di Pasquale.

A statue of the Duke of Wellington with a cone on its head.

The Wellington Statue: Most often featured with a traffic cone on its head, the statue of the Duke of Wellington outside of the Gallery of Modern Art is an iconic figure in Glasgow. Credit: VisitScotland / Kenny Lam.

Welcome to Scottish studies!

Our courses offer exciting opportunities to study aspects of Scottish heritage across a range of disciplinary and interdisciplinary settings. Courses in Scottish studies are supported by the Hugh Campbell and Marion Alice Small Graduate Teaching Fellowship in Scottish Studies.

What is Scottish studies?

Scottish Studies is an interdisciplinary field concerned with Scotland and its diaspora. Scholars in this field investigate Scottish peoples, languages, literatures, societies, cultures, histories, and natural environments, and seek to increase knowledge and understanding of these aspects of Scottish heritage.

Courses

Summer 2023

HSTR 371: Flavours of the Past: Scottish Food History 

Instructor: Theresa Mackay (PhD Candidate in History, UVic)