Course summary

Our Liberal Arts course is an exciting new degree within the School of Social Sciences and Humanities. This uniquely interdisciplinary programme cuts across subject areas for an exploration of what it means to be human in a modern world. It equips you with general knowledge about the social and cultural conditions, past and present, that make us who we are. The subjects you study will help you appreciate and negotiate the challenges and rewards of the modern society. Our Liberal Arts BA (Hons) degree will encourage you to think creatively and imaginatively about such important issues as identity, equality, and diversity. At the same time, you will sharpen your all-important communication, problem-solving and critical thinking skills. You gain, in other words, all the key transferrable skills that employers want as you make yourself ‘work ready’ for a career in the public or private sector. The Liberal Arts are also a perfect choice for those who do not wish to commit to one area of study. Our programme offers a varied learning experience that has flexibility and focus: while you receive a solid grounding in the subjects you study, you can tailor the course to your personal interests, choosing from topics like fashion, film, or postcolonial history. Though you may study different areas, you will learn how to bind these together, forging and applying new ways of thinking, and empowering you as a problem solver. The structure of our programme offers you the opportunity to construct your own course, with several pathways and option modules to choose from. The core of the programme consists of introductory modules on the methods and practices of Liberal Arts which will give you the tools to analyse cultural norms and values, literary and non-literary texts, museum and archives practices, and so on. Alongside these you take modules in three major pathways: Art History and Visual Culture, English, and History. Finally, you select option modules from a range of choices in areas such as Communication and Media, Digital Humanities, and Social Sciences. Throughout your studies you will also have the occasion to learn one or more modern languages to a level appropriate to your needs and abilities.