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Liberal Arts with Foundation Year at Birkbeck, University of London - UCAS

Course options

2025 - 2026
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There are other course options available which may have a different vacancy status or entry requirements – view the full list of options

Birkbeck, University of London has participated in the Teaching Excellence Framework. These ratings were awarded in 2023, for four years.

Open days

18Jan
Birkbeck, University of London - Undergraduate open day
Undergraduate

Course summary

Do your interests in the arts and humanities span across different areas? Would you like to study subjects like literature, art, history, law, politics and psychology rather than having to choose between them? Our BA Liberal Arts is a uniquely flexible degree which offers you this opportunity allowing you to plot your own path through an exciting array of subject areas. Why choose this course?

  • This BA Liberal Arts combines depth with breadth offering core modules developing key critical thinking, reading, writing and presentation skills, while our wide-ranging list of option modules empower you with a well-rounded education in the arts and humanities.
  • You can choose to study literature, theatre studies, creative writing, film and media, modern languages, history, geography, law and criminology, management, philosophy, politics, psychology of education and psychosocial studies.
  • Whether your interests lie in art theory, racial justice, environmental crisis, human rights or cultural studies, this degree will enable you to pursue them.
  • You will be taught by leading experts in the field, who will help you unlock your intellectual potential and shape your future career.
What you will learn You will gain specific knowledge in the subject areas you choose, as well as developing core critical and communication skills. You will graduate with confidence in your abilities to prepare a written paper, deliver an oral presentation, and construct a clear and concise argument. You will be equipped to think, speak and write articulately and critically about the world, in order to challenge orthodoxies and communicate your own ideas and perspectives. How you will learn You will be taught via a dynamic range of lectures delivered by leading researchers in the field, alongside small group seminars which will enable you to develop your own ideas and your own voice, and engage with others. Classes will also be supported by our virtual learning environment, which provides you with a vast amount of teaching and research materials, available wherever you have online access. This course is available to study full- or part-time. It has an evening timetable with lectures, seminars and classes taking place in the evening. Foundation Year If you opt for the Foundation Year route, this will fully prepare you for undergraduate study. It is ideal if you are returning to study after a gap or if you have not previously studied the relevant subjects, or if you didn't achieve the grades you need for a place on your chosen undergraduate degree. Highlights
  • Birkbeck was ranked 2nd in the UK for its English Language and Literature research in the 2021 Research Excellence Framework.
  • You could be studying in a building that was once home to Virginia Woolf and frequented by members of the Bloomsbury Group. The building houses our own creative hub which includes the Peltz Gallery, the Gordon Square Cinema and a theatre and performance space.
  • You will gain access to extensive careers support via our school’s career and employability-focused modules and support.
Careers and employability Employers highly value the core analytical, critical and communication skills a liberal arts degree will give you. It will also prepare you for further postgraduate study. On successfully graduating, you will have gained an array of important transferable skills, including:
  • a sophisticated use of written and spoken English
  • an advanced critical ability in the use of theoretical perspectives
  • facility and precision in the use of analytical tools
  • strong skills and initiative in collecting and organising complex materials and writing up clear, well-presented reports or fluent critical arguments.
Graduates can pursue career paths in education, public administration, legal work, business and management, the arts and creative industries, journalism and publishing, the third sector and campaigning.

Modules

For information about course structure and the modules you will be studying, please visit Birkbeck’s online prospectus.

Assessment method

This programme is assessed using a range of methods, including assessed coursework essays, unseen and predisclosed examinations, practical exercises, demonstration workshops and, in your fourth year, a dissertation.

How to apply

29Jan

This is the deadline for applications to be completed and sent for this course. If the university or college still has places available you can apply after this date, but your application is not guaranteed to be considered.

Application codes

Please select a course option – you will then see the application code you need to use to apply for the course.

Points of entry

The following entry points are available for this course:

  • Foundation

International applicants

If English is not your first language or you have not previously studied in English, our usual requirement is the equivalent of an International English Language Testing System (IELTS Academic Test) score of 6.5, with not less than 6.0 in each of the sub-tests. We also accept other English language tests.

Entry requirements

Qualification requirements

We welcome applicants without traditional entry qualifications as we base decisions on our own assessment of qualifications, knowledge and previous work experience. We may waive formal entry requirements based on judgement of academic potential.

Student Outcomes

Operated by the Office for Students

There is no data available for this course. For further information visit the Discover Uni website.

Fees and funding

Tuition fees

England £9535 Year 1
Northern Ireland £9535 Year 1
Scotland £9535 Year 1
Wales £9535 Year 1
International £18060 Year 1

Tuition fee status depends on a number of criteria and varies according to where in the UK you will study. For further guidance on the criteria for home or overseas tuition fees, please refer to the UKCISA website .

Additional fee information

Students are charged a tuition fee in each year of their course. Tuition fees for students continuing on their course in following years may be subject to annual inflationary increases.
Liberal Arts with Foundation Year at Birkbeck, University of London - UCAS