Liberal Arts BA (Hons)

The University of Warwick

Liberal Arts at Warwick is a way of approaching what matters most to you through a rigorous and flexible degree. As part of a close-knit community, you will draw on knowledge from a range of disciplines to address complex problems in hands-on seminars. You will design your own degree by choosing a route or a pathway, closely supported by our expert tutors. This unique course balances both breadth and depth. It gives you the critical tools to think across disciplines, flexibility with your module choices, and specific expertise in your area of interest.

On this interdisciplinary degree we will encourage you to think independently as you work closely with experts from across the University. In small groups you will explore challenging problems from different times and places, using a toolkit of emergent skills to create your own responses. This course is ideal for passionate students who want to learn across disciplines and build their degree around their interests and ambitions.

Dedicated expert tutors with a passion for liberal education lead the Liberal Arts modules. These modules focus on investigating key issues from multiple disciplinary perspectives and developing your critical thinking skills. You will learn how to analyse cutting-edge problems and to think outside the box as you evaluate evidence and interpretations. These modules will also help you to build your primary and secondary research skills. We will ensure that you have the intellectual tools needed to undertake advanced undergraduate research by your final year. We will also prepare you to engage in different modules as you explore what Warwick has to offer across the humanities, arts, sciences, and social sciences.

Within the first year, you will choose either a disciplinary route or a bespoke pathway, bringing together modules most suited to your interests and strengths. You will spend 25-50% of your degree studying modules relating to your chosen route/pathway. These modules will give you the knowledge, skills, and expertise to become a leader in an area you are passionate about. Our tutors will guide your decision about which route or pathway to choose and will provide support to you throughout the degree. As your interests may develop over time, a unique feature of this degree is the ability to adapt your route/pathway further down the line.

Liberal Arts at Warwick aims to develop innovative critical thinkers who will be able to confront the global challenges of the past, present, and future. As such, we also offer the opportunity of extending your degree by a year either to study abroad or to complete a work placement. To give you the time to consider whether these opportunities are right for you, we automatically enrol all of our new students on the three-year course. Once you join us, you will have the option to change to a four-year course with an intercalated year of study abroad or work placement in the third year. The year spent studying abroad or on work placement is subject to departmental academic requirements.

The skills you develop during your degree are as important as the course content. You will also have the opportunity to complete co-curricular certificates and short work placements. These will help you develop your professional skills, giving you the edge when it comes to your employability. You will have the support of our dedicated Employability and Placement Manager who provides one-to-one careers guidance.