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Liberal Arts
What would I study and how do courses differ?
The British university system is slowly starting to cotton on the American Liberal Arts degree. A liberal arts degree will allow you to study a number of different subjects, and are therefore not only an ‘inter-disciplinary’ but also a ‘multidisciplinary’ degree. The content and optionality can vary from university to university, and you will need to research each university carefully.
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Some universities offer a Liberal Arts Degree which includes Natural Sciences and, perhaps rather confusingly, it is possible to be awarded a BSc (Batchelor of Science) rather than a BA (Bachelor of Arts) when studying for a Liberal Arts Degree.
Oxford and Cambridge do not offer a course called ‘Liberal Arts,’ but the spirit of studying a number of subjects which will allow you to specialised in one or two of them is captured by the ‘Philosophy, Politics, and Economics’ degree (PPE) at Oxford and, perhaps to an even greater extent, the ‘Human, Social, and Political Sciences’ degree (HSPS) at Cambridge. You may also consider the ‘Natural Sciences’ degree (NatSci) at Cambridge (and many other universities) to be an example of a Liberal Arts course due to its multi-disciplinarity.
When you research Liberal Arts type degrees you must be aware that they may not be called ‘Liberal Arts.’ E.g. University College London (UCL) call their two Liberal Arts degrees ‘Arts and Sciences’ and ‘Arts and Sciences with Study Abroad.’ UCL’s degree will give you a BASc (Bachelor in Arts and Sciences degree) King’s College London (KCL) does offer a degree called ‘Liberal Arts,’ but it also offer other multi-disciplinary courses, e.g. War Studies, which are worth having a look at and which has a distinct Liberal Arts feel to it.
What are the typical entry requirements?
This will vary from institution to institution. Durham asks for A*AA. Birmingham University asks for A*AA, but there is also a requirement of writing an essay, and a strong performance in the essay may see the entry requirement drop to an AAA offer (or even an unconditional offer), Nottingham University asks for A*AA but specifies that the A* must be in either English or Maths (depending on whether the student chooses the ‘English Pathway’ or the ‘Mathematics Pathway’). Bristol University, Exeter University, Kings’ College London, and Warwick University all ask for AAA. University College London’s requirements for ‘Arts and Sciences’ is typically A*AA but there are various course requirements depending on what topics you want to pick. Students are advised to research the subjects required for the individual courses – and additional requirements (e.g. the essay requirement from Birmingham University) - very carefully.
Are there any essential or recommended A Levels?
Recommended A Levels depend on the course. See above. Students are advised to research the subjects required for the individual courses – and additional requirements (e.g. the essay requirement from Birmingham University) - very carefully.
What are the best universities for a Liberal Arts degree?
The best university for you is the university which allows you to do the subject combination which excites you the most, i.e. this depends entirely on you. You can, however, rest assured that the courses offered by excellent Universities outside of London such as Birmingham, Bristol, Durham, Exeter, Nottingham, and Warwick, and excellent London universities such as KCL and UCL, will be among the best universities to study for a Liberal Arts degree.
Is there any special advice for Oxbridge Applicants?
Have a look and consider whether PPE, HSPS, or NatSci is for you (see above and refer to the relevant pages in the booklet).
What is important for my personal statement?
You need to be able to demonstrate a broad interest in a variety of subjects, and you need to show a particular interest in how the subjects hang together and ‘speak’ to each other. You will need to demonstrate that you have been reading beyond the subject confines of your A Level subjects and that you have been thinking synoptically, i.e. try to demonstrate that you have thought about the same problem from the standpoint of multiple subjects.
Suggested reading list:
This will depend on the course you are applying for. Please refer to the individual course websites from the individual universities. You must, however, be prepared to read about topics or subjects you may not have considered before (e.g. sociology, anthropology, criminology, and psychology).
Do I need to do work experience?
Typically no, but, again, it depends on the components of your degree. An ability to relate the work experience to the courses you are applying for on your personal statement is obviously an advantage.
Which jobs can I do with a Liberal Arts degree?
Typically, the same kind of jobs that you could apply for if you had done History, English, Politics, Philosophy etc at university. You can do Liberal Arts degrees with a significant scientific and quantitative slant to it, which might be an advantage if you are thinking about joining the financial industry.