BA Liberal Arts ARE YOU AN INTELLECTUAL PIONEER? APPLY HERE

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1 BA Liberal Arts ARE YOU AN INTELLECTUAL PIONEER? APPLY HERE

2 2 PAGE INDEX 3 WELCOME 5 BA LIBERAL ARTS 6 YEAR BREAKDOWN 8 STUDY ABROAD 9 STUDYING WITH US 10 CAREERS & EMPLOYABILITY 11 UNIVERSITY OF LEEDS 14 LIFE IN LEEDS 18 APPLICATIONS & FUNDING 19 VISIT US The information contained in this brochure is accurate at the date of publication. However, courses, University services and the content of this brochure remain subject to change. Changes may be necessary to comply with the requirements of accrediting bodies or to keep courses contemporary through updating practices or areas of study. Circumstances may arise outside the reasonable control of the University, leading to required changes. Such circumstances include, industrial action, unexpected student numbers, significant staff illness (where a course is reliant upon a person s expertise), unexpected lack of funding, severe weather, fire, civil disorder, political unrest, government restrictions and serious concern with regard to the transmission of serious illness making a course unsafe to deliver. After a student has taken up a place with the University, the University will look to give early notification of any changes and try to minimise their impact, offering suitable alternative arrangements or forms of compensation where it believes there is a fair case to do so. Offers of a place to study at the University will provide up to date information on courses. The latest key information on courses can be found at Please check this website before making any decisions. The University s contract with its students (following an acceptance by a student of any offer of a place) does not confer third-party benefits for the purposes of the Contract (Rights of Third Parties) Act 1999.

3 WELCOME Welcome to the BA Liberal Arts. This programme combines intellectual depth and intellectual breadth. Through your major you study a cluster of modules in one of the traditional Humanities or Social Science disciplines. Alongside this disciplinary focus, you can also follow your interests, across diverse subject areas, by choosing classes from six broadly defined Topics that run through the course. So you do not need to close down your options on arrival at University. Instead you can enjoy the best of both worlds: flexibility, combined with intellectual focus and disciplinary diversity. We believe that this cross-disciplinary approach is crucial for the understanding of complex issues in the modern world. Why? Because many of the deepest questions only come into clear focus when they are viewed from the vantage point of different subject areas. Cross-disciplinary study is also exciting, allowing you to weave together a variety of approaches to achieve a nuanced, multi-perspectival account of a range of humanly important questions. We are proud to say that the course also gives you the skills to communicate with diverse audiences, including audiences beyond the University, and the opportunity to engage with partners external to the University, if you wish to do so. As a Liberal Arts student you will receive an intellectual formation that runs broad and deep; you will acquire the literary and rhetorical skills to address varied audiences; and you will have the mental dexterity that is vital for success in the world of work, and for your own appreciation of the world around you. And you can do all of this while living and studying in one of the UK s great cities, at the cultural and commercial heart of Yorkshire. We look forward to welcoming you to Leeds.

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5 5 BA LIBERAL ARTS The BA Liberal Arts is a collaborative venture bringing together scholars from three Faculties: Arts; Education, Social Sciences and Law; and Performance, Visual Arts and Communications. Key modules in the programme have been co-designed by staff from these Faculties. The result is a genuinely inter-disciplinary and integrated programme, which draws on the perspective of diverse subject areas. Key modules in the programme are co-taught by specialists in different disciplines, from across these Faculties. This enables you to see first-hand how the perspectives of different disciplines can be combined to think about a broad range of key questions. A truly inter-disciplinary course that will enable you to: Develop a deep understanding of one of the key disciplines in the Humanities and Social Sciences Follow your intellectual enthusiasms, across diverse subject areas Examine some of the deepest human questions, and bring them into clear focus by integrating the perspectives of different disciplines Prepare for life after University, because employers need graduates with wide-ranging skills drawn from different discipline areas. Research and teaching in the Humanities and Social Sciences at Leeds enjoy a world-wide reputation for excellence. The Faculty of Arts is ranked in the top 60 in the world by the Times Higher Education World University Rankings. As a Liberal Arts student, all of this expertise is available to you. THE BA LIBERAL ARTS HAS TWO STRANDS. In one strand of your course, you take a cluster of modules belonging to your area of specialisation. This is your major. Through your major, you receive a rigorous training in a particular discipline. So your major guarantees intellectual depth. One third of your programme in your first year, and one half of your programme in each of your second and third years falls in the area of your major. You can choose your major from any of a very wide range of subject areas. Examples include English, History, Philosophy, Politics, Sociology, Theatre and Performance, Theology and Religious Studies, History of Art, Music, and a language of your choosing. The other strand of your course is made up of modules or classes drawn from 6 Topics, plus Liberal Arts core modules. The Topics enable you to choose freely from different subject areas. So the Topic structure guarantees intellectual diversity and teaches you skills of cross-disciplinary inquiry. The BA Liberal Arts will give you the depth and rigour of a traditional degree course, and at the same time the flexibility to range widely across different subject areas, as you choose modules from the Topic areas.

6 6 YEAR BREAKDOWN In your first year: You choose three from this list of Liberal Arts Topic modules (total of 60 credits): Visions of Humanity: Philosophical, Religious and Scientific Perspectives Vision and Narrative: Literature and the Visual Arts Whose Past and Which Future? Exploring Living Histories and Heritage Today Performance, Theatre and Music: Interdisciplinary Approaches Politics and Social Transformations Exploring the Digital World. You also take the module Introducing Liberal Arts (20 credits). This module will teach you how to think about important questions from the vantage point of different disciplines. In this module, you will also learn how to address diverse audiences, and how to understand the relationship between your studies and wider social and political issues. You take your remaining 40 credits (from a total of 120 credits) from the area of your major. In your second year: You choose modules from two of these six Topic strands (total of 40 credits): Ethics, Science and Religion Literature and the Visual Arts Living Histories and Heritage Performance, Theatre and Music Society and Politics The Digital World. Normally, you will choose modules that allow you to build on the Topic modules that you took in your first year. For instance, if you took the module Visions of Humanity: Philosophical, Religious and Scientific Perspectives in your first year, you might consider taking a module from the Ethics, Science and Religion Topic strand in your second year.

7 7 RESEARCH PLACEMENT MODULE You also take a Research Placement module (20 credits). In this module, you undertake a research project of your choosing, working independently and as part of a team. The module also gives you the opportunity to engage with partner organisations external to the University, if you wish to do so. You take the remaining half of the second year of your programme (60 credits) in the area of your major. In your third year: 60 credits: Major modules 20 credits: Topic module 40 credits: Independent Research Project. You take an Independent Research Project in Liberal Arts. In this module, you devise a project that is of special interest, and show how a question of your choosing can be understood from the vantage point of different disciplines. Through this exercise, you can develop the skills of independent, cross-disciplinary enquiry that are widely valued by employers. Finally, you choose a module or modules (to the value of 20 credits) from one of the 6 Topic areas, normally building on your choices in earlier years. So the third year of the course brings together the material you have studied in earlier years: you conclude your major, and undertake an independent project, through which you can connect, if you wish, your chosen Topic (or Topics) and the subject area represented in your major. INTEGRATED MASTERS IN LIBERAL ARTS As a student of the BA Liberal Arts, you will have the opportunity to stay on in Leeds for a further year, to complete your integrated MA in Liberal Arts. In the MA, you deepen your understanding of the themes studied in your major and in at least one of your Topic areas. You also undertake an extended independent research project, which includes the opportunity for engagement with external partners. As a graduate of the MA Liberal Arts, you will be a genuinely creative and independent thinker, who can range freely across disciplinary boundaries. In addition, half of your final year (60 credits) falls within the area of your major. So as a Liberal Arts graduate, you will have the sophisticated, specialist skills of the subject area represented in your major.

8 8 STUDY ABROAD As a Liberal Arts student, you can choose a Study Abroad Year option, to enhance your global and professional awareness. This would extend your Liberal Arts undergraduate degree to 4 years (or your Integrated Masters to 5 years). If you choose your major in a modern language, then you need to apply for the BA Liberal Arts (International) UCAS code Y001. This course runs over 4 years, and includes a compulsory year abroad. If your major is not in a modern language, you can choose to take an optional year abroad after arrival at Leeds, providing your marks are of the requisite standard. The University of Leeds offers one of the widest ranges of opportunities for study abroad in the UK and over 900 Leeds students study abroad every year. The option to study abroad complements the Liberal Arts ethos of outwardlooking scholarship and personal development.

9 HOW WILL I STUDY? Here at Leeds we emphasise the importance of research-led teaching. You will be taught by experts who research in the field of study, and in your final year project you will have the chance to extend your learning through independent research. In the Liberal Arts programme we use a wide range of teaching methods, with an emphasis on small-group teaching to encourage you to engage actively with the subject matter and develop your own ideas and arguments. We use a variety of assessment methods including written examination and essays, presentations, group projects, fieldwork reports, and online learning journals and assessments. In first year, the Liberal Arts core module is co-taught by specialists from different Faculties, so you can see how different disciplines can be combined to deepen our understanding of humanly important questions. This module runs through the whole of first year, so gives you the opportunity to get to know Liberal Arts teaching staff and students. In all 3 years, you will be part of a close-knit and carefully supported cohort. In Years 2 and 3, the Liberal Arts core modules give you the opportunity to work with partners external to the University if you wish to do so, so you can prepare yourself for life and employment after University. 9 STUDYING WITH US

10 10 CAREERS & EMPLOYABILITY The BA Liberal Arts combines disciplinary depth and disciplinary variety. So as a Liberal Arts student, you will acquire the in-depth understanding of a particular subject area that is typical of a traditional degree programme, and in addition skills of cross-disciplinary enquiry. This intellectual versatility, and your capacity to think about questions from the vantage point of different disciplines, will make you very attractive to a wide range of employers. Our course also gives you the opportunity to learn how to communicate with diverse audiences, and how to conduct independent research, both as an individual and as a member of a team. These skills are also very readily transferable to the world beyond the University. In addition, the Liberal Arts degree provides you with many opportunities to engage with partners external to the University. This option allows you to forge networks and skills that are valuable for graduate success. In taking this opportunity, you will also contribute to the cultural and civic life of Leeds. Because of their intellectual versatility, and cross-disciplinary expertise, Liberal Arts students are well equipped for the careers that are chosen by graduates across the Humanities and Social Sciences. Careers opportunities include management, politics, charity work, the civil service, journalism, law, the media, education, business leadership and enterprise. You will also have the opportunity to progress to further study, which could take the form of staying on at Leeds, to complete the Integrated MA in Liberal Arts. The University s Leeds for Life scheme will help you to get the most out of your time at University by supporting your personal and academic development. Through the scheme, you will develop the skills and attributes to help you succeed academically and impress potential employers. Everything you get involved in at Leeds will link to your future employability: part-time work, involvement in societies and volunteering all appeal to employers. All students at the University can use the services of the award-winning University Careers Centre, including: Resources and workshops to help you in job search, applications and interviews Drop-in sessions with qualified careers advisers, for any career-related query. As a Liberal Arts student, you have an unusually wide range of opportunities to work with partners external to the University, including businesses, charities and local government. So you can use your degree to provide a route into employment, by demonstrating how your studies can be applied productively in a wide variety of work settings.

11 11 UNIVERSITY OF LEEDS Established in 1904, the University of Leeds is one of the largest and most successful universities in the United Kingdom. Its history dates back to the 19th century and is characterised by an inclusive ethos, having provided access to higher education for women and students from local as well as different class and faith backgrounds when this had not yet become the norm. The University has a strong arts, social sciences and humanities tradition. Not only does it offer a broad choice of disciplines for study, but it also has its own art collection and gallery, many inspiring archives, various exhibition spaces and performance venues. The University s single, inner-city campus has been described as a free open-air museum of architectural and social history. Liberal Arts students will have the opportunity to facilitate and contribute to cultural activities. The University has a long established reputation for the high standard of its teaching and research. It provides state-of-the-art learning facilities and some of the best computing resources in the country. The internationally renowned Brotherton Library offers access to over 2.8 million items and a host of electronic resources. In Spring 2015 the new Laidlaw Library opened on campus with 1000 flexible learning spaces and fully integrated technology. An extensive network of support services assists students with academic and personal matters. The Skills@Library team, for example, offers group, one-to-one and online training in skills-related areas such as time management, digital literacy and writing a final-year dissertation. The Disability team coordinates the support requirements of disabled students. The Wellbeing team, Chaplaincy and counselling service help students to stay well. The Edge fitness complex and swimming pool is one of the many sports facilities available to our students. GUARANTEED ACCOMMODATION Provided you apply by the deadline of 1st July, all single, first year students will be guaranteed a place in university owned accommodation. On campus and throughout the city, we have an impressive range of accommodation to cater for all budgets. To find out more, please visit:

12 12 APPLY TODAY UCAS CODES BA Liberal Arts Y000 BA Liberal Arts (International) Y001 Applications are made through UCAS see: CONTACT Web Tel +44 (0) To book a visit

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14 LIFE IN LEEDS Leeds regularly tops the polls as the favourite UK destination for students. With over 33,000 students the city is youthful, multicultural and student focused, enjoying its status as one of the most cosmopolitan cities in the North. Leeds, home to 750,000 people, is the capital of the Yorkshire and Humber region and the social and cultural hub of the North. The city has a diverse, buoyant economy and has become one of the UK s largest financial, business, retail and manufacturing centres outside of London. Leeds is one of the most cost effective places to study in Britain and is also at the forefront of the third Industrial Revolution with many new cultural and media industries based in the city. The opportunities that the city provides make it very popular with students, and a high proportion of graduates stay on to live and work in the city.

15 Leeds has a lively cultural calendar packed with music, art, cinema, theatre and dance. As well as major concerts and outdoor festivals, the music scene includes classical, soul, jazz, reggae and alternative pop music in venues across the city. Leeds Art Gallery houses the internationally famous Henry Moore Institute, and in easy reach of the city are the Yorkshire Sculpture Park and the National Media Museum at Bradford. The culturally diverse make-up of Leeds and its neighbouring Bradford accounts for a great diversity of festivals, including the Leeds West Indian Carnival as well as many religious celebrations that are shared with the public. Leeds urban architecture offers an exciting journey through the history of Modernity and Postmodernity; local buildings and spaces tell the story of industrialisation and trade, middle and working class culture, migration, and postindustrial regeneration. Leeds is also one of the greenest cities in the UK, with many places of beauty and interest for a day out, such as Roundhay Park, Temple Newsam, Harewood House and Kirkstall Abbey. The city centre has over two miles of traffic free shopping, with elegant Victorian markets and arcades and 21st-century shopping malls like Trinity Leeds, which opened in Vintage and independent shops can be found beside major high street names. Leeds offers a huge range of shops and stores to suit all tastes from exclusive designer fashion at Harvey Nichols to unique gifts in the Corn Exchange. Nightlife in and around the city is well known for its diversity and popularity. Leeds wide choice of bars ranges from traditional inns to cutting edge; its street café culture and club scene make the city a magnet for students. As a big city, Leeds has a diverse population with many different needs and concerns. The University and Leeds Students Union have major programmes which enable students to engage with local communities and people of all backgrounds. Many University students make a difference locally or regionally by participating in cultural, social, welfare, educational or faith projects. The University campus is only a ten-minute walk from the centre of Leeds and a twenty-minute drive from open countryside. Leeds is one of the fastest growing cities in the UK with frequent transport links to all major British cities. London can be reached by train in two hours; York and the Yorkshire moors, dales and coast are within easy reach. Leeds/ Bradford International Airport provides regular flights to UK and European destinations. 15 All photography within this brochure is taken from around the city of Leeds and the university campus.

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17 LEEDS URBAN ARCHITECTURE OFFERS AN EXCITING JOURNEY THROUGH THE HISTORY OF MODERNITY AND POSTMODERNITY; LOCAL BUILDINGS AND SPACES TELL THE STORY OF INDUSTRIALISATION AND TRADE, MIDDLE AND WORKING CLASS CULTURE, MIGRATION, AND POST-INDUSTRIAL REGENERATION. 17

18 18 APPLICATIONS & FUNDING SELECTION PROCEDURE/YOUR UCAS FORM We give careful consideration to all applications and personal statements should demonstrate why you want to study Liberal Arts. We need to see evidence that you have the academic ability for the programme. You should tell us which areas you are particularly interested in and why, and how you see these interests developing at University and beyond. If you have done anything to pursue your academic interests in the subject beyond your school work further reading, listening to speakers or attending sixth form conferences, taking part in relevant clubs or societies it is worth highlighting this. It is also worth making sure that your grammar, punctuation and spelling are correct, and that your statement is clearly written. Entry requirements: At time of printing these are: A-Levels: AAA International Baccalaureate: 35 points overall with 17 at Higher Level. Please check for the most up to date information online at: For BA Liberal Arts (International) there are additional entry requirements. Please check for further details. PART-TIME STUDY: MATURE STUDENTS We welcome applications from those who may have had a period away from full-time education, and are happy to assess such applicants, where appropriate, by means of an interview and/or written tests. Support is available through the Lifelong Learning Centre and includes pre-entry advice, guidance, preparatory programmes for adults, developing academic skills before entry and information on a range of issues relevant to such applicants. For further details, contact part-time@leeds.ac.uk, phone or see ACCESS TO LEEDS We actively support the Access to Leeds scheme. Access to Leeds is the University of Leeds widening access scheme and guarantees special consideration for applicants whose personal circumstances may affect their ability to demonstrate their full potential through grades alone. Successful applicants receive an alternative offer alongside a standard offer. Applications are welcomed from students who meet the eligibility criteria and have the potential to study at the University of Leeds. For more information see or contact accesstoleeds@leeds.ac.uk. SCHOLARSHIPS AND BURSARIES At Leeds we re committed to encouraging students from all backgrounds, and we want to make it easy for everyone to learn without worrying about financial difficulties. We offer comprehensive financial support to help you with the costs of being at university. We expect that around 1 in 3 of our students will receive financial help from us. It doesn t have to be repaid. Leeds offers a range of financial support over and above the loans and grants you can receive from the government. You may also be able to apply for a scholarship. If you re an eligible UK student from England, you can choose between: a tuition fee discount a discount on University owned accommodation a cash sum. If you re an eligible student from elsewhere in the EU, you can only receive financial help from the University as a tuition fee discount. For further details see

19 VISIT US Choosing a university is a major decision and it is important to visit your prospective place of study. We strongly recommend that you come and see Leeds for yourself. A visit will give you an opportunity to see the physical environment of the University and city. Perhaps more importantly, it also allows you to meet and speak with staff and current students and to get a feel for the University, which could be your academic home for three years. Family members and other guests are welcome to all our open days and visit days. BEFORE YOU APPLY: UNIVERSITY OPEN DAYS There are general university open days in June, September and October each year. These are designed to help you decide what you want to study, as well as where. You can attend talks on all our programmes, look around the campus, talk to current students and hear about what Leeds has to offer. Find out more at: AFTER YOU APPLY: VISIT DAYS Before we make you an offer of a place, you will be invited to spend a day with us. This is to help you find out more about your chosen programme, the University and the city so that you have all the information you need to help you decide whether the programme at Leeds is right for you. The day will include the opportunity to meet with a member of academic staff as well as sample lectures and more opportunities to find out about our course from staff and students. 19 VISIT US

20 BA Liberal Arts Tel. +44 (0) Contact us via our enquiry form at: University of Leeds Leeds, United Kingdom LS2 9JT Tel