Liberal Arts

The Bachelor of Arts in Liberal Arts at Durham University offers a comprehensive and flexible interdisciplinary education designed to cultivate critical thinking, analytical skills, and a broad understanding of human culture and society. This innovative programme enables students to explore a wide range of subjects across the humanities, social sciences, and arts, allowing for personalized academic pathways tailored to individual interests and career aspirations. Throughout the course, students engage with diverse disciplines such as history, philosophy, literature, politics, sociology, and arts, fostering a multidisciplinary perspective essential for understanding complex global issues.

The programme emphasizes the development of key transferable skills, including effective communication, research methodology, and analytical reasoning, which are highly valued in various professional contexts. Students benefit from Durham’s excellent academic resources, including expert faculty, state-of-the-art facilities, and a vibrant learning community that encourages dialogue and collaboration. The curriculum combines lectures, seminars, workshops, and independent research projects, providing a balanced mix of guided learning and intellectual independence.

In addition to academic excellence, the Liberal Arts programme at Durham University encourages experiential learning and real-world application through opportunities such as internships, study abroad exchanges, and community engagement projects. These experiences enhance students’ global outlook and practical skills, preparing them for diverse careers in education, public service, media, arts management, policy, and beyond. The flexible structure of the programme allows students to tailor their studies to match their passions and goals, fostering a personalized educational journey.

Graduates of this programme leave equipped with a broad knowledge base, critical inquiry techniques, and a versatile skill set that positions them well for further academic study or entering the workforce with confidence. Durham University’s Liberal Arts programme stands out for its commitment to fostering intellectually curious, socially responsible, and adaptable graduates ready to contribute meaningfully to society in a rapidly changing world.

Content

Year 1

In your first year, you will study six modules, in up to four subjects.

Year 2

In your second year, you will study six modules, in up to four subjects.

Year 3 (Year 4 if undertaking a Year Abroad)

In your final year, you will complete a research project in your primary subject, and study four other modules, in two or three subjects.

As a Liberal Arts student, you will be focusing on subjects in the Arts and Humanities, but you will be able to take up to half of your modules each year in subjects in the Social Sciences, or, if appropriate, in Mathematics or Psychology.

In the Arts and Humanities, the subjects currently available are as follows:

• Classics and Ancient History
• English Literature
• History
• Music
• Philosophy
• Theology and Religious Studies
• History of Art
• Arabic
• Chinese
• French
• German
• Italian
• Japanese
• Russian
• Spanish

In the Social Sciences, the subjects currently available are as follows:

• Anthropology
• Archaeology
• Business
• Economics
• Education
• Geography
• Politics and International Relations
• Sociology
• Sport. 

Arts and Humanities subjects

Department of Classics and Ancient History

Classics and Ancient History offers the opportunity to study, in translation, the history, philosophy, literature and culture of the ancient world, and to study Greek and Latin at several different levels, opening up the literatures of the Greek and Roman worlds in their original languages.

Department of English Studies

English Literature offers the opportunity to study specific literary genres, including poetry, drama, and the novel, and the literatures of specific periods, including Medieval, Renaissance, Romantic, Victorian, and Modern Literature, as well as studies in the theory and practice of literary criticism.

Department of History

History offers the opportunity to study medieval, early modern, and late modern history, through a range of modules in economic, social, religious, cultural, political, and diplomatic history, focusing on Britain, continental Europe, Africa, China, and the USA.

School of Modern Languages and Cultures

The principal languages are Arabic, Chinese, French, German, Italian, Japanese, Russian, and Spanish, and each offers core language modules and ‘culture’ modules which cover a broad range of themes in history, politics, literature, film, the media, linguistics, translation, and interpreting.

Students who are not specialising in one or more modern languages can study a number of languages, currently including Arabic, Chinese, French, German, Italian, Japanese, Russian, and Spanish, at various levels, from beginners’ to advanced level, in the School’s Centre for Foreign Language Study (CFLS).

Department of Music

Music offers the opportunity to study musicology, including the history of music, music theory and analysis, and ethnomusicology, and, where these are studied alongside musicology, performance, composition, and other practice-based disciplines.

Department of Philosophy

Philosophy offers the opportunity to study many of the principal philosophical disciplines, including metaphysics, epistemology, ethics, and aesthetics, and also the history and philosophy of science and medicine.

Department of Theology and Religion

Theology and Religious Studies offers the opportunity to take modules in biblical studies, Christian theology, including the history of theology, contemporary theology, the philosophy of religion, and ethics, and religious studies, including the sociology and anthropology of religion.

History of Art

The School of Education provides a series of modules in the History of Art, with a particular focus on European art in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries.

Social Sciences subjects

Department of Anthropology

Anthropology offers pathways in cultural anthropology and physical anthropology, and a range of modules concerned with material culture, the physical and social evolution of humans, and topics such as medical anthropology and development anthropology.

Department of Archaeology

Archaeology provides the opportunity to focus on particular periods and places, through prehistoric archaeology, Roman archaeology, medieval and post-medieval archaeology, and the archaeology of Britain, Europe, Egypt, India, and the Near East, and also to study the employment of scientific methods in archaeology.

Business School

Business offers a series of modules focusing on entrepreneurship, management, and governance, and some students choose to study additional modules, in business, management, and marketing, delivered at Queen’s Campus, in the second and final years of their degrees.

Economics offers the opportunity to study microeconomics and macroeconomics, and topics such as the history of economic thought, environmental economics, development economics, monetary economics, and the economics of social policy.

School of Education

Education offers the opportunity to study central issues in school and higher education, involving the study of the historical, philosophical, psychological, sociological, and political dimensions of educational theory and practice, and the development of the social sciences in the modern and postmodern periods.

Department of Geography

Geography offers pathways in human geography and physical geography, and a range of modules concerned with geographical theory and methods and special topics such as urban transformation, environmental change, development, and hazard and risk.

School of Government and International Affairs

Politics and International Relations offers the opportunity to study politics, in Europe, the USA, the Middle East, and the Far East, the history of political thought, international relations, with a special emphasis on the Middle East and the Far East, and Middle Eastern and Islamic studies.

School of Applied Social Sciences

Sociology offers the opportunity to study modules in sociology, including theories and methods, social structures, social policy, social exclusion, and the sociology of health, the city, and popular music, and in criminology, including theories and methods, crime and deviance, policing, sociology of punishment, and the criminal justice system.

Sport offers a series of modules on the sociology of sport and on sport and social policy.

Your choice of modules is subject to their availability, timetable constraints, and the approval of the Director of Liberal Arts. In order to take any modules in some subjects, you will also be required to meet specific A-level or equivalent requirements.

Study Abroad

Liberal Arts

Year Abroad (Modern Languages)

If, in the first year, you are studying Arabic, Chinese, French, German, Italian, Japanese, Russian, or Spanish, and you are planning to continue studying one or more languages throughout your degree, you will include a Year Abroad between the second and final year of your programme of study. The Year Abroad offers you an opportunity to study at a university, or to teach English in a secondary school, or to undertake an internship, in a wide variety of locations in Europe, Asia, the Middle East, or Latin America. You will be transferred from the three-year to the four-year version of your degree programme at the end of your first year, giving you over a year in which to plan the Year Abroad, in consultation with your advisers in the School of Modern Languages and Cultures. If, however, you later decide to stop studying a language, at the end of your second year, you will transfer back to the three-year version of the programme.

If you are not studying one or two of these languages and associated literatures and cultures, you might still choose to study a language through the School’s Centre for Foreign Language Study (CFLS). The Centre offers classes in many languages, at beginners’, intermediate, and advanced levels, but these modules do not lead to a Year Abroad.

Other opportunities for Study Abroad

The University has established exchanges with many of its international partner universities, and opportunities for students to spend a year studying abroad are now multiplying as more and more of these exchanges are created. Liberal Arts students are in a particularly strong position to take advantage of these opportunities, since they are studying several subjects, and, therefore, would be ‘at home’ studying in universities throughout much of the English-speaking world. Students must compete for Study Abroad places, and so it is not possible to guarantee that every student who wishes to study in a particular country will be able to do so. Liberal Arts students can apply to study at universities across Europe, through the Erasmus + Programme, or at universities in the USA, Canada, Hong Kong, Singapore, Australia, or New Zealand, through the Overseas Exchange Programme. If successful, you will be transferred from the three-year to the four-year version of your degree programme in your second year. 

Subject requirements, level and grade

In addition to satisfying the University’s general entry requirements, please note:

• We welcome applications from those with other qualifications equivalent to our standard entry requirements and from mature students with non-standard qualifications or who may have had a break in their study.
• Grade A at A-level or equivalent is required in English, History, or Music to study these subjects
• Grade A at A-level or equivalent in a modern foreign language is required to study one or more modern languages at an advanced level. A-level or equivalent in French is required to study French, but A-level or equivalent in any modern language is accepted for Arabic, Chinese, German, Italian, Russian, and Spanish
• Grade A at A-level or equivalent in Mathematics plus Grade A at AS-level or equivalent in Further Mathematics is required to study Mathematics
• Grade A in Mathematics at AS-level or equivalent at least is required to study Economics
• We do not include General Studies or Critical Thinking as part of our offer
• Please consult the University website for required evidence of English language proficiency
• We are happy to consider applications for deferred entry.

Preferred Tests:

a. IELTS: 6.5 (no component under 6.0)

b. TOEFL iBT (internet based test): 92 (no component under 23)

c. Cambridge Proficiency (CPE): Grade C

d. Cambridge Advanced (CAE): Grade A

e. Cambridge IGCSE First Language English at Grade C or above [not normally acceptable for students who require a Tier 4 student visa]

f. Cambridge IGCSE English as a Second Language at Grade B or above [not normally acceptable for students who require a Tier 4 student visa]

g. GCSE English Language at grade C or above

h. Pearson Test of English (overall score 62 (with no score less than 56 in each component))

Alternative accepted tests when those listed in a.-h. above are unavailable to the applicant (if the applicant requires a Tier 4 visa to study, advice on the suitability of these alternatives must be sought from the Student Recruitment and Admissions Office):

i. Certificate of Attainment (Edexcel)

j. GCE A-levels (AQA, CIE, Edexcel, CCEA, OCR, WJEC) at grade C or above in an essay based, humanities or social science subject from the following list: History, Philosophy, Government and Politics, English Language, English Literature, Geography, Religious Studies, Economics, Business Studies, Law and Sociology. Modern or Classical Languages are not acceptable in meeting this requirement.

k. International Baccalaureate with a minimum of grade 5 in Standard Level English or a minimum of grade 5 if taken at Higher Level.

l. NEAB (JMB) Test in English (Overseas)

m. Singapore Integrated Programme (SIPCAL) at grade C or above in an essay based, humanities or social science subject from the following list: History, Philosophy, Government and Politics, English Language, English Literature, Geography, Religious Studies, Economics, Business Studies, Law and Sociology. Modern or Classical Languages are not acceptable in meeting this requirement.

n. Singapore Polytechnic Diploma and Advanced Diplomas at GPA 3.0 or above

o. WAEC and NECO Grade B3 or above from Nigeria and Ghana

Finance studies for the Liberal Arts program at Durham University encompass a comprehensive range of funding options designed to support students throughout their academic journey. Durham University offers a variety of scholarships, bursaries, and financial assistance schemes to both domestic and international students. Merit-based scholarships recognize academic excellence and provide financial awards that range from partial fee waivers to full scholarships covering tuition and living expenses. Additionally, need-related bursaries are available for students demonstrating financial hardship, ensuring access to quality education regardless of personal economic circumstances.

The university also participates in government-funded financial aid programs, such as student loans for eligible UK residents, which can be used to cover tuition fees and living costs. International students are advised to explore external funding sources, including sponsorships from their home countries, private scholarships, and international organizations. Durham University’s Financial Support Office provides personalized guidance on available funding options, application processes, and deadlines to assist students in securing the necessary financial resources.

Furthermore, students are encouraged to consider part-time work opportunities facilitated through the university’s careers service, which can help offset living expenses while gaining valuable work experience. The university’s strong alumni network and partnerships with various organizations can also facilitate internships and employment opportunities post-graduation, potentially easing financial burdens in the long term.

Overall, the university strives to ensure that financial considerations do not hinder access to its Liberal Arts programs. By combining internal scholarship offerings, government support, external funding options, and part-time job opportunities, Durham University provides a multifaceted financial support system tailored to meet diverse student needs. Students interested in financing their studies are encouraged to contact the university’s financial aid advisors early in their application process to explore all available options and develop a personalized funding plan that aligns with their academic goals and financial circumstances.

The Liberal Arts program at Durham University offers a unique interdisciplinary approach to higher education, designed to provide students with a broad and flexible curriculum. This program enables students to explore various fields within the humanities, social sciences, and arts, fostering critical thinking, analytical skills, and intellectual curiosity. The program is ideal for students who value a comprehensive undergraduate experience and wish to tailor their degree to their personal interests and career goals through elective modules and diverse coursework options.

Students in the Liberal Arts program benefit from Durham University's strong academic reputation and a supportive learning environment that encourages collaborative projects, independent research, and engagement with contemporary issues. The curriculum typically includes core modules that develop key skills such as essay writing, research methods, and communication, alongside a wide array of optional modules spanning subjects like history, politics, literature, sociology, and more. This structure helps students acquire a versatile skill set that is highly valued in various professional contexts, including education, journalism, public policy, and beyond.

The program also emphasizes experiential learning, including placements, internships, and study abroad opportunities, which allow students to gain practical experience and broader cultural perspectives. The close-knit community and access to expert faculty members facilitate personalized academic support, mentorship, and opportunities for scholarly development.

Graduates of Durham’s Liberal Arts program are well-positioned to pursue postgraduate studies or enter the workforce confidently, thanks to their broad intellectual foundation, adaptable skills, and active engagement with current global challenges. The program aligns with Durham’s commitment to providing an inclusive, research-informed education that prepares students to thrive in an increasingly interconnected world.