When the time came to choose what I wanted to study for university, I was lost. Choosing a degree that would define the rest of my life seemed pretty daunting to me. That’s why I was initially interested in studying in Canada, to be able to have a major and minor. Although, that still provided a structure too rigid for all the subjects I wanted to explore throughout my university experience. This is when I came across the novel programme of Liberal Arts and Natural Sciences (LANS) degree at the University of Birmingham, where I could satisfy my curiosity with the breadth of subjects and the endless opportunities the programme offers.
Before I delve into the intricacies of LANS, here is a bit about my LANS journey: in my first two years, I majored in Biomedical Sciences and tried many different subjects, such as philosophy, psychology, politics and Spanish; basically anything that I was curious about! In my third year, I was lucky enough to make it to South Korea for my year abroad despite COVID restrictions. There, I studied even more subjects, including economics, sustainable development, and journalism! Whilst my lectures were interesting, the real highlight of my year abroad was the actual experience of living abroad; meeting people from all over the world and being part of the hustle and bustle of the Seoul lifestyle. Finally, in my fourth year I majored in Biomed and minored in Entrepreneurship, becoming more specialised in both these areas.
Whilst it might all seem wonderful, before you join it is important to keep an objective view about the reality of studying a LANS degree, which can be an exciting challenge. In my opinion, the key to enjoying your time in LANS is being aware that whilst having this breadth of subjects is great to try out anything that tickles your fancy, you have to approach it in a very patient, resilient and open-minded manner. In LANS nothing is straightforward, the immeasurable number of subject clashes, fine planning, and calculated risks makes for an exclusive university experience. You can quite easily spend most of your time questioning your choice of major and exploring different paths, but at the end of your degree, you will find a topic you are interested in. LANS is all about the skills you acquire, which I have found extremely useful not only for job interviews but also for everyday life. The personal skills LANS has passed on to me include critical thinking, staying curious and open-minded, questioning the obvious and being proactive; all of which are transferable skills for any future job.
My favourite part of LANS is the community. Having studied in different departments throughout university (Med School, School of Politics, Psychology, Languages), there is nothing quite like the LANS community. Having our own hub space, our own society and going through the same struggles mean that we are all in this together (shout out High School Musical). Being on a four-year course means that when you come back from your year abroad, whilst some of your friends might have left after their 3-year programme, your LANS community will still be here. This makes the LANS community even more valuable, as you know for sure you’ll come back to it after your year abroad. Interestingly enough, coming back to this community after my year abroad was one of the highlights of my time at university. Not only was I on cloud nine when I saw my LANS friends again, but also seeing staff, having access to the LANS cultural programme, playing LANS 6-a-side football and having the familiar LANS hub was a great feeling. As a Frenchman who was a bit confused at first about British culture and university lifestyle, this LANS community enabled me to feel welcomed and at home throughout the roller coaster that is university.