Liberal Arts BA

Shape your degree, transforming your curiosity into expertise and your interests into your career. You’ll craft a programme unique to you and develop the interdisciplinary skills needed to make real-world impact throughout your degree and beyond. 

Embrace flexibility and variety with a large range of majors at Birmingham

The BA Liberal Arts offers unmatched degree flexibility. Within the programme, you have the option to focus your degree with a major – a subject you specialise in as part of your degree. You can also gain recognition for a subject you take as a minor, leading to a wide range of possible graduation titles and a truly tailored degree.

Note: If you choose to major in a subject, you will still have the freedom to study other subjects. Many of our students choose not to have a major: the choice is up to you.

You do not require specific A level subjects or IB higher level subjects to be accepted onto the BA Liberal Arts, but some majors may have specific A level or GCSE subject requirements. Please refer to the relevant subject course page for full details on our entry requirements, and if you are unsure if you meet the requirements for your preferred major, please contact us to discuss.

In some cases, a major can be pursued without specific subjects provided you perform well in relevant first-year modules; in addition, all language modules can be taken from Beginner’s level. Please note the lists below are not definitive and subject combinations are subject to change.

• Access excellent facilities, including the Cadbury Research Library which is home to the University of Birmingham’s historic collections of rare books, manuscripts, archives, photographs, and associated artefacts.
• Make yourself at home in our student hub and connect with world-leading scholars, likeminded students, and dedicated support staff.
• Engage with community and industry through credit-bearing initiatives or year-long experiences where you'll tackle real-world challenges.

Enjoy real flexibility in your studies

With a BA Liberal Arts, you'll be able to immerse yourself in a combination of disciplines curated by you. How can international law inform the future of the music industry?  How does an understanding of social policy enrich careers in creative writing? Join the next generation of arts and humanities graduates using their unique interdisciplinary perspectives to tackle the world’s problems.   

• Lectures: These give you an insightful, expert introduction to key topics; they also provide guidance to support your reading and assessments.
• Seminars: These are small group discussions where you share and test ideas with your academic tutor and your peers. Seminars help you understand topics better and build confidence in sharing your thoughts.

Support during your studies

At Birmingham, you’ll have plenty of support to help you adjust to university life:

• Personal Academic Tutors: You'll have a tutor assigned to you who will guide and support you throughout your studies.
• Wellbeing Officers: The Wellbeing team help with extensions, disabilities, extenuating circumstances, or any personal challenges. They’ll also connect you with further support on campus or elsewhere.
• Academic Writing Advisory Service: Tutorials, workshops and support in  structuring an argument and developing your own academic voice.
• Student Experience Team: They offer research opportunities, and cultural, intellectual and social activities to enhance your university experience.

Contact hours

Your degree is designed to help you achieve 120 credits per year, which equals about 40 hours of learning each week. This includes lectures, seminars, workshops, independent study, revision, and assessments.

Assessment methods

You’ll be assessed in different ways to suit each module. At the start of a module, you’ll be told how and when you’ll be assessed. Methods will vary but may include coursework (e.g., essays), group or individual presentations and projects, exams, reports or computer-based assignments.

Feedback: You will receive timely feedback on each assessment, so you can learn from it and improve your performance in future assessments.

The optional module information listed for this programme is intended to be indicative, and the availability of optional modules may vary from year to year. Where a module is no longer available, we will let you know as soon as we can and help you to make other choices.

You can apply to study abroad for a year in an approved university around the world. If you achieve a grade of 2.1 or above in your first year, you will be eligible to apply for a Year Abroad in your second year. If your application is successful, you will go abroad in your third year and return to us for your final year.

To secure a place at Birmingham, you'll need to meet our general entry requirements as well as those specific to your course.

Number of A levels required: 3

A levels

You do not need specific A-level subjects or IB higher level subjects to be accepted onto the course itself, but you may need specific qualifications to study certain subjects.

Extended Project Qualification (EPQ)

Applicants who take the EPQ and meet our offer criteria will be made the typical offer for their programme of choice, plus an alternative offer which will be one grade lower plus a grade A in the EPQ. This offer would apply if you make Birmingham your firm choice.

Core Maths qualification

Applicants who take the Core Maths qualification and meet our offer criteria will be made the typical offer for their programme of choice, plus an alternative offer which will be one grade lower plus a grade A in Core Maths. If you are also taking A-level Maths, you will not be eligible for an alternative offer through studying Core Maths. This offer would apply if you make Birmingham your firm choice.

English language requirements

If you are an international student, you will need to demonstrate you have a suitable level of English proficiency, usually through the form of an IELTS or equivalent qualification or a Presessional English course.

• TOEFL: 88 overall with no less than 21 in Reading, 20 in Listening, 22 in Speaking and 21 in Writing.
• IELTS: 6.5 overall with no less than 6.0 in any band.
• Pearson Test of English (PTE): PTE 67 with no less than 64 in all four skills.
• Cambridge English(exams taken from 2015): Cambridge English: Advanced Minimum overall score of 176, with no less than 169 in any component
• Language Cert ESOL SELT (UKVI): B2 ‘Communicator’ with no less than 33 in each skill
• Trinity ISE II: Not applicable
• Trinity ISE III: Pass in each Skill

Presessional English courses

If you have a conditional offer for Birmingham where English is a requirement, you can take a Presessional English course as an alternative to retaking IELTS or a similar qualification. We offer on-campus courses all year round starting from September, including additional online courses in the summer term. Teaching takes place in small classes with no more than 18 students to maximise class participation.

*The University will charge the maximum approved tuition fee per year. If Parliament agrees on an increase in tuition fees, the University will increase fees for each year of study, normally in line with these changes and will communicate any change in the fees to you without delay. The fee for September 2025 entry was £9,535 for UK students. If you are applying for 2026 entry, you will be advised of the annual tuition fee once it is confirmed by the Government.

Undergraduate loans

To help with the cost of studies, undergraduate students from the UK can apply for student finance through the Student Loans Company. The support available is made up of a tuition fee loan and a maintenance loan which helps to cover living costs.

Scholarships, grants and bursaries

At Birmingham, we believe that financial worries should not be a barrier to accessing higher education. That’s why we offer a range of additional financial support for students through scholarships, bursaries and other awards.

View further information on how to apply for undergraduate courses, including advice for UK and overseas applicants.

A Liberal Arts degree isn’t about specific content. It’s a way of learning, connecting and adapting. This programme will equip you with the knowledge and skills to develop and sustain a meaningful career in a range of industries. Skills include:

• research and analyse complex information
• work independently and as part of a team
• create compelling solutions to challenging problems

Supported by the University's Careers Network team, you will be encouraged to acquire and develop your skills for the jobs of tomorrow. Throughout the course of your degree, you will develop a range of abilities from communication to research, analysis to leadership which will equip you to succeed.

Employability is our focus

Our students have gone on to secure roles such as UI/UX Designer, Assistant Professor, Marketing Manager, and Operations Analyst working for organisations such as:

• Writing West Midlands
• Shakespeare and Company Paris
• Refugee Council
• Government of Jersey
• Edinburgh International Book Festival

The University has commissioned Cturtle as our data partner for tracking our alumni destinations. The data above is a subset from 43,666 alumni who completed their course up to 31 July 2024.

The unique benefit of a BA Liberal Arts is the access to discipline-specific services, support and centres. Whether you see yourself as a future lawyer or not, the Centre for Employability Professional Legal Education and Research (CEPLER) opens up a world of professional skills and networking through the Birmingham Law School.

Careers Network

Our aim is to make sure that success in your studies leads you on to a fulfilling career. Whatever you plan to do after your degree, the Careers Network offer support to help you identify your options, develop your skills and gain access to opportunities that propel you towards your career goal.

Our bustling campus with its beautiful grounds, friendly community, and excellent facilities will quickly make you feel at home. We offer you a huge variety of accommodation options in the UK’s second city, exciting activities to get involved in outside your studies, as well as all the support and advice you need.

Flexible programmes to suit you

Not sure what you want to study?

Explore your options for combining subjects and shape your degree around your interests, whilst developing key skills for the world of work.