A university student seen from behind sits at a library desk with three different subjects laid out side by side. An open literature paperback and a copy of Pride and Prejudice sit at one side, an open biology textbook showing a cell diagram in the middle, and a history book on modern Britain at the other, each with its own notebook. A teal notebook rests among them and faceless students study behind.

DEGREE GUIDE

Liberal Arts and Sciences

What do Liberal Arts and Sciences degrees involve?

Liberal Arts and Science degrees teach you how to think critically, communicate effectively, and explore a wide range of subjects across the arts, humanities, social sciences, and sciences. These programmes are designed to develop a broad skill set and foster critical thinking across multiple disciplines. Course structures vary by university, but most include core modules that help you understand connections between different fields of knowledge. Alongside these, you will tailor your degree by selecting modules based on your academic interests. You will also learn how to make connections between different disciplines and apply creative thinking to real-world issues. With opportunities for independent research, interdisciplinary projects, and study abroad programmes, you’ll graduate with the adaptability and expertise suited to careers in media, education, policy, business, and the creative industries.

Example
Modules

Liberal Arts and Science degrees often require some core modules alongside studies from academic disciplines. Examples of Core classes include:

Creative and Critical Thinking: The Stories We Tell: Explore how storytelling shapes our understanding of the world, developing your ability to analyse and craft narratives across literature, film, and everyday culture.

Inventing the Future: Examine how we imagine the future through philosophy, fiction, science and design, reflecting on hopes, fears, and the social forces that shape tomorrow’s world.

Common Degree Names

💼 Placement opportunities are offered by some universities and often tailored to the student’s pathway.
🌍 Study abroad is widely available and often built into the course structure.

BA (Hons) Liberal Arts
BA (Hons) Global Liberal Arts
BA (Hons) Liberal Arts and Sciences
BA (Hons) Interdisciplinary Liberal Arts
BSc (Hons) Liberal Arts and Natural Sciences

Liberal Arts degrees are highly flexible and interdisciplinary. The title (BA or BSc) depends on subject combinations, and study abroad is a common feature.

A study desk seen from above with three separate subjects grouped apart. A stack of literature including The Waste Land and Ulysses sits with its own notebook, an open biology textbook shows a cell diagram, and a history book lies open at a source page, each with handwritten notes. A teal pen rests on an open notebook, with a mug and a plant on the windowsill behind.

Level 3 (A-level / IB Diploma (HL) / Scottish Highers)

Liberal Arts degrees let you study across multiple disciplines – humanities, social sciences, languages, and sometimes natural sciences – before specialising. Entry requirements are flexible but may include subject-specific requirements depending on the pathway you choose within the degree.

Subjects that strengthen your application:

Essay-based subjects (English Literature, English Language & Literature, History, Politics, Philosophy, Sociology) – excellent preparation for core Liberal Arts modules
Modern Languages – valuable for global pathways and year-abroad options
Maths or Sciences – useful if you plan to include quantitative or science strands
Creative subjects (Art, Music, Drama) – relevant for programmes that include arts pathways

✨ Because you can combine areas, universities look for a balanced mix that reflects your intended pathway(s) and shows you can handle both breadth and depth.

Universities may also accept:

BTEC Extended Diplomas in essay-based subjects may be considered
BTEC National Extended Certificates or National Diplomas alongside relevant A-Level subjects
IB Career-related Programme (IBCP) with at least two IB Higher Level subjects (ideally three) alongside your Career-Related Study — see above for IB subjects that could strengthen your application

Exact expectations vary by university and by the strand(s) you choose within Liberal Arts. Always check specific course requirements for your chosen route.

Level 2 Qualifications (GCSE / MYP / National 5)

Most courses ask for:

GCSE English Language and Maths at grade 4/C or above, or equivalents such as National 5s or MYP

📘 Additional GCSEs in Humanities, Languages, or Science can be helpful if you plan to include those strands, but they aren’t essential.

💬 Interviews
Interviews are not usually required, but some universities may invite you for a short conversation, either online or in person, to learn more about your interest in the subject.

🔍 Work Experience

You don't need work experience to apply for Liberal Arts and Sciences. If you have a school placement to fill, choose something connected to whichever of your interests is most practical or hands-on. For this degree, reading widely and engaging with ideas across different subjects matters far more than any single placement.

✨ Personal Statement Tips

Why a broad interdisciplinary degree rather than specialising from the start? Liberal Arts and Sciences is designed for students who want to explore across boundaries - combining humanities, social sciences, and sometimes natural sciences before focusing later. If you're drawn to questions that don't fit neatly into one subject or are excited by connections between disciplines, think about what appeals to you about this breadth. Reading widely, following ideas across different fields, or exploring how problems look different from different disciplinary perspectives can show you're suited to this approach. Admissions tutors want to see genuine intellectual curiosity and enthusiasm for exploration, not indecision about what to study.

If your qualifications don't match the usual entry requirements, there are some other possibilities.

🌱 Foundation Year in Liberal Arts, Humanities or Social Science

Some universities offer a foundation year if you don't have the required subjects or grades. This adds an extra year but leads directly into the full degree.

🎓 Access to HE Diploma (Humanities, Social Science or Combined Studies)

Widely accepted by universities offering Liberal Arts. Choose a pathway that aligns with the subjects you plan to study, and aim for Merits and Distinctions in your graded units.

Is this degree right for you?

Members can explore whether this degree fits who they are:

Skills you'd develop and whether they match your strengths
How this aligns with your interests, motivators and values
Career paths and where graduates end up

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Skills you would develop in X degree

Skill Name

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Is this a good fit for you?

Use the tabs to explore the kind of person that this would be a good fit for. Do you share the Interests, Motivations, Values, Work identity and skills that people who thrive in this course tend to have?

Not sure what these things are? Explore your Identity Tree with us first.

Interests that connect well with a Liberal Arts and Sciences degree

The interests that fit a Liberal Arts and Sciences degree depend on the subjects you choose to study. The core modules engage some interests directly, particularly big questions, different cultures, and language and storytelling. Others come into your degree through the subjects you choose to focus on alongside the core. To explore how a particular interest is studied in depth, visit the relevant subject degree guide.

Exploring your motivators for this degree

The motivators that suit you for a Liberal Arts and Sciences degree depend on the subjects you choose to study. Because this degree lets you combine subjects from across the arts, humanities, social sciences, and sciences, your motivational energy will come from the areas you're most drawn to. To explore the motivators for specific subjects, visit the degree guides for the areas you're considering.

These are the skills that students who love this degree tend to enjoy using. You don't need to be great at them already, but if they sound like you, that's a good sign.

Skill Name

How to explore the skills for this degree

Because you choose your own subjects for this degree, the skills you'll build depend on the subjects you pick as your major and electives. The best way to find out whether this degree suits you is to explore the degree guides for the subjects you're considering — each one has a skills section that shows what you'd get good at and reflection questions to help you think about whether those skills feel like a good fit.

If you're not sure which subjects interest you yet, try using the filters on our Explore University Degrees page to discover subject areas that match your interests, motivations, and strengths.

Careers a Liberal Arts and Sciences degree could lead you to

Liberal Arts and Sciences

What do Liberal Arts and Sciences degrees involve?

Example Modules

Common Degree Names

Is this degree right for you?

Skills you would develop in X degree

Skill Name

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Is this a good fit for you?

Careers a Liberal Arts and Sciences degree could lead you to

Example
Modules