Undergraduate
Liberal Arts
bristol.ac.uk /study Liberal arts combines in-depth study of a single
discipline with interdisciplinary exploration of other subjects.
The Faculty of Arts at Bristol is home to world-leading researchers who are also passionately committed to the ideals of liberal education. It is a place where an interdisciplinary outlook comes naturally and is practised on a daily basis. Our liberal arts courses aim to capture the best of Bristol’s education and research, and make it available in an innovative and intellectually adventurous environment.
You will be encouraged and expected, with appropriate guidance, to take responsibility for your own curriculum, making connections between units. In year one, you will have flexibility of choice to discover new subjects. Your studies will also benefit from the many opportunities afforded by the rich cultural life of the University and the city of Bristol.
You can choose to do either a three-year BA or an integrated, four-year Master’s degree with study abroad (MLibArts). Each course brings with it its own advantages and distinctiveness.
50
The Faculty of Arts is currently
involved in 50 externally funded
research projects ranging from
Ancient Greek travel writing to
Gothic sculpture
My degree course has given me
invaluable skills in research, independent
analysis, time management and
communication. The staff are open and
easy to talk to if you approach them with
any work or personal issues.
Jemima
Third year BA History
Why study liberal arts at Bristol?
Personal tutors and lecturers most often
know you and your work quite well so
this helps you feel supported. They
also provide good feedback on work
submitted to help you strive to improve
in the future.
Helen
bristol.ac.uk /study Guidance and assessment
You will receive personal guidance throughout the course, particularly with respect to the choice of options and the development of a coherent academic agenda. If you study abroad you will receive advice from both Bristol and the partner institution in selecting units of study which will develop and extend your knowledge and skills. It is anticipated that the yearly cohorts will develop a strong sense of identity and mutual support, fostered through the core units, group meetings and activities. Assessment will be varied and closely tailored to the learning objectives of units. In addition to traditional essays and examinations, projects, presentations, portfolios, peer review exercises and online contributions are some of the alternative modes of assessment.
Single Honours courses
BA Liberal Arts, three years 2ZB7 MLibArts Liberal Arts, four years 2T23 In the first two years you will take a combination of liberal arts core units and a choice of optional units taken from the full range of disciplines offered within the Faculty of Arts:
bristol.ac.uk/arts/about/schools. The core units are Critical Writing in the Humanities; Reading the Past; Experiencing the Aesthetic; and Ideas and Society. These units introduce key concepts, skills and methods within the humanities through the study of classic texts, seminal ideas and overarching themes. You will be required to take a unit intended to develop your quantitative skills and to begin, or continue, your studies in either an ancient or a modern language. In your first year, optional units will allow you to explore new areas, and to lay a foundation for the choice of subject pathway at the end of the year. The subject pathway will be one of the disciplines
bristol.ac.uk /study
What will I study?
taught by a department in the Faculty of Arts. There is also a cross-departmental pathway in medieval studies. At least one quarter of your credit points are taken in the pathway. Students who choose to do the three-year BA in Liberal Arts will spend their final year in Bristol, where one of their required units will be The Public Role of the Humanities (available as an option in MLibArts). Those who choose the four-year Master’s in Liberal Arts (MLibArts) will spend their third year abroad, subject to satisfactory academic progress. In the final year, students earn two-thirds of the required credits by choosing a combination of units from their subject pathway and other options. The remaining credits will be gained through the completion of a dissertation in a topic of your choice. Particularly, but not exclusively, in this year there will be possibilities to work with external partners, combining such experience with academic assessment. Throughout the course there is a strong emphasis on forging links, developing skills and taking responsibility. You will be encouraged to take advantage of the many cultural and intellectual activities offered across the University by incorporating them into your assessed work.
bristol.ac.uk /study bristol.ac.uk /study
Entrance requirements
Typical offer for BA/MLibArts Liberal Arts Please visit bristol.ac.uk/ug15-liberalarts for other qualifications
A-levels A*AA (contextual offer AAB†) including
at least two subjects taught by the University’s Faculty of Arts
IB Diploma 38 points overall (contextual offer 35†) with 6,6,6 at Higher level including at least
two subjects taught by the University’s Faculty of Arts
Access Pass Access to HE Diploma (Arts and Humanities) with at least 30 credits at Distinction and 15 credits at Merit
English Language Profile A*
GCSEs Grade C or above in English language and Mathematics
Selection UCAS or Common Application Part-time study Not available
Deferred entry Considered
*For details of English language profiles please visit bristol.ac.uk/study/
undergraduate/language-requirements
†For information on contextual offers please
visit bristol.ac.uk/study/undergraduate/ apply/#typical-contextual-offers Our liberal arts degrees offer high academic
standards, strong disciplinary grounding, interdisciplinary breadth, innovative methods and emphasis on engagement beyond the University. You will gain an enviable combination
of knowledge, understanding and skills.
In the city of Bristol alone, the Liberal Arts degree has the enthusiastic endorsement of a variety of employers, business and cultural agencies. Possible careers include business and commerce, law, teaching, journalism, culture and heritage, or the Civil Service. The BA Liberal Arts will provide a platform for application to a Master’s degree, while the Master’s in Liberal Arts will satisfy the M-level requirement for admission to a PhD programme.
What are my career prospects?
Making your application
Further information
For more information about the Faculty of Arts, please visit: bristol.ac.uk/arts
For further information about the Liberal Arts courses please contact:
Professor Robert Fowler Email robert.fowler@bristol.ac.uk Tel +44 (0)117 928 8258
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The information contained in this leaflet is correct at the time of printing (June 2014). Courses and facilities are liable to alter or be withdrawn at the University’s discretion.
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Contacts
Undergraduate Admissions Office Tel +44 (0)117 928 8147
Fax +44 (0)117 331 7391
Email arts-ug-admissions@bristol.ac.uk
Accommodation Office Tel +44 (0)117 954 6640
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bristol.ac.uk/international-office Student Funding Office Tel +44 (0)117 331 7972
Email student-funding@bristol.ac.uk
bristol.ac.uk/studentfunding
University guide to the city of Bristol
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