Liberal Arts - BA (Hons)

with a Year Abroad

Course structure

Duration: 4 years full-time

The BA in Liberal Arts is composed of compulsory and optional modules. Your optional modules can be chosen from a wide range of subjects across the University in consultation with the Programme Director. This may include subjects offered by Anthropology, Classic and Ancient History, Comparative Literature, Criminology, Film studies, History, Philosophy, Politics or Sociology. Please get in touch with the School of Politics and International Relations to discuss the modules in more detail.

The modules below are indicative of those offered on this programme. This list is based on the current curriculum and may change year to year in response to new curriculum developments and innovation.

• Year abroad

Teaching and assessment

Modules are taught by a combination of lectures, seminars and tutorials. You usually have 10 to 12 hours of contact time with staff each week.

Compulsory Liberal Arts modules are assessed by 100% coursework (essays, projects, dissertation), but optional modules may be assessed by a combination of examination and coursework, usually in the ratio of 50:50, 60:40 or 80:20.

Contact hours

For a student studying full time, each academic year of the programme will comprise 1200 learning hours which include both direct contact hours and private study hours.  The precise breakdown of hours will be subject dependent and will vary according to modules.  Please refer to the individual module details under Course Structure.

Methods of assessment will vary according to subject specialism and individual modules.  Please refer to the individual module details under Course Structure.

Programme aims

The programme aims to:

• provide a cross-disciplinary, research-led, inspiring learning environment
• offer a pioneering educational opportunity within the UK context through which you progress into high-level careers and related postgraduate opportunities
• develop the following range of aptitudes and skills: communication, language, reasoning, numeracy, information literacy and research methods
• engage you in a range of disciplines to be able to pursue careers in a range of complex organisational settings
• promote an understanding of the relations between disciplines and an appreciation of the ways in which cross-disciplinary thinking leads to alternative and approaches to contemporary global challenges.

Learning outcomes

Knowledge and understanding

You gain knowledge and understanding of:

• the principles and application of underlying modes of inquiry within different academic disciplines and contexts
• cross-disciplinary understanding of qualitative and quantitative reasoning
• the relation between technological and economic development and cultural change in historical context
• the forces and events shaping contemporary thought and behaviour across a range of practices and disciplines
• the various ways in which different disciplines and practices – across the arts, the social sciences, history and politics – conceptualise the contemporary
• how to communicate seminal ideas across the fields of the social sciences, sciences, arts and humanities
• how multi-disciplinary approaches and inter-disciplinary thinking can address future cultural and political challenges, such as environmental crises, the state and meaning of democracy and the potentialities of scientific development
• how the study of given historical contexts can inform contemporary policy and practice
• a selected topic within a given discipline and application of appropriate research methods.

Intellectual skills

You gain the following intellectual abilities:

• research skills: how to formulate research questions and hypotheses to address problems across a range of disciplines
• analytical skills: interpretation of arguments, evidence and data; marshalling information from published sources; critical evaluation of your own research and that of others
• how to use appropriate IT skills to retrieve, analyse and present information
• numerical evaluation: the use of appropriate analytical methods in handling statistical evidence and data.

Subject-specific skills

You gain subject-specific skills in the following:

• reasoning: how to construct arguments within different intellectual contexts and disciplines, and how to formulate and address research questions and problems
• communication: how to communicate across disciplines, how to mediate key ideas between disciplines, and how to speak and write persuasively in discursive contexts
• language: the functional use of a second language equal to the demands of  professional communication
• presentation of research: how to write essays and a dissertation in an appropriate style in keeping with the conventions of different subject areas
• numeracy: how to handle and interpret numerical evidence in differing intellectual contexts
• careers: recognition of career opportunities available to Liberal Arts graduates.

Transferable skills

You gain transferable skills in the following:

• communication: the ability to organise information clearly, present information orally and in writing, and adapt presentations for different audiences
• reflection: make use of constructive informal feedback from staff and peers, and assess your own progress to enhance your performance and personal skills
• self-motivation and independence: time and workload management to meet personal targets and imposed deadlines
• team work: the ability to work independently and as part of a research group using peer support, diplomacy and collective responsibility.

Careers

Graduates from the School have gone on to work in fields including:

• diplomacy
• the civil service
• European and international organisations
• NGOs
• the media
• banking
• teaching.

Help finding a job

The School of Politics and International Relations runs an Employability Programme, focused on providing you with the skills you need when looking for a job. You can book one-to-one sessions for help with employability, skills development and advice on job applications.

You also have access to a weekly Employability Newsletter, featuring jobs for graduates, as well as internship and volunteering opportunities.

The University has a friendly Careers and Employability Service, which can give you advice on how to:

• apply for jobs
• write a good CV
• perform well in interviews.

Career-enhancing skills

To help you appeal to employers, you also learn key transferable skills that are essential for all graduates. These include the ability to:

• think critically
• communicate your ideas and opinions
• manage your time effectively
• work independently or as part of a team.

You can also gain extra skills by signing up for one of our Kent Extra activities, such as learning a language or volunteering.