Curate your own path of study and make the most of different subject areas across the arts and humanities.
Year of entry: 2025/26
Y000
Y50
3 years full-time
Follow your own academic path, working across an exciting range of subjects in the arts and humanities and building on York’s vibrant history of interdisciplinary learning.
Your degree will consist of three main strands: core interdisciplinary modules, language modules connecting your learning with global perspectives, and open module choices for pursuing your intellectual interests.
The BA in Liberal Arts is designed to help you become a more versatile thinker and a more engaged global citizen, empowering you to find your unique academic identity and your intellectual role in addressing social and cultural concerns.
This course will begin in September 2025.
according to the QS World University Rankings by Subject, 2024.
for arts and humanities in the Times Higher Education World University Rankings, 2024.
make up the Faculty of Arts and Humanities at York.
Throughout the degree, you'll work closely with tutors to develop a bespoke individual study pathway for exploring interdisciplinary areas such as environmental humanities or digital humanities, or topics such as mental health, gender and sexuality, or race, which demand cross-disciplinary perspectives.
The degree's language strand will also broaden your view of the world and deepen your understanding of other cultures. You'll complete the BA equipped with adaptable critical and creative skills for making connections across a wide field of knowledge, in ways that will be increasingly valuable for a number of career paths and pursuits beyond the degree.
There are opportunities to spend time in industry as part of this course.
In your first year, you'll study two core modules. You'll then choose three options from three different subject areas, as well as one language option.
In addition to the above you will also need to complete our online Academic Integrity module.
This module covers some of the essential skills and knowledge which will help you to study independently and produce work of a high academic standard which is vital for success at York.
This module will:
In your second year, you'll study one core module and one language option module. You'll also choose three options from three different subject areas, as well as one language option.
Please refer to the Year 1 tab for the full list of language options.
In your third year, you'll carry out your dissertation project across the full year. Examples of potential dissertation topics include:
You'll also choose one language option and two other options from two different subject areas, as well as one language option.
Please refer to the Year 1 tab for the full list of language options.
Our modules may change to reflect the latest academic thinking and expertise of our staff, and in line with Department/School academic planning.
Every course at York has been designed to provide clear and ambitious learning outcomes. These learning outcomes give you an understanding of what you will be able to do at the end of the course. We develop each course by designing modules that grow your abilities towards the learning outcomes and help you to explain what you can offer to employers. Find out more about our approach to teaching and learning.
Fees for students starting in the 2025/26 academic year.
The level of fee that you will be asked to pay depends on whether you're classed as a UK (home) or international student. Check your fee status.
For more information about tuition fees, any reduced fees for study abroad and work placement years, scholarships, tuition fee loans, maintenance loans and living costs see undergraduate fees and funding.
The fees here are the University's standard undergraduate fees for September 2024 entry. Our fees for September 2025 will be published in the Summer.
We'll confirm more funding opportunities for students joining us in 2025/26 throughout the year.
You can use our living costs guide to help plan your budget. It covers additional costs that are not included in your tuition fee such as expenses for accommodation and study materials.
Our teaching, learning and student experience is outstanding, recognised by a Gold rating from the Office for Students in the 2023 national assessment (Teaching Excellence Framework).
You’ll study and learn with academics who are active researchers, experts in their field and have a passion for their subjects. Our approach to teaching will provide you with the knowledge, opportunities, and support you need to grow and succeed in a global workplace. Find out more about our approach to teaching and learning.
You'll be taught in varying methods depending on the areas within the arts and humanities that you choose to pursue. This includes lectures, small-group seminars and practical locations that are relevant to the chosen subject area.
In the UK, full-time students are expected to spend 1,200 hours a year learning. That's about 40 hours of classes and independent study each week during semesters. Everyone learns at a different rate, so the number of hours you spend on independent study will be different to other students on your course.
Depending on the option modules you choose to study, you'll benefit from a range of excellent facilities across departments within the Faculty of Arts and Humanities.
You'll also be able to study in the Humanities Research Centre, the vibrant hub of our interdisciplinary research on campus.
Depending on the modules you choose to study, you may be based both on Campus West and Campus East.
Our beautiful green campus offers a student-friendly setting in which to live and study, within easy reach of the action in the city centre. It's easy to get around - everything is within walking or pedalling distance, or you can use the fast and frequent bus service. Take a campus tour.
You'll be assessed by various methods, including essays, portfolios, and team presentations. You'll also submit study plans and dissertation proposals as part of your assessments, which will help you to plan your path of study in later years.
The option modules you choose from different disciplines will include a diverse range of assessment methods, including critical essays and more practice-based or creative formats.
A degree in liberal arts opens doors to a wide range of careers, including:
| Typical offer | |
|---|---|
| A levels | AAA |
| Access to Higher Education Diploma | 39 credits achieved from units awarded Distinction and 6 awarded Merit or higher. |
| BTEC National Extended Diploma | D*DD |
| Cambridge Pre-U | D3, D3, D3 |
| European Baccalaureate | 85% overall |
| International Baccalaureate | 36 Points |
| T levels | We will consider a range of T Level qualifications for entry. Please visit our dedicated T Levels page for a full list of accepted T Levels. |
| Scottish Highers / Advanced Highers | Scottish Highers - AAABB Advanced Highers - not required for entry We may also be able to consider three Advanced Highers or a combination of Highers and Advanced Highers, where an applicant does not meet the grade requirement through Highers alone. Please contact us to discuss your qualifications. |
| Other international qualifications | Equivalent qualifications from your country |
Meeting the following additional criteria may qualify you for an alternative offer.
| Criteria | Adjustment |
|---|---|
| Widening participation | If you successfully complete one of the following programmes, you may be eligible for an alternative offer up to two A level grades (or equivalent) below our typical offer: Black Access Programme, Next Step York, Realising Opportunities. More about widening participation. |
| Contextual offers | If you have experience of local authority care or live in an area with low progression to university, you may be eligible for an alternative offer up to two A level grades (or equivalent) below our typical offer. More about contextual offers. |
| EPQ | We recognise the value of this qualification although it will not be included as a condition of entry. It may be taken into consideration when you receive your results. |
If English isn't your first language you may need to provide evidence of your English language ability. We accept the following qualifications:
| Minimum requirement | |
|---|---|
| IELTS (Academic) | 6.5, with a minimum of 6.0 in each component |
| Cambridge CEFR | 176, with a minimum of 169 in each component |
| Oxford ELLT | 7, with a minimum of 6 in each component |
| Oxford Test of English Advanced | 136, with a minimum of 126 in each component |
| Duolingo | Integrated subscores: 120 overall, with a minimum of 105 in each component |
| GCSE/IGCSE/O level English Language (as a first or second language) | Grade C / Grade 4 |
| LanguageCert SELT | B2 with a minimum score of 33/50 in each component |
| LanguageCert Academic | B2 Communicator with a minimum score of 33/50 in each component |
| Kaplan Test of English Language | 478 Main Flight score with 444 in each component |
| Skills for English | B2: Merit overall, with Pass with Merit in each component |
| PTE Academic | 61, with a minimum of 55 in each component |
| TOEFL | 87 overall, with a minimum of 21 in each component |
| Trinity ISE III | Merit in all components |
| Other English language qualifications | We also accept other English Language qualifications, including various school-leaving certificates. |
For more information see our undergraduate English language requirements.
You may be eligible for one of our pre-sessional English language courses. These courses will provide you with the level of English needed to meet the conditions of your offer.
The length of course you need to take depends on your current English language test scores and how much you need to improve to reach our English language requirements.
After you've accepted your offer to study at York, we'll confirm which pre-sessional course you should apply to via You@York.
We offer a range of campus accommodation to suit you and your budget, from economy to premium.
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