- UCAS course code
- Y101
- UCAS institution code
- M20
Overview
- Degree awarded
- Bachelor of Arts (BA)
- Duration
- 4 years
- Typical A-level offer
-
A*AA, including at least one subject which is assessed primarily on written work, rather than practical.
- Typical contextual A-level offer
-
AAA to include at least one subject which is assessed primarily on written work, rather than practical.Find out more about contextual admissions.
- Refugee/care-experienced offer
-
Applicants who have been in local authority care for more than three months or have refugee status may be eligible for an offer two grades below the standard requirements.Find out more about contextual admissions.
- Typical International Baccalaureate offer
-
37 points overall. 7,6,6 in Higher Level subjects, to include at least one subject which is assessed primarily on written work, rather than practical.
- How to apply
- Apply through UCAS .
- UCAS course code
- Y101
- UCAS institution code
- M20
Course overview
- Gather the concepts of what it means to be a free citizen through interdisciplinary study.
- Contextualise our responses to contemporary global issues.
- Pursue your own research with academic support and world-leading facilities.
- Enrich your studies by spending a year at one of our overseas partner universities.
Open days
We are pleased to announce that we are returning to hosting on-campus open days in the summer and autumn.
Please see open days for the dates, registration, and other information.
If you're a prospective student, you can also find out more about student life by chatting with our student ambassadors at a time that suits you, and ask any questions you may have about life at Manchester.
Please check our Coronavirus FAQs for the most up to date information regarding events.
You can also look at our virtual open day content to help you learn more about the University.
Fees
Tuition fees for home students commencing their studies in September 2024 will be £9,250 per annum. Tuition fees for international students will be £25,500 per annum. For general information please see the undergraduate finance pages.
Policy on additional costs
All students should normally be able to complete their programme of study without incurring additional study costs over and above the tuition fee for that programme. Any unavoidable additional compulsory costs totalling more than 1% of the annual home undergraduate fee per annum, regardless of whether the programme in question is undergraduate or postgraduate taught, will be made clear to you at the point of application. Further information can be found in the University's Policy on additional costs incurred by students on undergraduate and postgraduate taught programmes (PDF document, 91KB).
Contact details
- School/Faculty
- School of Arts, Languages and Cultures
- School/Faculty overview
-
See: About us
Courses in related subject areas
Use the links below to view lists of courses in related subject areas.
Compare this course
Entry requirements
A-level
A*AA to include at least one subject which is primarily assessed on written work, rather than practical.
The University recognises the benefit of the Extended Project Qualification (EPQ) and the opportunities it provides for applicants to develop independent study and research skills. We strongly encourage you to provide information about the EPQ in your personal statement and at interview. For this programme, as well as the regular conditions of offer, we may make students who are currently taking or completed the EPQ an alternative offer. For this course it would be AAA at A-level plus the Extended Project at Grade A.
Contextual offer
AAA to include at least one subject which is primarily assessed on written work, rather than practical for applicants who meet our contextual offer criteria. For further information and to check eligibility visit our Contextual Offers page.
AS-level
Subjects welcomed but not normally included as part of the standard offer
Unit grade information
GCSE
Applicants must demonstrate a broad general education including acceptable levels of Literacy and Numeracy, equivalent to at least Grade C or 4 in GCSE/iGCSE English Language and Mathematics. GCSE/iGCSE English Literature will not be accepted in lieu of GCSE/iGCSE English Language.
Please note that if you hold English as a second language iGCSE qualification, we may also require you to offer one of our acceptable equivalent English Language qualifications or achieve a higher grade in your iGCSE than the one stated above. Please contact the academic School for clarification.
International Baccalaureate
Other international entry requirements
Scottish requirements
English Language and Mathematics not taken at Higher/Advanced Higher must have been achieved at SCQF level 5 (minimum National 5 grade C / Intermediate 2 grade C / Standard Grade Credit level grade 3).
If you require further clarification about the acceptability of this qualification please contact the Academic School(s) to which you plan to apply.
Welsh Baccalaureate
The University welcomes and recognises the value of the Welsh Baccalaureate Advanced Diploma/Advanced Skills Challenge Certificate and usually requires two A Levels or equivalent to be included within this.
The minimum grade required will normally be the same as the lowest grade listed in the A Level entry requirements.
If you require further clarification about the acceptability of this qualification please contact the academic School(s) to which you plan to apply.
European Baccalaureate
The University of Manchester welcomes applicants with the European Baccalaureate. Acceptable on its own or in combination with other qualifications, applications from students studying for this qualification are welcome and all applicants will be considered on an individual basis.
We normally require 85% with a mark of at least 8.0 in at least one subject which is assessed primarily on written work, rather than practical.
AQA Baccalaureate
In making offers, the University will focus on the three A Levels taken within the AQA Baccalaureate. Students need to check the standard A Level requirements for their chosen course.
The units of broader study, enrichment activities and the Extended Project are considered to be valuable elements of the AQA Baccalaureate and we would therefore strongly encourage students to draw upon these experiences within their personal statement.
Foundation year
Applicants completing the NCUK International Foundation year are required to achieve A*AA in academic subjects and grade A in the EAP with writing, speaking, listening and reading grade B.
Please read this in conjunction with our A-level requirements, noting any pre-requisite subjects.
Pearson BTEC qualifications
Pearson BTEC Level 3 National Extended Diploma : we consider the National Extended Diploma for entry, preferably in a subject relevant to this course. Entry requirements are based on achievement of the full National Extended Diploma with grades Dist, Dist, Dist, in a humanities-related subject such as English Literature, History or Politics.
Pearson BTEC Level 3 National Diploma : we consider the National Diploma for entry, preferably in a subject relevant to this course. Entry requirements are based on achievement of the full National Diploma with grades Distinction, Distinction, plus one A-level at Grade A in a subject which is assessed primarily on written work, rather than practical.
Pearson BTEC Level 3 National Foundation Diploma : we consider the National Foundation Diploma for entry, preferably in a subject relevant to this course. Entry requirements are based on achievement of the full National Foundation Diploma with a Distinction grade, PLUS one A-level at Grade A in a subject which is assessed primarily on written work, rather than practical, PLUS an EPQ or AS at Grade A.
Pearson BTEC Level 3 National Extended Certificate : we consider the National Extended Certificate for entry, preferably in a subject relevant to this course. Entry requirements are based on achievement of the full National Extended Certificate with a Distinction grade, PLUS two A-levels at Grades AA; one of which must be in a subject which is assessed primarily on written work, rather than practical.
The University of Manchester welcomes applications from students who have achieved legacy BTEC qualifications (pre-2016) such as the BTEC Extended Diploma, BTEC Diploma, BTEC Subsidiary Diploma, and BTEC Certificate. The grades required are likely to be the same or vary similar to the new BTEC qualifications (first teaching 2016, awarded 2018). Please contact the Academic School for clarification.
If you require further clarification about the acceptability of this qualification please contact the academic School(s) to which you plan to apply.
OCR Cambridge Technical qualifications
Cambridge Level 3 Technical Extended Diploma (CTEC) : we do not consider the Technical Extended Diploma for entry to this course.
Cambridge Level 3 Technical Diploma (CTEC) : we consider the Technical Diploma for entry, preferably in a subject relevant to the chosen course. Entry requirements are based on achievement of the full Technical Diploma with grades Distinction, Distinction, plus an additional level 3 qualification such as an A Level at grade A in at least one subject which is assessed primarily on written work, rather than practical .
Cambridge Level 3 Technical Foundation Diploma (CTEC) : we consider the Technical Foundation Diploma for entry, preferably in a subject relevant to the chosen course. Entry requirements are based on achievement of the full Technical Foundation Diploma with grades Distinction*, Distinction, plus an additional level 3 qualification such as an A Level/A Level at min. Grade A in at least one subject which is assessed primarily on written work, rather than practical, PLUS an EPQ or AS Level at grade B.
Cambridge Level 3 Technical Extended Certificate (CTEC): we consider the Technical Extended Certificate for entry, preferably in a subject relevant to the chosen course. Entry requirements are based on achievement of the full Technical Extended Certificate with EITHER grade Distinction, plus two additional Level 3 qualifications such as A Levels at grades AA, OR the full Technical Extended Certificate with grade Distinction*, plus two A-levels at grades AB. In either case, one of the A-levels must be in at least one subject which is assessed primarily on written work, rather than practical.
The University of Manchester will consider applications from students who have achieved legacy CTEC qualifications (pre-2016) such as the CTEC Extended Diploma, CTEC Diploma, CTEC Subsidiary Diploma, and CTEC Certificate. The grades required are likely to be the same or vary similar to the new CTEC qualifications (first teaching 2016, awarded 2018). Please contact the Academic School for clarification.
If you require further clarification about the acceptability of this qualification please contact the Academic School(s) to which you plan to apply.
Access to HE Diploma
The specific course requirements are a minimum of 45 credits with a Distinction grade, in a Humanities-related subject. Where possible, at least 15 of the Distinction credits should be in the pre-requisite subject required for A-levels.
Applicants to Languages programmes are also required to have a minimum of GCSE grade B/6 in a modern language or in English Language.
Cambridge Pre-U
Candidates taking Pre-U principal subjects in conjunction with A levels are expected to achieve a combination of D3, D3, D3 in the Pre-U and AAA at A level in three distinct subjects. Please see A-level requirements for details of pre-requisite subject.
Extended Project Qualification (EPQ)
The University recognises the benefit of the Extended Project Qualification (EPQ) and the opportunities it provides for applicants to develop independent study and research skills. We strongly encourage you to provide information about the EPQ in your personal statement and at interview. For this programme, as well as the regular conditions of offer, we may make students who are currently taking or completed the EPQ an alternative offer. For this course it would be AAA at A-level plus the Extended Project at Grade A.
Core Maths
Where a course requires applicants to have at least grade 6/B or higher in GCSE Mathematics we would be likely to consider a pass in Core Mathematics at a minimum grade C or B as an alternative way to fulfil this requirement. Where an A Level in Mathematics is required then Core Mathematics will not be accepted in lieu of an A Level.
A Level and GCSE Mathematics requirements for our courses vary according to subject so we advise students to contact the academic School, who will clarify whether a student's portfolio of qualifications is acceptable for entry onto the chosen course.
Home-schooled applicants
If you have followed a non-standard educational route and have been, for example, educated at home, your application will be considered against the standard entry criteria of the course to which you applied. You will be required to demonstrate that you meet the academic entry requirements as specified for the course. We will also require a reference which should be written by somebody who knows you well enough, in an official capacity, to write about you and your suitability for higher education. Please refer to UCAS for further information: UCAS reference guidelines
Non-standard educational routes
Mature students are some of our most well-equipped learners, bringing skills and attributes gained from work, family and other life experiences. Students come from a whole array of backgrounds, study every kind of course, undertake full-time and part-time learning and are motivated by career intentions as well as personal interest. There is no such thing as a typical mature student at Manchester.
The application process is the same as for other prospective undergraduates. If you require further clarification about the acceptability of the qualifications you hold please contact the academic School(s) you plan to apply to. Further information for mature students can be found here ( http://www.manchester.ac.uk/study/undergraduate/mature-students/ )
Academic entry qualification overview
English language
All applicants to the University (from the UK and Overseas) are required to show evidence of English Language proficiency. The minimum English Language requirement for this course is either:
- GCSE English Language grade C / 4, or;
- IELTS 7.0, or;
- An acceptable equivalent qualification.
English language test validity
Application and selection
How to apply
Advice to applicants
As Liberal Arts is about interdisciplinary learning, applicants are not required to have undertaken any particular subjects, but we recommend that applicants have recent experience with humanities subjects. We also encourage applicants to highlight their interest in challenge-led learning and social responsibility, which are both key parts of the Liberal Arts programme.
Students enrolled onto the four-year International Study programme must achieve and maintain an academic attainment of at least 60% in order to stay on the pathway.
Students enrolled on the three-year programme are eligible to apply to transfer onto the four-year International Study programme in the first semester of their second year, subject to achieving and maintaining an academic attainment of at least 60% and subject to capacity and availability of places.
Successful applicants will normally be transferred onto the programme at the end of the second semester of their second year.
How your application is considered
Returning to education
Access courses are acceptable as an entry route to this course - please contact the UG Admissions Team.
Deferrals
Applications for deferred entry are considered equally to other applications up to the point of confirmation. Deferred entry is granted on the discretion of admissions staff, and is normally granted for one year only and two years at the maximum. Some English Language test results, such as IELTS or TOEFL are only valid for two years from the test date.
Policy for applicants who resit their qualifications
Re-applications
If you applied in the previous year and your application was not successful you may apply again. Your application will be considered against the standard course entry criteria for that year of entry. In your new application you should demonstrate how your application has improved. We may draw upon all information from your previous applications or any previous registrations at the University as a student when assessing your suitability for your chosen course.
If you are applying for a place for the same year of entry through UCAS Extra, you should provide additional evidence of your suitability for the course. If you are applying through clearing you are required to meet the clearing requirements. In both UCAS Extra and clearing the places will be subject to availability.
Course details
Course description
Liberal Arts are among the earliest intellectual pursuits, and they are associated with the training, development, and empowerment of free citizens.
BA Liberal Arts with International Study at The University of Manchester enables students, through several bespoke course units and a wide range of optional course units, to recognise and respond to local and global challenges, as well as to understand and explore key concepts such as humanness, morality, value, and truth that underwrite what it is to be a free, active, and engaged citizen in the world today.
Core Liberal Arts course units which cover topics including the history of humanities, rhetoric, ethics, and social responsibility deliver these aims through a combination of lectures, seminars, tutorials, and research workshops that introduce challenge-led learning and interdisciplinary research methods and theories.
Teaching is enhanced on these course units by links to cultural institutions such as the John Rylands Library, the Science and Industry Museum, and Manchester Museum, where ideas from the arts and humanities are presented to a range of academic and non-academic audiences.
In their final year, students can work with non-academic institutions and organisations in Manchester, drawing on their skills honed in other course units across the course, to develop their own world-facing research.
In addition to bespoke interdisciplinary Liberal Arts course units, students can tailor their interests throughout the Liberal Arts course, and respond to key issues that affect the flourishing of free citizens from social inequality to cultural diversity, and from AI to climate change.
Students also can complement this knowledge by taking a language, specialising in a Minor subject through Flexible Honours or distributing their studies across different interdisciplinary thematic clusters.
Liberal Arts with International Study gives students further opportunities to engage with interdisciplinary learning and global challenges through a placement in an overseas university.
Students on this four-year programme will spend a year abroad, during which time they will experience different approaches to teaching and interdisciplinarity, as well as different means of civic engagement and social responsibility, which can enrich independent study options in the final year of the course back in Manchester.
The year abroad also develops organisational and interpersonal skills that can enhance a student's employability profile.
Special features
Connect with like-minded students
Join one of our student societies to further explore your interests.
Work with Creative Manchester
We're working with organisations in Manchester and developing research that responds to real-world challenges in Manchester.
Additional course information
Liberal Arts are among the earliest intellectual pursuits, and they are associated with the training, development, and empowerment of free citizens. A BA in Liberal Arts with International Study at The University of Manchester will enable students, through a number of bespoke modules and a wide range of optional courses, to recognise and respond to local and global challenges, as well as to understand and explore key concepts-such as humanness, morality, value, and truth-that underwrite what it is to be a free, active, and engaged citizen in the world today.
Core Liberal Arts modules - which cover topics including the history of humanities, rhetoric, ethics, and social responsibility - deliver these aims through a combination of lectures, seminars, tutorials, and research workshops that introduce challenge-led learning and interdisciplinary research methods and theories. Teaching is enhanced on these modules by links to cultural institutions such as the John Rylands Library, the Science and Industry Museum, and Manchester Museum, where ideas from the arts and humanities are presented to a range of academic and non-academic audiences. In their final year, students have the opportunity to work with non-academic institutions and organisations in Manchester, drawing on their skills honed in other modules across the programme, to develop their own world-facing research.
In addition to bespoke interdisciplinary Liberal Arts modules, which provide students with the intellectual foundations required to uncover, contextualise and approach the underpinning ideas that shape our responses to contemporary global issues, students are able to tailor their interests throughout the Liberal Arts programme, and respond to key issues that affect the flourishing of free citizens from social inequality to cultural diversity, and from AI to climate change. Students also have the opportunity to complement this knowledge by taking a language, specialising in a Minor subject through Flexible Honours, or distributing their studies across different interdisciplinary thematic clusters.
The Liberal Arts with International Study programme gives students further opportunities to engage with interdisciplinary learning and global challenges through a placement in an overseas university. Students on this four-year programme will spend a year abroad, during which time they will experience different approaches to teaching and interdisciplinarity, as well as different means of civic engagement and social responsibility, which can enrich independent study options in the final year of the programme back in Manchester. The year abroad also develops organisational and interpersonal skills that can enhance a student's employability profile.
Teaching and learning
The emphasis in Liberal Arts is on becoming an active and engaged citizen and researcher.
Core Liberal Arts course units will deliver this through a combination of lectures, seminars, tutorials, and research workshops that link to cultural institutions such as the John Rylands Library, the Science and Industry Museum, and Manchester Museum.
In their final year, students can also work with institutions and organisations in Manchester to develop their own world-facing research.
Students will be trained in reflective learning, which will be assessed through innovative presentation formats, reports, research proposals, and debates, in addition to essays and exams.
Coursework and assessment
Core Liberal Arts course units are assessed through a range of coursework assignments, including research essays that let you delve into the topics that inspire you.
You can also work with more creative forms of assessment, including PechaKucha presentations, posters, debates, and reflections on your experiences.
You'll have the ability to work individually and in groups.
Course units from across the University are assessed using a range of formats, including exams and coursework, which allows you to develop a range of valuable skills.
Course unit details
A series of core Liberal Arts course units covering the history of humanities, rhetoric, ethics, and social responsibility provides students with the intellectual foundations required to uncover, contextualise and approach our responses to contemporary global issues.
Students will have the opportunity to complement this knowledge by taking a language, specialising in a minor subject through Flexible Honours, or distributing their studies across different interdisciplinary thematic clusters.
Course content for year 1
You will encounter intellectual 'Giants' from a range of different cultures and contexts, and you will be trained to critically explore what makes someone a key thinker.
You will use cutting-edge research to question how we think about the value of knowledge, and how we communicate it with academic and non-academic audiences.
You will analyse and discuss the relationship between the arts and the sciences in understanding and shaping humans and our environments - a topic at the forefront of current academic research.
This content will give you a foundation - a map, if you like - on which you can locate ideas from different disciplines that you will encounter throughout your course.
Beyond this, you will be able to choose course units from across the arts and beyond and pursue your interests in a range of disciplines.
You'll have the opportunity to take a minor subject through Flexible Honours, including a language, or you can cast your net wider to suit your interests.
You will have an academic advisor to help you as you select your course units.
Course units for year 1
The course unit details given below are subject to change, and are the latest example of the curriculum available on this course of study.
Title | Code | Credit rating | Mandatory/optional |
---|---|---|---|
Standing on The Shoulders of Giants: Foundations for Study in The Arts | SALC10002 | 20 | Mandatory |
Humanities in Public: The Politics and Value(s) of Knowledge | SALC10411 | 10 | Mandatory |
Research Methods in the Arts | SALC11281 | 10 | Mandatory |
Course content for year 2
Taking Manchester as a 'laboratory' for thinking about Liberal Arts, you will learn about how research across the arts and humanities connects with issues in urban environments.
You will be able to focus on, and critique, the communication of ideas through an emphasis on 'impact', which is about social engagement, and rhetoric, which is about persuasive speech and writing.
You will work with institutions such as the Manchester Museum and the Whitworth Art Gallery to explore and evaluate pathways to impact and the role of creativity in communicating research to different audiences.
You'll also hear from a range of experts in fields from classical history to business studies to psychology about strategies for persuading others using ideas, and the ethics of it in a range of political and social contexts.
In addition to core course units, you'll be able to continue to develop your interests in a range of disciplines from across the University, boasting the choice than any other degree course.
Course units for year 2
The course unit details given below are subject to change, and are the latest example of the curriculum available on this course of study.
Title | Code | Credit rating | Mandatory/optional |
---|---|---|---|
Understanding Rhetoric: The Arts of Persuasion | SALC21141 | 20 | Mandatory |
Arts and the City: People, Power, and Protest | SALC21152 | 20 | Mandatory |
Course content for year 3
Course content for year 4
The Creative Manchester engagement project will give you an opportunity to work with an organisation in Manchester that helps you to combine internship or volunteering experience with your studies.
You will be trained to write a report that has an agenda for impact and social responsibility, and you will be able to present this work to academic and non-academic audiences.
These outputs directly draw on ideas about communication and impact from Year 2, and ideas about intellectual history from Year 1.
You will also be able to reflect on your studies and synthesise your course units in order to get a better understanding of the personal impact of your Liberal Arts degree.
You can supplement your learning by choosing to write a long essay on a topic of your choice with tailored supervisory support, taking a range of course units in the arts and beyond, and continuing with your minor subject or language if you started them in previous years.
Course units for year 4
The course unit details given below are subject to change, and are the latest example of the curriculum available on this course of study.
Title | Code | Credit rating | Mandatory/optional |
---|---|---|---|
Interdisciplinary Literature and Theology: Empathy, Ethics, Liberation | RELT31131 | 20 | Optional |
Engagement Project: Creativity, Culture, and Community | SALC30010 | 40 | Optional |
Interdisciplinary Research Project | SALC30121 | 20 | Optional |
Liberal Arts in the Making: Interdisciplinarity in Practice | SALC31122 | 20 | Optional |
Interdisciplinary Literature and Theology: Empathy, Ethics, Liberation | SALC31131 | 20 | Optional |
Facilities
Our most distinctive research resource is The John Rylands Library an internationally renowned resource which holds one of the finest collections of rare books, manuscripts, and archives in the world.
Manchester Museum, Whitworth Art Gallery, and Museum of Medicine and Health all feature throughout the course, and we also have strong links with the Museum of Science and Industry (MOSI).
Find out more about our facilities.
Disability support
Careers
Career opportunities
Upon completing this degree course, graduates will be equipped with a raft of transferrable skills, equipping them for employability, including:
- the ability to work independently;
- time management and planning skills;
- an ability to work effectively in groups by delegating tasks and collaborating;
- communications skills to relate to a range of audiences;
- an ability to develop research that responds to real-world challenges by engaging with organisations and institutions.
The University has its own dedicated Careers Service that you would have full access to as a student and for two years after you graduate.
At Manchester you will have access to a number of opportunities to help boost your employability
Find out more at careers and employability