University of Essex campusBA Liberal Arts

Course Structure

First Year

Four modules comprising:

And

Either

Or With the approval of the Course Director

At least 2 modules must have an AR, HR, LA, LT, PY, or TH prefix.

NB In the first year you must study at least three different disciplines (CS101 is counted as one discipline).

You are required to carry forward the study of at least TWO of the Humanities disciplines studied in first year into second year.

You should bear this in mind when choosing your first year modules and note that some modules from disciplines in list C (BE, EC, GV, MA, PS and SC prefixes) cannot be taken in the second year because they require Departmental-specific prerequisites. For more information you should contact the Course Director or the BA Liberal Arts Administrator.

Second Year

All module choices in the second year are subject to the Course Director’s approval. No more than 60 credits may be from any one discipline.

NB. Students planning to take CS831 - Dissertation, in their final year are strongly recommended to take CS241, Doing Research for a BA Dissertation in the spring term of their second year.

In the second year you choose four modules at second-year level comprising:

Either

  • CS201-5-FY - The World in Question: Humanities perspectives on our current era (core module)

And

  • Three modules chosen from the BA Liberal Arts Options List, two of which must be in Humanities disciplines studied in the first year (e.g. Art History, History, Languages, LiFTS, Philosophy)

OR

  • CS201-5-FY The World in Question: Humanities perspectives on our current era (core module)

And

  • Two modules chosen from the BA Liberal Arts Options List, which must be in Humanities disciplines studied in first year (e.g. Art History, History, Languages, LiFTS, Philosophy)

And

  • One of the outside options available to Liberal Arts students. For more information you should contact the Course Director or the BA Liberal Arts Administrator.

Final Year

No more than 90 credits (including a dissertation) may be from any one discipline.

In the final year you may choose:

Either:

  • CS301-6-FY - Dangerous Ideas: Essays and Manifestos as Social Criticism (core module)

And

OR

  • CS301-6-FY - Dangerous Ideas: Essays and Manifestos as Social Criticism (core module)

And

  • Two modules at final-year level chosen from the BA Liberal Arts Options List all of which must be in disciplines studied in the second year.

And

  • One of the outside options available to Liberal Arts students from the Essex Business School, Government, Sociology or Linguistics. This must be in a discipline studied in the second year. For more information you should contact the Course Director or the BA Liberal Arts Administrator.

OR

  • CS301 -6-FY - Dangerous Ideas: Essays and Manifestos as Social Criticism (core module)

And

  • Two modules at final-year level chosen from the BA Liberal Arts Options List all of which must be in disciplines studied in the second year.

And

  • Final Year Dissertation in a discipline studied in the second year.*

The final degree result for the BA Liberal Arts is assessed on marks obtained for the 8 components taken in the second and third years.

* The Dissertation is optional and discretionary in that students wishing to undertake a Final Year Dissertation must have the approval both of the Course Director and of the department responsible for supervision.

Total Assessed Components = 8

For the BA Liberal Arts 4-year course, a year abroad is compulsory and is taken in the third year which contributes to your final degree result.

A full list of the aims, objectives and learning outcomes of the BA Liberal Arts degree course, along with details on methods of assessment and the course structure can be accessed via the Programme Specifications Catalogue.

Further details about choosing modules is available in the CISH Student Handbook which can be collected from the CISH Office.

The External Examiner for the Liberal Arts degrees and modules is Christopher Belshaw - Open University.

Other Liberal Arts courses available are: