Is the BA Humanities Research a single-subject degree?

No. The BA Humanities Research is deliberately interdisciplinary, drawing from history, literature, philosophy and cultural studies. Students who want single-subject depth should consider our BA in History, BA in Literature Studies or related routes instead.

How much research methods training does the BA Humanities Research include?

A full strand from year one. By the end of year two you have worked with primary sources, run small interviews or ethnographic exercises, and used basic quantitative tools. The final-year dissertation is a 10,000–12,000 word piece of independent research with supervisor support.

Can I take the BA Humanities Research online or by distance learning?

Yes. The online route runs live seminars on the same syllabus as on-campus; distance learning is structured around fortnightly deadlines and tutor-marked essays. London archives modules have a remote equivalent for off-campus students using digital collections.

What kind of jobs do BA Humanities Research graduates take?

Editorial, research, policy, heritage and cultural programming are the most common destinations. Several BA Humanities Research graduates each year continue to a Master's in a humanities specialism at LSJHML or elsewhere as a stepping stone to academic or applied research careers.

Is the BA Humanities Research recognised by UK employers?

Yes. The BA Humanities Research is a UK honours degree aligned with British Academy and Royal Society of Arts benchmarks. Editorial, research, policy, heritage and cultural employers recognise the credential alongside the dissertation and portfolio you graduate with.

BA Humanities Research in London | LSJHML | Harold International College of London

Course Overview

The BA Humanities Research at the London School of Journalism, Humanities & Modern Languages (LSJHML) is a three-year UK honours degree for readers and thinkers who want a broad, interdisciplinary foundation in the humanities alongside serious training in research methods. You will read across history, literature, philosophy and cultural studies in your first two years, then concentrate on a research project in your final year that demonstrates the apparatus of a working humanities scholar.

This BA is for students who can't quite choose between subjects and don't want to. The BA Humanities Research is built around the conviction that the most interesting humanities questions sit between disciplines — and around the practical fact that an interdisciplinary credential opens routes into editorial, policy, cultural research and postgraduate work.

Key Features

UK honours degree in interdisciplinary humanities — three years full-time, with online and distance routes.
Core humanities strands — history, literature, philosophy and cultural studies taught in dialogue.
Research methods training — primary source work, qualitative and quantitative methods, archives, ethnography.
Final-year dissertation — 10,000–12,000 words on a topic agreed with your supervisor.
London archives module using the British Library, the National Archives at Kew and selected institutional collections.
Industry-aligned outcomes mapped to British Academy and Royal Society of Arts benchmarks for humanities graduates.

What You Will Learn

The BA Humanities Research is structured around the working method of a humanities researcher who can move between disciplines without losing rigour. You graduate able to read primary sources critically, design and run a piece of independent research, write to academic and applied audiences, and contribute to interdisciplinary teams in editorial, policy or cultural settings.

Foundations of humanities — what the disciplines share, where they diverge, how to read across them.
Historical methods — source criticism, archive work, historiographical debate.
Literary and textual analysis — close reading, critical theory, genre and form.
Philosophical reasoning — argument structure, ethics, political philosophy.
Cultural studies — representation, identity, power, audience.
Research design — research questions, ethics, sampling, instruments.
Qualitative and quantitative methods — interview, ethnography, basic statistics, content analysis.
Dissertation craft — proposal, fieldwork, write-up, viva preparation.

Who This Course Is For

School leavers with broad humanities interests and a preference for interdisciplinary depth over single-subject specialism.
International students seeking a UK humanities degree taught in central London.
Career-changers from teaching, civil service or NGO work entering academic or editorial careers.
Mature applicants returning to study and ready for serious research training.

Career Pathways

The BA Humanities Research is built to support graduates into editorial, research, policy and postgraduate routes. Typical first roles include:

Humanities Researcher (think tank, broadcaster, audience-insight consultancy)
Cultural Programme Coordinator (festival, venue, cultural trust)
Policy Analyst (local authority, NGO, government agency)
Lecturer (after postgraduate study)
Editorial Researcher (publisher, magazine, broadcaster)
Archives or Heritage Assistant (institutional collection, museum)

Graduates progress to a Master's degree in a humanities specialism — history, literature, cultural studies, philosophy — at LSJHML or a partner university.

Entry Requirements

Three A-Levels at BBC or above (or international equivalent — IB 28 points, BTEC DMM, or accepted national qualification).
GCSE English Language at grade 5 or equivalent English proficiency test.
IELTS 6.0 overall (no band below 5.5) for non-native English speakers.
A short personal statement and an essay sample (1,000–1,500 words on a humanities topic).
Mature applicants (21+) without standard qualifications may apply with a portfolio and short interview.

Why Study at LSJHML

The London School of Journalism, Humanities & Modern Languages is a specialist higher-education provider based in central London. Our programmes are designed in dialogue with working professionals — journalists, translators, civil servants, academics, broadcasters, editors, publishers and policy researchers — so what you learn in seminar on Monday is what your future employer is using on Tuesday. We deliberately keep cohorts small, give every student named tutor support, and treat employability as a structural part of every programme rather than an optional add-on.

London is the work — politics, courts, capital markets, theatre, broadcasting, publishing, public service, the global press. Your studies are taught in the same square mile where the stories you read about happen. Whether you join us on-campus, online or by distance learning, the city is your classroom and our industry network is your launchpad.