How is BA Liberal Arts different from a Joint Honours degree?

A Joint Honours degree typically splits two named subjects across three years. BA Liberal Arts is broader in Years 1 and 2 (covering several disciplines) and then deeper in a chosen pathway in Year 3. The specialism is genuine but framed by a wider intellectual training.

Will BA Liberal Arts disadvantage me with employers who want a 'real' subject?

Some employers prefer a named single-honours subject; many — particularly the civil service, the third sector, consulting and publishing — actively favour liberal arts breadth. The final-year specialism and capstone give you a defensible answer to the 'what did you actually study?' question.

Which language can I take as part of BA Liberal Arts?

Common options include French, Spanish, German, Mandarin, Arabic, Italian and Portuguese — subject to current tutor availability. Heritage speakers can take a more advanced track. Admissions confirms language availability for your intake.

Can I switch specialism between Year 2 and Year 3 of BA Liberal Arts?

Yes — the choice of Year 3 pathway is made at the end of Year 2 in dialogue with your tutor, based on your interests and the modules you have done best in. Switching from a provisional choice during Year 2 is common and expected.

Can BA Liberal Arts be taken online?

Yes. The online route runs the same core curriculum and pathway structure, with live seminars in UK working hours and asynchronous reading weeks. Distance learners set their own pace within deadlines and complete the same capstone work.

BA Liberal Arts in London | LSJHML | Harold International College of London

Course Overview

The BA Liberal Arts at the London School of Journalism, Humanities & Modern Languages (LSJHML) is a three-year UK honours degree for students who want a broad intellectual training without committing to a single subject from day one. You will study across the humanities, the social sciences and modern languages in Years 1 and 2, then specialise into a chosen pathway — humanities, society, languages or media — in Year 3.

This is the traditional liberal arts model adapted for UK higher education and London's working sectors. By graduation you will have both the analytical breadth that distinguishes liberal arts graduates and a final-year specialism with enough depth to land an editorial, policy or graduate-scheme role.

Key Features

UK honours degree — three years full-time, with online and distance routes available.
Core curriculum in Years 1 and 2 — political thought, history, literature, sociology, modern language option.
Specialist pathway in Year 3 — choose from humanities, society and culture, modern languages, or media and communication.
British Academy and AAC&U-aligned liberal-arts curriculum, refreshed each year with current scholarship.
Industry-led masterclasses from editors, policy researchers, civil servants, broadcasters and academics.
Final-year capstone — a 10,000-word dissertation in your chosen pathway.

What You Will Learn

The BA Liberal Arts is structured around a deliberate sequence — exposure to several disciplines, the ability to read across them, and then chosen depth. You finish able to think analytically across fields, write a substantial dissertation in your chosen specialism, and articulate why a liberal arts training matters to graduate employers in a UK context.

Modern political thought — liberalism, conservatism, socialism, contemporary debates.
Twentieth- and twenty-first century history — Britain, Europe, the global order after 1945.
Literary analysis — close reading, narrative, the working canon and its critics.
Sociology and contemporary society — class, gender, race, generation, place.
A modern language at intermediate level — choice of French, Spanish, German, Mandarin, Arabic and others.
Research methods across the liberal arts — qualitative, archival, basic quantitative.
Writing for public audiences — the long essay, the briefing, the explainer.
Capstone work in the chosen pathway — sustained, supervised, defensible.

Who This Course Is For

School leavers who read widely and don't want to commit to a single subject at eighteen.
International students seeking a UK liberal arts education close to the British academic and editorial sectors.
Career-changers from focused fields wanting a broader intellectual training before postgraduate specialism.
Mature applicants who want a structured undergraduate degree across humanities and social science.

Career Pathways

BA Liberal Arts graduates move into roles where breadth of training is the asset — the civil service, charity programme work, editorial research, communications and graduate schemes that recruit generalists. Typical first roles include:

Civil Service Generalist (Fast Stream, departmental graduate scheme)
Editorial Assistant (national newspaper, magazine, publisher)
Communications Officer (charity, NHS trust, professional body)
Research Analyst (think tank, applied research firm)
Charity Programme Officer (national charity, advocacy organisation)
Graduate Trainee (consultancy, professional services, public-sector scheme)

Graduates progress to specialist Master's degrees (in politics, history, media, languages) or to professional training (PGCE, law conversion, journalism Master's).

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 a short essay sample.
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.