BA Liberal Arts (2ZB7)
2027 entry | view 2026 entry
Course summary
Want to stretch your curiosity across the arts and humanities? Join us here at Bristol on our three-year BA Liberal Arts degree.
You'll be able to cultivate deep expertise in a subject of your choice, your pathway, while also having the freedom to explore subjects across the arts, humanities and languages. Combining breadth and depth, you'll make innovative connections between disciplines, and develop the rigorous creative and critical thinking tools you'll need to engage meaningfully with the fast-moving world around you.
In your first two years, at least a third of your learning takes place in your pathway subject. Alongside this, bespoke units provide the intellectual and practical foundations for interdisciplinary inquiry across the arts and humanities. You'll place pressing contemporary global issues in historical context, explore how data shapes the stories we tell, and study a modern or ancient language of your choice. Optional units from across the arts, humanities and languages offer further opportunities to broaden your studies.
In your final year, you'll complete a substantial interdisciplinary research project, alongside further pathway and optional units. Your final capstone unit on The Public Role of the Humanities equips you to make connections between your undergraduate training and the world beyond university.
If you are interested in a modern language pathway, do look into our MLibArts course. This four-year, integrated master's degree includes a year abroad. It's a brilliant chance to boost your language skills and develop your cultural knowledge. If going abroad isn't possible, you can still follow a modern language pathway on the three-year degree.
Course structure
Pathway subjects for our three-year BA Liberal Arts degree currently include:
- Anthropology
- Archaeology
- Classics and Ancient History
- English
- Film
- Historical Studies (History and History of Art)
- French
- German
- Italian
- Portuguese
- Russian
- Spanish
- Music
- Philosophy
- Religion and Theology
- Theatre.
Please note that the Music pathway will only be available to students who meet the requirements listed in the Additional Requirements section.
Entry requirements
We accept a wide variety of qualifications and welcome applications from students of all backgrounds. Below is a guide to the typical offers for this course.
Find out more about BTEC entry requirements
More about Access to HE entry requirements
Search international qualifications
Selection process
- Regulations and codes of conduct we abide by to create a positive environment for learning and achievement are found in the University admissions policies and procedures.
- If applying with extenuating circumstances please see our policy.
- Full information about our selection processes for Liberal Arts can be found in the Admissions Statement:
Admissions statement - The admissions statement above relates to 2026 entry. The statement for 2027 entry will be available in summer 2026.