Top 5 Things I Love About Studying Liberal Arts

by Ginny

1. The community of the Liberal Arts department

The Liberal Arts department creates such a unique environment; everyone is so welcoming and encouraging in everything we get involved with. Due to the smaller nature of our department, we get to know the staff quite well and vice versa so the community that is created is truly nurturing. A Liberal Arts degree is such a unique experience to each student, because of this, we all learn from each other and the staff know how to get us to best draw on our own interests to add to discussions. Being in such a positive environment to study makes a huge difference to your academic experience, and I’d say as a Liberal Arts student, we have one of the best environments!

2. The breadth of modules available to us

Within the Liberal Arts degree, we can study modules from nearly all of the Arts and Humanities departments, which in short means there is a LOT to choose from. In my first year, I studied modules in Philosophy, Sociology, Politics, Classics, and French, and in my second year in addition to those I am now studying Theology and Music! There are also modules available in History, Geography, Digital Culture, Film studies and English. This breadth on choice to you means that you truly can study almost anything that interests you, and was one of top things that appealed to me about Liberal Arts.

3. Joining other courses for classes

Since we can study so many different subjects, this means we join other modules in different departments to study that subject. So, for example, when studying about the Trial and Death of Socrates, I joined other Classics students studying different degrees in that module. This is one of my favourite things about Liberal Arts because it means you get to interact, engage, and learn from a huge variety of students all learning different degrees. This helps you deepen your understanding of a subject, and hone in on your ideas and opinions when faced with others who are learning about different things to you. It’s challenging at times, but so much fun the rest of the time!

4. Curation of your own degree

As we are able to choose from such an array of modules within the Arts and Humanities, this means we are able to create our own degree. Each year there are 1 or 2 compulsory liberal arts modules, and in the first year you have to study a language, but aside from that the degree is yours to create. You choose a major to focus your studies on for years 2 and 3 (mine is Theology and Religious Studies), and if you gain enough credits in another subject then that can be your minor when you graduate. The freedom to choose nearly all of what you study is liberating and motivating.

5. The Course mates

Due to the curation of your own degree, joining other degrees for classes and the breadth of modules available to you means that you can study a completely unique degree to anybody else. However, this does not stop you bonding with your fellow Liberal Arts students – in fact, because of this fact, everybody makes a huge effort to get to know one another, despite the fact that you may never be in a class together. Liberal Arts attracts a huge variety of people – from film majors to history majors, you find everyone in-between, and you’re exposed to multiple perspectives and backgrounds which only enhances your learning!

 

 

 

 

For more information on studying Liberal Arts at King’s College London, visit the KCL website.