Whether you already know the ins and outs of the Liberal Arts programme’s regulations, or you have only recently discovered that the degree has nothing to do with painting caricatures of John Locke or Adam Smith, I thought I would take this opportunity to address how modules can be chosen for Liberal Arts, and to answer some common questions about the degree.
First, we shall touch upon regulations when it comes to choosing modules. In Liberal Arts, departmental regulations are well… liberal. There are only a handful to be mindful of:
Half of your modules must be in the Faculty of Arts and Humanities. All of my modules have been in that faculty (Chinese, Spanish, and History), but you can also take some modules from the Faculty of Social Sciences, such as Geography, Government and International Relations, or Anthropology.
The only other restriction is that the Liberal Arts department runs one compulsory first year module, called Sources of the Self, which provides an overview of the different subjects within the Arts and Humanities. Given that Liberal Arts students tend to be scattered all over different departments, the module also provides an opportunity to get to know your cohort.
Finally, and this is not a restriction as such, more so advice, but I’d suggest picking a module combination that is relatively coherent. Studying Introduction to Poetry (ENGL1071); Science, Medicine and Society (PHIL1111); Russian Language 1A; and Introduction to Geographical Research (GEOG1222) may seem flexible, varied, and fun to study, but it doesn’t paint a clear forward path for when it comes to selecting a dissertation topic and second/third year modules. Unless you can justify to the Director of Liberal Arts that your dissertation will focus on the spread of Geographical and Medical terminology into Russian 18th century poetry, do not be disheartened if your preferred module combination is rejected. The Liberal Arts programme recommends that you do not take modules from more than three separate departments, though exception can be made if you come up with a persuasive argument.
FAQ’s
What are the contact hours like?
A typical module in the Arts and Humanities department will have a weekly lecture and a fortnightly seminar. With first years required to pick six 20-credit modules, this will add up to 8-14 contact hours per week, dependent on timetabling and specific subject combinations.
How is the social side of the course?
Naturally, given the 75 or so students in Liberal Arts who take modules in a variety of departments, you won’t encounter each other on a day-to-day basis. However, you will still make course friends! And besides, with Durham’s tight-knit college system and hundreds of societies, you will make friends all over the university as well as in your course.
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