Program Overview

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Introduction to the BA Arts and Humanities Program

The BA Arts and Humanities program at Birkbeck is a flexible, cross-disciplinary degree that focuses on the arts and humanities as a means of understanding and responding to contemporary global challenges. This program emphasizes career and employability learning, allowing students to apply the diverse skills and knowledge acquired to a wide range of careers.

Why Choose This Course?

• The course offers cross-disciplinary knowledge, essential for navigating contemporary life, by studying topics and approaches from cultural studies, literature, film, digital media, socially engaged arts, creative arts practice, philosophy, and history.
• It provides the opportunity to tackle real-world challenges, exploring how the arts and humanities can uniquely respond to urgent global issues such as climate change, AI, conflict, and wellbeing.
• The program is about learning by doing, engaging in problem-solving seminars, creative assessments, and optional work placements.
• It allows students to develop adaptable skills for a wide range of careers, supported by employability modules at every level.

What You Will Learn

Through the themes of Identities, Places, and Futures, students will learn how cultural, technological, historical, and political forces shape the contemporary world. They will analyze how arts and humanities represent, challenge, and shape society and apply creative and critical thinking to produce meaningful change in diverse contexts. Fascinating questions explored include:

• How is AI transforming how we create and share knowledge?
• How are identities evolving through migration and digital communication?
• How can art and culture respond to climate, conflict, and inequality?
• What does it mean to be local, national, and global citizens today?
• How can these insights help prepare for a meaningful career?

How You Will Learn

Learning will occur through lectures, seminars, workshops, project work, and digital content, with guest speakers and field trips to museums, galleries, and theatres. Based in central London, students will benefit from the city's rich cultural life. They can also choose a work placement as part of their employability modules. This course is available to study full-time or part-time, with a daytime timetable and classes normally taking place in the afternoon, though some modules may also be offered in the evening.

Foundation Year

For students who opt for the Foundation Year route, this will fully prepare them for undergraduate study. It is ideal for those returning to study after a gap, who have not previously studied the relevant subjects, or who did not achieve the grades needed for a place on their chosen undergraduate degree.

Key Information and Modules

• Arts and Humanities BA (Hons): 3 years full-time, on campus, starting September 2026
  • Year of entry: September 2026
  • Duration: Three years
  • Full-time or part-time: Full-time
  • Style of study: On campus
  • UCAS code: Y402
  • Status: Fully Approved
  • Awarding body: University of London
  • Attendance: Two to three times a week (normally afternoons), September to July
• Arts and Humanities BA (Hons): 4 years part-time, on campus, starting September 2026
  • Year of entry: September 2026
  • Duration: Four years
  • Full-time or part-time: Part-time
  • Style of study: On campus
  • Status: Fully Approved
  • Awarding body: University of London
  • Attendance: One to two times a week (normally afternoons), September to July
• Arts and Humanities with Foundation Year BA (Hons): 4 years full-time, on campus, starting September 2026
  • Year of entry: September 2026
  • Duration: Four years
  • Full-time or part-time: Full-time
  • Style of study: On campus
  • UCAS code: Y403
  • Status: Fully Approved
  • Awarding body: University of London
  • Attendance: Two to three times a week (normally afternoons), September to July
• Arts and Humanities with Foundation Year BA (Hons): 6 years part-time, on campus, starting September 2026
  • Year of entry: September 2026
  • Duration: Six years
  • Full-time or part-time: Part-time
  • Style of study: On campus
  • Status: Fully Approved
  • Awarding body: University of London
  • Attendance: One to two times a week (normally afternoons), September to July

Highlights

• Studying in the heart of London provides access to the city's rich cultural life, including theatres, galleries, and museums.
• Birkbeck was ranked 2nd in the UK for its English Language and Literature research in the 2021 Research Excellence Framework.
• Birkbeck was ranked as one of the top four universities in the UK for its Art and Design research in the 2021 Research Excellence Framework.
• Students may study in a building that was once home to Virginia Woolf and frequented by members of the Bloomsbury Group, which houses the Peltz Gallery, the Gordon Square Cinema, and a theatre and performance space.

Entry Requirements

Birkbeck welcomes applicants without traditional entry qualifications, basing decisions on their own assessment of qualifications, knowledge, and previous work experience. They may waive formal entry requirements based on the judgment of academic potential.

• For part-time courses, standard requirements are a minimum of two A-levels or equivalent.
• Applicants are selected by application and may also be asked to provide a sample of written work or to attend an interview.
• UCAS Tariff Points:
  • 3 years full-time: 112 points (e.g., A-levels BBC)
  • 4 years full-time with Foundation Year: 48 points
• Foundation Year Degrees: Designed to give extra support, providing an additional year (full-time) or two years (part-time) of supported study.
• Alternative Entry Routes: Pearson BTEC Level 3 National Extended Diploma: DMM
• English Language Requirements: If English is not the first language or students have not previously studied in English, the usual requirement is the equivalent of an International English Language Testing System (IELTS Academic Test) score of 6.5, with not less than 6.0 in each of the sub-tests.

Fees

• Arts and Humanities BA (Hons): 3 years full-time, on campus, starting in academic year 2026–27
  • Full-time home students: £9,790 per year
  • Full-time international students: £18,500 per year
• Arts and Humanities BA (Hons): 4 years part-time, on campus, starting in academic year 2026–27
  • Part-time home students: £7,335 per year
  • Part-time international students: £13,875 per year
• Arts and Humanities with Foundation Year BA (Hons): 6 years part-time, on campus, starting in academic year 2026–27
  • Part-time home students, Year 1&2: £2,880 per year
  • Part-time international students, Year 1&2: £9,250 per year
  • Part-time home students, Year 3+: £7,335 per year
  • Part-time international students, Year 3+: £13,875 per year
• Arts and Humanities with Foundation Year BA (Hons): 4 years full-time, on campus, starting in academic year 2026–27
  • Full-time home students, Year 1: £5,760 per year
  • Full-time international students, Year 1: £18,500 per year
  • Full-time home students, Year 2+: £9,790 per year
  • Full-time international students, Year 2+: £18,500 per year
• Tuition Fee and Maintenance Loans: Eligible full-time and part-time students from the UK don't have to pay any tuition fees upfront, as government loans are available to cover them.
• International Scholarships: Birkbeck provides a range of scholarships for eligible international students, including the Global Future Scholarship.

Teaching

At Birkbeck, most courses are taught in the evening, and all teaching is designed to support students who are juggling evening study with work and other commitments. Teaching may include formal lectures, seminars, and practical classes and tutorials.

• Methods of Teaching on This Course: Teaching on this course will mostly be in seminar groups and workshops, with possible engagement with pre-recorded lectures.
• Teaching Hours: Evening hours are normally between 6 pm and 9 pm.
• Study Skills and Additional Support: Birkbeck offers study and learning support to undergraduate and postgraduate students to help them succeed, including support for academic skills, written English, numerical skills, disability and dyslexia, counseling, and mental health advisory services.

Assessment

Assessment is an integral part of university studies and usually consists of a combination of coursework and examinations.

• Methods of Assessment on This Course: Depending on the module, assessment includes short written exercises, essays, quizzes, multiple-choice questionnaires, practical assessments, case studies, problems to solve, and presentations.

Careers and Employability

On successfully graduating from this BA Arts and Humanities, students will have gained an array of important transferable skills, including communication, collaborative-working, problem-solving, analytical, digital and media-making, and creative communication and production skills.

• Graduates from the arts and humanities at Birkbeck have pursued careers in a range of roles and sectors, including TV and film production companies, theatres, museums, literary production and development, the creative and cultural industries, education, NGOs, policy units, and government departments.
• The School of Creative Arts, Culture and Communication's specially designed Careers and Employability provision includes opportunities at all levels to support students in developing their career.

How to Apply

Students apply via UCAS for full-time undergraduate courses or directly to Birkbeck for part-time undergraduate courses.

• Full-time (UCAS Entry): Apply through the Universities and Colleges Admissions Service (UCAS).
• Part-time: Apply directly to Birkbeck using the online application link.

Course Structure

The course structure for the BA Arts and Humanities and its variants with Foundation Year are detailed, including the modules for each year of study.

• Course Structure Listing:
  • Arts and Humanities BA (Hons): 3 years full-time, on campus, starting September 2026
    • Year 1: Four compulsory modules or three compulsory modules and a Level 4 option.
    • Year 2: Four compulsory modules or three compulsory modules and a Level 5 option.
    • Year 3: Four compulsory modules or three compulsory modules and a Level 6 option.
  • Arts and Humanities BA (Hons): 4 years part-time, on campus, starting September 2026
    • Year 1: Three compulsory modules or two compulsory modules and a Level 4 option.
    • Year 2: Three compulsory modules or two compulsory modules and a Level 4 or Level 5 option.
    • Year 3: Three compulsory modules or two compulsory modules and a Level 5 option.
    • Year 4: Three compulsory modules or two compulsory modules and a Level 6 option.
  • Arts and Humanities with Foundation Year BA (Hons): 6 years part-time, on campus, starting September 2026
    • Foundation Year 1: Two core modules.
    • Foundation Year 2: Two option modules.
    • Then proceeds to the BA Arts and Humanities structure.
  • Arts and Humanities with Foundation Year BA (Hons): 4 years full-time, on campus, starting September 2026
    • Foundation Year: Two core modules and two option modules.
    • Then proceeds to the BA Arts and Humanities structure.