Q&A about Liberal Arts and Sciences with Alice
What’s it like to study Liberal Arts and Natural Sciences at the University of Birmingham? LANS Student Alice shares her experience.
Hi, I am Alice and I do Liberal Arts and Natural Sciences (LANS), however my focus is more within the social sciences and arts as I take modules from economics, history and philosophy.
Why I choose Liberal Arts and Natural Sciences...
I had no idea what to do after my last years of school, then I came across the LANS course at Birmingham and it got me really excited about going to university. By applying for this course, I felt I could keep some flexibility and not lock myself into one subject for three years, while enjoying university and continuing to learn.
My favourite thing about LANS...
My favourite thing is the LANS hub. This is a space exclusive to LANS students which many other courses do not have, it means there is always a space to study on campus and that the LANS faculty are always nearby if you need help. In the LANS hub, tea and biscuits is hosted every Monday, this is a time to chat with my course mates and the academic staff. This helps everyone to get to know each other better!
What I found difficult...
When I started university, I was really nervous about whether I would meet people, but the LANS course really helped with this. They offer the LANS cultural programme, which are free events for us to sign up to and it was great. A notable event was going to see SIX! the musical!
Everyone was and has continued to be really friendly and whilst the first term was hard, I am really enjoying my time at Birmingham.
My favourite module...
My favourite module at Birmingham so far was Feminist Philosophy as it was a really interesting look into different ideas. I also took the year abroad that the LANS course offers and it has been amazing. I chose to study at a University in Canada which has some amazing course choices. I did a Disney Film course, and a course about Ancient Roman and Greek crime and punishment!
My most memorable moment...
My most memorable moments so far at Birmingham have been being able to enjoy the sunshine on and around campus. There are lots of green spaces and so from April onwards I have often had BBQ’s or met my friends on campus for a picnic.
It has been amazing to study and relax at the green heart on campus which is a lovely space with lots of grass, benches and trees as well as the nearby parks.
My top tips...
Advice for a potential future LANS student is really hard to give because everyone has different interests on the course. I would say LANS does require a slightly greater level of independence than other courses since there is no one LANS route and everyone does different things.
If you have multiple interests and things you want to pursue at university, the Liberal Arts and Natural Sciences course could definitely be for you! A course like this can seem really confusing but if you enjoy studying lots of different things then it may be perfect for your style of learning. It has certainly made my university experience.