Possible Majors and requirements - Liberal Arts and Sciences

Embrace flexibility and variety with a large range of Majors at Birmingham.

The BA Liberal Arts and BASc Arts and Sciences offer unmatched degree flexibility. Within each of these programmes, you have the option to focus your degree with a major (or two). A Major is a subject you specialise in as part of your degree.

Note: If you choose to Major in a subject, you will still have the freedom to study other subjects. You can also change or drop your Major or choose to double Major in Year 2, and many of our students choose not to have a Major.

You do not require specific A level subjects or IB higher level subjects to be accepted onto the BA Liberal Arts and BASc Arts and Sciences courses, but some Majors may have specific A level or GCSE subject requirements after you enrol, please refer to the relevant subject course page for full details on our entry requirements. If you are unsure if you meet the requirements for your preferred Major, please contact us to discuss. In some cases, a Major can be pursued without specific subjects provided you perform well in particular first year modules. Please note the lists below are not definitive and entry requirements and subject combinations are subject to change.

Arts and Law Majors - Available to all Liberal Arts and Sciences students

Major	Entry requirements
African Studies
Anthropology
Archaeology & Ancient History
Classical Literature and Civilisation
Classics	A level Latin at grade B or above or GCSE Latin, Greek or a Modern Language at grade 7 or above.
Creative Writing	A level in English Literature or English Language & Literature at grade B or above.
Cultural and Creative Industries
Digital Media and Communication
Drama	A level Drama and Theatre Arts at grade B, if taken at A level.
English Language	A level in English Language, English Literature, English Language & Literature or a Modern Foreign Languages at grade B or above.
English Literature	A level in English Literature or English Language & Literature at grade B or above.
Film
French	A level French at grade B or above.
Gender Studies
German	A level German at grade B or above.
History	A Level History, Medieval History or Ancient History is preferred, but applications from candidates who can demonstrate an interest in and an aptitude for the study of history.
History of Art
Italian	A level Italian at grade B or above.
Modern Languages
Music	A level Music at grade A or alternatively grade 7-8 ABRSM.
Law	*Please note, this major is only available to Liberal Arts students.*
Philosophy
Russian	A level Russian at grade B or above.
Spanish	A level Spanish at grade B or above
Theology

Science Majors - Available to Arts and Sciences students

Major	Entry requirements
Biochemistry	A level Chemistry at grade A and a second science at grade B. Five GCSEs to include Mathematics, English and double award Science at grade 4/C or above.
Biological Sciences	A level Biology at grade A and a second science at grade B. Five GCSEs to include Mathematics, English and double award Science at grade 4/C.
Biomedical Science	Two A levels from Biology, Chemistry, Maths or Physics. GCSE grade A/7 in Mathematics, and grade B/6 in Biology and Chemistry (or double award science) if not taken at A level.
Chemistry	A level Chemistry at grade B. Minimum Mathematics requirement GCSE at grade 6/B.
Computer Science	A level Mathematics at grade A.
Earth Sciences	A level in either Biology/Human Biology, Chemistry, Computing, Electronics, Environmental Studies, Geography, Geology, Maths, Further Maths, Physics and Statistics.
Environmental Science	A level in either Biology/Human Biology, Chemistry, Computing, Electronics, Environmental Studies, Geography, Geology, Maths, Further Maths, Physics, Psychology or Statistics at grade B.
Geography
Materials Science and Engineering	A level in Maths and at least one of Physics, Chemistry or Design Technology.
Mathematics	A level Mathematics or Further Mathematics at grade A.
Physics	A level Mathematics and Physics at grade A*A - or grade AA if taking four A levels.
Psychology	A level in either Biology/Human Biology, Chemistry, Maths, Physics or Psychology.
Sport and Exercise Sciences	A level in either Biology, Chemistry, Economics, Geography, Human Biology, Maths, Physics, Psychology, Sport Studies/Physical Education or Statistics at grade B or above. GCSE Maths, English and Science at a minimum of grade 4/C.

Social Sciences Majors - Available to Liberal Arts students

Major	Entry requirements
Business	GCSE Maths at Grade 5/B or above and English at Grade 6/B.
Economics	GCSE Maths at Grade 7/A or above.
Gender Studies
International Relations
Political Science
Sociology
Criminology

Innovative Majors

Beyond the traditional majors in subject disciplines, you can also choose one of our innovative majors exclusively offered in Liberal Arts and Sciences (no pre-requisites). These interdisciplinary majors integrate modules from across the five Colleges and engage with principles of justice, local challenges and actions in order to make a tangible difference to the communities we live in.

Gender Studies

Gender Studies is a broad interdisciplinary field of enquiry that crosses the arts, critical humanities, and social sciences, and that intersects with psychology and medicine. This Major draws on modules relating to gender and feminist theory, LGBT and queer studies, the private/public spheres, the body, media, postfeminism, gender identity, masculinity, class, and race. It encourages students to explore gender differences and the translation of difference into inequality – with the aim to enable students to engage with policy-making, activism and social justice work.

Sustainability

Sustainability defines and connects the complex of issues producing the twenty-first century’s greatest global and local challenges: the environment, cultures, politics, economics, nutrition, security, wellbeing. This Major draws on modules relating to any combination of sustainability challenges, and encourages students to understand sustainability as an evolving and complex topic within which interdisciplinary insight and capabilities are key features.

Study with Languages for All

If you are interested in doing a language as part of the degree (but not necessarily as a Major) then you have the additional option of taking languages from Languages for All either for credit or as an extracurricular Open Access Course. There are a wide variety of possible class time slots, including evenings, to facilitate busy schedules.

If you have any questions about this page, please contact us.