Programme Specification for the 2023/4 academic year
BA (Hons) Liberal Arts with Employment Experience
1. Programme Details
| Programme name | BA (Hons) Liberal Arts with Employment Experience | Programme code | UFA4HPSHPS52 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Study mode(s) | Full Time Part Time |
Academic year | 2023/4 |
| Campus(es) | Streatham (Exeter) |
NQF Level of the Final Award | 6 (Honours) |
2. Description of the Programme
Our Liberal Arts degree is an innovative, challenging and interdisciplinary programme, specifically designed to develop your intellectual capabilities and critical skills. It offers flexibility and breadth, complemented by in-depth learning in your chosen field of specialisation – your Major. Your breadth of knowledge and understanding across a diverse range of business, humanities and social science subjects will be firmly grounded in your specific area of specialisation and underpinned by the core modules and programme requirements. You will be encouraged to develop a global perspective through addressing contemporary global issues and debates. The opportunity to spend an additional year studying at one of our international partner institutions will further enable you to gain a global outlook.
The programme is designed to equip you with an impressive range of skills that will mark you out from the crowd and make you particularly attractive to employers: written and oral communication; textual and data analysis; language acquisition; presentation skills; teamwork and research. Through our Liberal Arts core modules you will develop confidence applying a range of approaches and methodologies. You will also work directly with employers and external organisations, researching real-life problems through our innovative ‘Think Tank’ module. With options to gain work experience as part of your degree programme, you can further develop your employability potential.
You will study a combination of our carefully designed Liberal Arts core modules; modules from your academic specialism (your Major) and a modern or ancient language. Our programme structure also enables you to explore your interests through studying a broad range of optional modules.
This Employment Experience variant of the programme is a great way to incorporate graduate-level work placement or placements undertaken in the United Kingdom directly into your programme of study, to reflect critically upon these experiences, and for them to count towards the assessment of your degree. There is no better way to gain valuable employment experience that can be rewarded and recognised clearly by future employers. With preparation, support and approval from the College of Humanities, including in foreign languages if required, you can also demonstrate adaptability and resourcefulness by organising suitable placements in areas of employment related to your interests and potential future career. This variant of the programme also provides a great way to demonstrate to employers your adaptability, cultural awareness, independence and resourcefulness. Experiencing the differences and similarities of education and people in another culture will increase your confidence and broaden the ways in which you see and relate to the world and the world of work.
Advice and guidance on your programme can be sought from your personal tutor and programme director. All staff offer regular office hours that you can drop into without a prior appointment for this purpose.
3. Educational Aims of the Programme
This programme aims to develop your competence in the subject-specific, methodological and research skills required in the Liberal Arts, through extended engagement with an array of resources, critical material, and theoretical contexts. Through a distinctive and intellectually rigorous degree programme, you will be presented with the opportunity to study in a wider range of disciplines than has been possible on traditional programmes, while retaining scope for the highest attainment in a chosen specialism.
You will acquire advanced competence in core academic, personal and key skills, providing a basis for career progression in the academic and professional worlds. The programme features a variety of teaching and assessment methods within appropriate learning environments, supported by feedback and monitoring. You will also be given an opportunity to develop your independent study skills through a piece of individual research within your chosen major subject area. Overall, the programme provides an intellectually stimulating, satisfying experience of learning and studying, and aims to develop a range of subject-specific, academic, employability and transferable skills. Liberal Arts, like other programmes offered through the College of Humanities, encourages you to become a global citizen, a productive, useful and questioning member of society, and provides thorough training for further study or a versatile range of specialist careers.
4. Programme Structure
The BA Liberal Arts with employment Experience programme is a four year full time programme of study at National Qualification Framework level 6. The programme provides a strong core Liberal Arts component complemented by optional modules taken from a designated range within the Business School, College of Humanities (HUMS) and the College of Social Sciences and International Studies (SSIS). The programme may also be studied part time. The programme is divided into units of study called ‘modules’ which are assigned a number of ‘credits’. The credit rating of a module is proportional to the total workload, with 1 credit being nominally equivalent to 10 hours of work.
At Stages 1, 2, and 4 you will take modules which at each Stage amount to 120 credits in total. The availability of all modules as options during these Stages is subject to timetable and staffing constraints, and to permission from the relevant Director of Education. Stage 3 forms the employment experience year.
Stage 1 Overview
Your first year is designed to give you a strong foundation in the liberal arts by equipping you with a range of key intellectual tools that you can use throughout the rest of your degree and your working life after university. You will receive this foundation through the 30 credit Liberal Arts core module Liberal Arts: Being Human in the Modern World which will give you a solid grounding in the skills, methods and principles of liberal learning. Alongside this module, you will also study at least 15 credits of an ancient or modern language; modules from your proposed Major and modules from non-Majors.
Stage 2 Overview
Your second year of study will enable you to consolidate your liberal arts foundations by furthering your critical tools and developing your intellectual abilities. You will take the 15 credit Think Tank module, which is practice-based and will build directly on the previous year’s work, developing your research, teamwork and problem-solving skills. You will take at least 60 credits in your chosen Major but will also have the opportunity to continue with your languages acquisition (if you choose to) and to take optional modules from non-Majors.
Stage 3
Stage 3 is the Employment Experience year which includes a module that also contributes 120 credits to the overall programme. Students are required to find their own placements with suitable employers and organisations with preparation, support and approval from the College of Humanities. Students taking this variant must participate in the pre-departure briefing sessions for Humanities Employment Experience Abroad.
Stage 4 Overview
Your final year enables you to focus on your chosen Major and develop your academic specialism. You will study a 30 credit dissertation in your chosen Major, alongside at least 60 credits from your Major. This will still enable you to extend your skills and capabilities via studying optional modules in non-Majors; this includes the opportunity to continue with your language acquisition (if you choose to).
List of current Majors:
- Anthropology
- Arab and Islamic Studies
- Archaeology
- Art History and Visual Culture
- Classics and Ancient History
- Criminology
- Drama
- Economics
- English
- Film Studies
- History
- International Relations
- Marketing / Management
- Modern Languages
- Philosophy
- Politics
- Sociology
- Theology and Religion
5. Programme Modules
The following tables describe the programme and constituent modules. Constituent modules may be updated, deleted or replaced as a consequence of the annual programme review of this programme.
http://intranet.exeter.ac.uk/humanities/studying/undergraduates/
The Liberal Arts degree programme is made up of compulsory (core) and optional modules, which are worth 15 or 30 credits each. Full-time undergraduate students need to complete modules worth a total of 120 credits each year.
Please note that modules offered are subject to change, depending on staff availability, timetabling, and demand.
Stage 3 is the Employment Experience year which includes a module that also contributes 120 credits to the overall programme. Students are required to find their own placements with suitable employers and organisations with preparation, support and approval from the College of Humanities.
Stage 1
Stage 1 – 120 credits: 30 credits of compulsory Liberal Arts, 15 credits of compulsory modern or ancient language modules, a minimum of 30 compulsory credits in your prospective major, and up to 45 credits of optional modules
Your first year is designed to give you a strong foundation in the liberal arts by equipping you with a range of key intellectual tools that you can use throughout the rest of your degree and your working life after university. You will receive this foundation through core modules which give you a solid grounding in the skills, methods and principles of liberal learning. Alongside these modules, you will also take an ancient or modern language, or a module based on a quantitative methodology.
Compulsory Modules
Students take the core 30 credit module, Liberal Arts: Being Human in the Modern World and at least 15 credits in Modern or Ancient Languages.
| Code | Module | Credits | Non-condonable? |
|---|---|---|---|
| LIB1105 | Being Human in the Modern World | 30 | No |
| HAS1905 | Employment Experience HASS | 0 | No |
Optional Modules
At least 30 of your remaining credits will be studied in your prospective Major. You will still have the opportunity to explore your options and interests through studying optional modules in non-Majors. Please note that to pursue some Majors you will be required to study core modules in the relevant discipline.
Stage 2
Stage 2 – 120 credits: 30-45 credits of compulsory Liberal Arts, 60 compulsory credits in your prospective major, and 15-30 credits of optional modules.
Your second year of study will enable you to consolidate your liberal arts foundations by furthering your critical tools and developing your intellectual abilities. You will take a practice-based core module which will build directly on the previous year’s work, developing your research, teamwork and problem-solving skills. You will also take further modules in a language or quantitative method, and optional modules selected from a diverse range of humanities and social science subjects. At the end of this year, and with the help of your academic adviser, you will nominate your ‘major’ – the area of study in which you will specialise for the rest of your degree.
a You must select either HUM2000 or HUM2001 (you cannot choose more than one module from this group).
Compulsory Modules
| Code | Module | Credits | Non-condonable? |
|---|---|---|---|
| LIB2000 | Think Tank | 15 | No |
| THE MA Liberal Arts HUM2000 or HUM2001 [see note a above] | |||
| HUM2000 | Humanities in the Workplace | 30 | No |
| HUM2001 | Humanities in the Workplace | 15 | No |
| HAS2905 | Employment Experience HASS | 0 | No |
Optional Modules
At least 60 of your remaining credits will be studied in your Major specialism. You will still have the opportunity to explore your options and interests through studying optional modules in non-Majors. Please note that to pursue some Majors you will be required to study core modules in the relevant discipline.
Stage 3
Stage 3 – Students will spend the third year of their studies carrying out a graduate-level work placement or placements, in the UK.
Compulsory Modules
| Code | Module | Credits | Non-condonable? |
|---|---|---|---|
| HUM3998 | Employment Experience UK | 120 | Yes |
Stage 4
Stage 4 – 120 credits: 30 credits of a compulsory dissertation (either in Liberal Arts in your major subject) 60 credits of modules in your chosen major, and 30 credits of optional modules.
The centre-point of the final year is the dissertation. This provides you with the opportunity to explore an area of interest and to demonstrate what you have learned over the previous years of your degree. You will also take up to three other specialist modules to create a programme of work fully reflecting your interests.
Alternatively, you might decide to work towards converting your degree into a Masters, in which case you will spend the fourth year of your degree taking modules in your nominated major, before moving on to the fifth year of the programme.
Compulsory Modules
| Code | Module | Credits | Non-condonable? |
|---|---|---|---|
| LIB3000 | Liberal Arts Dissertation OR equivalent dissertation in major subject | 30 | Yes |
Optional Modules
At least 60 of your remaining credits will be studied in your Major specialism. You will still have the opportunity to explore your options and interests through studying optional modules in non-Majors. Please note that to pursue some Majors you will be required to study some of their own core modules.
6. Programme Outcomes Linked to Teaching, Learning and Assessment Methods
Intended Learning Outcomes
A: Specialised Subject Skills and Knowledge
| Intended Learning Outcomes (ILOs) On successfully completing this programme you will be able to: | Intended Learning Outcomes (ILOs) will be... | |
|---|---|---|
| ...accommodated and facilitated by the following learning and teaching activities (in/out of class): | ...and evidenced by the following assessment methods: | |
1. Identify and evaluate the variety of approaches and critical traditions taken within both Liberal Arts and chosen component disciplines | A1-7 are acquired through lectures, seminars, workshops, study groups, tutorials and other learning activities throughout the programme. The degree of specialization of subject knowledge increases during the programme, culminating in the dissertation. Optional modules at later stages are most closely related to the research specialism of the staff teaching the module. The precise method of teaching varies according to each module, and particular disciplines. On team-taught modules you will normally engage in both lectures and seminar groups. In smaller options you will normally spend most of your contact time in lectures and workshops. Your learning is further developed through engagement with assessments, following guidance from tutors and lecturers and through feedback on work submitted. | The assessment of these skills is through a combination of presentations and participation, log-books, web-based assessments, essays, exams, other written reports/projects, and a dissertation. Essays, exams and presentations are especially significant within the programme because they assess each of the skills, A1- A8. The assessment criteria pay full recognition to the importance of the various skills outlined. |
Intended Learning Outcomes
B: Academic Discipline Core Skills and Knowledge
| Intended Learning Outcomes (ILOs) On successfully completing this programme you will be able to: | Intended Learning Outcomes (ILOs) will be... | |
|---|---|---|
| ...accommodated and facilitated by the following learning and teaching activities (in/out of class): | ...and evidenced by the following assessment methods: | |
8. Draw thematic comparisons between materials from different sources |
These skills are developed throughout the programme in all modules, with the emphasis becoming more complex as students move from stage to stage. They are developed through lectures and seminars, written work, and oral work (both in presentation and seminar/workshop discussion), and reinforced through the range of modules across all stages. They will culminate in the substantial and independent research skills demonstrated within the dissertation module. | The assessment of these skills is through a combination of presentations and participation in seminars, log-books, web-based assessments, essays, exams, other written reports/projects, and a dissertation. |
Intended Learning Outcomes
C: Personal/Transferable/Employment Skills and Knowledge
| Intended Learning Outcomes (ILOs) On successfully completing this programme you will be able to: | Intended Learning Outcomes (ILOs) will be... | |
|---|---|---|
| ...accommodated and facilitated by the following learning and teaching activities (in/out of class): | ...and evidenced by the following assessment methods: | |
15. Apply advanced numeracy, literacy and communication skills in appropriate contexts including the ability to present sustained and persuasive written and oral arguments | Personal and key skills are delivered through all modules, and developed in lectures, workshops, study groups, tutorials, work experience and other learning activities throughout the programme. | The assessment of these skills is through a combination of presentations and participation in seminars, log-books, web-based assessments, essays, exams, other written reports/projects, and a dissertation. Outcomes C15-20 are also strongly developed in the course of the portfolio of assessed essays and other written work produced throughout the programme. These assessments work on the principle of offering formative feedback to support the development of your written work within as well as between modules. Feedback on one assignment is intended to inform the next piece of work you undertake on the module; the next piece of work on the programme, or the future learning of graduates. Outcome C21 is associated especially with the range of group presentations taking place in modules during all stages. Group presentation assessment brings into focus an important range of skills for students, including sharing workloads, responsibility for tasks, team-working, collaborative and communicative skills. Individual contributions to group work are also assessed individually, most often in the form of a reflective presentation report. C22-24 are also accomplished in the course of ‘real-time’ formal assessments such as presentations and end of module exams, which occur in all levels of the programme. C25 is particularly related to the module ‘Think Tank’, through the option to take work placement modules and to the range of work conducted in the field through various module options. |
7. Programme Regulations
Programme-specific Progression Rules
To progress to Stage 2 you must also achieve an average mark of at least 50% in Stage 1, otherwise you will be required to transfer to the relevant three-year programme. This is to ensure that only those students who are likely to succeed in their Employment Experience Year are selected.
HUM3998 Employment Experience UK counts as a single 120-credit module and is not condonable; you must pass this module to graduate with the degree title of BA Liberal Arts with Employment Experience. If you fail the Employment Experience your degree title will be commuted to BA Liberal Arts.
Classification
Full details of assessment regulations for all taught programmes can be found in the TQA Manual, specifically in the Credit and Qualifications Framework, and the Assessment, Progression and Awarding: Taught Programmes Handbook. Additional information, including Generic Marking Criteria, can be found in the Learning and Teaching Support Handbook.
8. College Support for Students and Students' Learning
Personal and Academic tutoring: It is University policy that all Colleges should have in place a system of academic and personal tutors. A University-wide statement on such provision is included in the University’s TQA Manual. The role of academic tutors is to support you on individual modules; the role of personal tutors is to provide you with advice and support for the duration of the programme and extends to providing you with details of how to obtain support and guidance on personal difficulties such as accommodation, financial difficulties and sickness.
All students within Liberal Arts have a personal tutor for their entire programme of study and who are available at advertised ‘office hours’. There are induction sessions to orientate students at the start of their programme. A personal tutoring system will operate with regular communication throughout the programme. Academic support will be also be provided by module leaders. You can also make an appointment to see individual teaching staff.
At Exeter, the University Library maintains its principal collections in the main library buildings on the Streatham and St Luke’s campuses, together with a number of specialist collections related to certain academic disciplines. The total Library collection comprises over a million volumes and 3000 current periodical subscriptions. New copyright regulations permit the use of electronic versions of volumes held by the University’s Libraries, and the electronic journals database (EBSCO) enables students to access most periodicals from the 1990s onwards electronically. The University Library also operates an electronically-based help facility and help can also be provided via the telephone.
In addition, the Bill Douglas Cinema Museum houses one of Britain’s largest public collections of books, prints, artefacts and ephemera relating to the history and prehistory of cinema. At the heart of the Centre is the Bill Douglas and Peter Jewell Collection, comprised of approximately 50,000 items.
Information Technology (IT) Services provide a wide range of services throughout the Exeter campuses including open and training clusters of PCs computer rooms, some of which are available 24 hours, 7 days a week. Additionally, the College has its own dedicated facilities for use by undergraduates and postgraduates. Software can be purchased by students for home use by means of personal licence agreements for the stated software. Online helpdesk facilities and telephone helpdesks are also available.
Student/Staff Liaison Committee enables students and staff to participate jointly in the management and review of the teaching and learning provision. These committees meet regularly both at Discipline and College level and allow students to contribute directly to the enhancement of educational and other provision at discipline level.
Programme handbooks and other useful information can be accessed via the student intranet: http://intranet.exeter.ac.uk/humanities/studying/taughthandbook/.
Other useful information and student resources can be accessed via the Exeter Learning Environment (ELE): http://vle.exeter.ac.uk/login/index.php , which has specific information on library skills, essay writing and research skills.
9. University Support for Students and Students' Learning
Please refer to the University Academic Policy and Standards guidelines regarding support for students and students' learning.
10. Admissions Criteria
Undergraduate applicants must satisfy the Undergraduate Admissions Policy of the University of Exeter.
Postgraduate applicants must satisfy the Postgraduate Admissions Policy of the University of Exeter.
Specific requirements required to enrol on this programme are available at the respective Undergraduate or Postgraduate Study Site webpages.
11. Regulation of Assessment and Academic Standards
Each academic programme in the University is subject to an agreed College assessment and marking strategy, underpinned by institution-wide assessment procedures.
The security of assessment and academic standards is further supported through the appointment of External Examiners for each programme. External Examiners have access to draft papers, course work and examination scripts. They are required to attend the Board of Examiners and to provide an annual report. Annual External Examiner reports are monitored at both College and University level. Their responsibilities are described in the University's code of practice. See the University's TQA Manual for details.
14. Awarding Institution
University of Exeter
15. Lead College / Teaching Institution
Faculty of Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences (HASS)
16. Partner College / Institution
Partner College(s)
Not applicable to this programme
Partner Institution
Not applicable to this programme.
17. Programme Accredited / Validated by
0
18. Final Award
BA (Hons) Liberal Arts with Employment Experience
19. UCAS Code
LA94
20. NQF Level of Final Award
6 (Honours)
21. Credit
| CATS credits | 480 |
ECTS credits | 240 |
|---|
22. QAA Subject Benchmarking Group
23. Dates
| Origin Date | 22/08/2017 |
Date of last revision | 17/07/2018 |
|---|
