professor cillian ryan dean of liberal arts &sciences · characteristics of a liberal arts...

Professor Cillian RyanDean of Liberal Arts &Sciences

Characteristics of a UK UndergraduateDegree

o Subject Knowledgeo Employability & Skillso Character Development

Characteristics of a Liberal Arts &Sciences Degree

What are liberal arts and sciences?

o A general education providing a broad groundingin diverse disciplines, spanning both arts andsciences

o Usually with a “major” in an academic disciplineduring the latter part of the degree

o Focus on gaining academic, communications,and intellectual skills rather than exclusivelyspecialist knowledge

Why study liberal arts and sciences?

o Breadth of education appropriate for a worldwhere most graduates do jobs unrelated to theirdegree course and change careers several times

o Skills gained are those employers most seek:written and oral communications, intellectualability and agility, ability to learn about widerange of topics, teamwork, adaptability

Why liberal arts and sciences atBirmingham?

o One of the largest leading research Universities inthe UK. We are uniquely placed to provide top-ranked students with a fascinating array of options.

o 45 possible majorso a research submission to 49 panels of assessment

in the 2008 RAEo 230 specialist departments and research centres

International Precedents &Developmentso US– Ivy league, Lib Arts Colleges and State

UniversitiesoMelbourne Modelo Singapore/Yaleo Hong Kong Breadth Curriculumo Dutch Colleges (Amsterdam, Utrecht, Maastricht

etc)o Vesalius College/Vrije Universitat Brusselso Honours programmes US & Aus

Key elements

o 4 year degreeoWith Year Abroad (elite scholarship exchanges)o & Internshipo Bespoke degreeo Graduate with a ‘major’ – ensuring Deptho And with exposure to a Breadth of other subjects,

ways of thinking and skillso Leadership mentoring, employability

Year One Example of Psychology Major

40 credits of potential major

60 credits of other interests or otherpotential major

Core liberal Arts and Sciencesinterdisciplinary breadth module

Semester 1: From Big Bang toGeneration Y: The Making of theModern WorldSemester 2: Individual & GroupProject: Addressing the Challenges ofthe Modern World

Year One Example of Psychology Major

40 credits of potential major

Perception and attentionIntroduction to LearningIntroduction to Mental HealthMemory & Language

60 credits of other interests or otherpotential major

Core liberal Arts and Sciencesinterdisciplinary breadth module

Semester 1: From Big Bang toGeneration Y: The Making of theModern WorldSemester 2: Individual & GroupProject: Addressing the Challenges ofthe Modern World

Year One Example of Psychology Major

40 credits of potential major

Perception and attentionIntroduction to LearningIntroduction to Mental HealthMemory & Language

60 credits of other interests or otherpotential major

Politics: Understanding PoliticsPhilosophy: Knowledge & RealitySociology: Sociology of the Self andEveryday Life

Core liberal Arts and Sciencesinterdisciplinary breadth module

Semester 1: From Big Bang toGeneration Y: The Making of theModern WorldSemester 2: Individual & GroupProject: Addressing the Challenges ofthe Modern World

Year One Example of Psychology Major

40 credits of potential major

Perception and attentionIntroduction to LearningIntroduction to Mental HealthMemory & Language

60 credits of other interests or otherpotential major

Politics: Understanding PoliticsPhilosophy: Knowledge & RealitySociology: Sociology of the Self andEveryday Life

Core liberal Arts and Sciencesinterdisciplinary breadth module

Semester 1: From Big Bang toGeneration Y: The Making of theModern WorldSemester 2: Individual & GroupProject: Addressing the Challenges ofthe Modern World

Year One Example

40 credits of potential major (maybe up to 60 credits)

60 credits of other interests orother potential major

Core Liberal Arts and SciencesBreadth Module

Year One Example

40 credits of potential major (maybe up to 60 credits)

Introduction to Evolution andAnimal Biology

Cell Biology and Physiology

60 credits of other interests orother potential majorCore breadth module

Core Liberal Arts and SciencesBreadth Module

Year One Example

40 credits of potential major (maybe up to 60 credits)

Introduction to Evolution andAnimal Biology

Cell Biology and Physiology

60 credits of other interests orother potential majorCore breadth module

Modern History c. 1800-2000

Moral & Political Philosophy: TheIndividual & Society

English: Story Telling for Page &Screen

Core Liberal Arts and SciencesBreadth Module

Year One Example

40 credits of potential major (maybe up to 60 credits)

Introduction to Evolution andAnimal Biology

Cell Biology and Physiology

60 credits of other interests orother potential majorCore breadth module

Modern History c. 1800-2000

Moral & Political Philosophy: TheIndividual & Society

English: Story Telling for Page &Screen

Core Liberal Arts and SciencesBreadth Module

The Making of the Modern Worldand its Challenges

Year Two Example

60 credits of potential Major(usually at least 40)

Year Two Example

60 credits of potential Major(usually at least 40)

Core skills for Data Analysis(Biosciences)

Cell Biology

Human Evolution, Adaptation andBehaviour

Year Two Example

60 credits of potential Major(usually at least 40)

Core skills for Data Analysis(Biosciences)

Cell Biology

Human Evolution, Adaptation andBehaviour

40 credits of other interests orother potential major (here Englishbuilds on year 1 breadth module).

Year Two Example

60 credits of potential Major(usually at least 40)

Core skills for Data Analysis(Biosciences)

Cell Biology

Human Evolution, Adaptation andBehaviour

40 credits of other interests or otherpotential major (here English builds on

year 1 breadth module).

English: Texts in History –Literary Aesthetics before 1800

English: Approaches to Literature –Literary Aesthetics after 1800

Year Two Example

60 credits of potential Major(usually at least 40)

Core skills for Data Analysis(Biosciences)

Cell Biology

Human Evolution, Adaptation andBehaviour

40 credits of other interests or otherpotential major (here English builds on

year 1 breadth module).

English: Texts in History –Literary Aesthetics before 1800

English: Approaches to Literature –Literary Aesthetics after 1800

Core liberal Arts and Sciences breadthModule Themed Projects II

Example of Year Abroad Rationale for this example

Example of Year Abroad Rationale for this example

2 x modules on Biology To maintain skills and build furtherexpertise in this area

Example of Year Abroad Rationale for this example

2 x modules on Biology To maintain skills and build furtherexpertise in this area

3 x modules in EnglishLiterature focusing on partnercountry

To expand range and build expertise for apotential major in English

Example of Year Abroad Rationale for this example

2 x modules on Biology To maintain skills and build furtherexpertise in this area

3 x modules in EnglishLiterature focusing on partnercountry

To expand range and build expertise for apotential major in English

1 x module on contemporarypolitics of host country

Opportunity to learn more about hostculture

Final year40 credit dissertation focusing onmajor disciplines (but typically withinterdisciplinary dimensions)

Final year40 credit dissertation focusing onmajor disciplines (but typically withinterdisciplinary dimensions)

The biology of mating: Altruism andpromiscuity in the novels of Jane

Austin

Final year40 credit dissertation focusing onmajor disciplines (but typically withinterdisciplinary dimensions)

The biology of mating: Altruism andpromiscuity in the novels of Jane

Austin

Between 40 and 80 credits ofMajor: In this example Biology

Final year40 credit dissertation focusing onmajor disciplines (but typically withinterdisciplinary dimensions)

The biology of mating: Altruism andpromiscuity in the novels of Jane

Austin

Between 40 and 80 credits of Major:In this example Biology

Integrated Whole-Organism Biology

Applied and Environmental Micro-Biology

Final year40 credit dissertation focusing onmajor disciplines (but typically withinterdisciplinary dimensions)

The biology of mating: Altruism andpromiscuity in the novels of Jane

Austin

Between 40 and 80 credits of Major:In this example Biology

Integrated Whole-Organism Biology

Applied and Environmental Micro-Biology

Up to 40 credits of second major,minor or other options: In this

example English

Final year40 credit dissertation focusing onmajor disciplines (but typically withinterdisciplinary dimensions)

The biology of mating: Altruism andpromiscuity in the novels of Jane

Austin

Between 40 and 80 credits of Major:In this example Biology

Integrated Whole-Organism Biology

Applied and Environmental Micro-Biology

Up to 40 credits of second major,minor or other options: In thisexample English

Literature, Sexuality and the Body

Currents and Concerns in recentPostcolonial Writing

Possible Science Majors include:

oA level or IB HL Required:oBiochemistryoBiologyoChemistryoGeographyoMathematics*oPhysics*

Other Science Majors :You do not need any specific A-level for the following

and AAA+ students will typically be allowed to majorin these areas but some mathematics or science isdesirable:

oComputer scienceoEarth SciencesoPsychologyoSport and Exercise Science

Arts & Humanities Majors

oAfrican StudiesAmerican & Canadian StudiesAnthropologyArchaeology & Ancient HistoryClassical Literature & CivilisationDramaEnglish Language/English Literature

More Arts & Humanities

oEuropean StudiesFrench*GeographyGerman*Hispanic StudiesHistoryHistory of Art

oItalianMathematicsMusic*PhilosophyPortugueseRussianTheology

Social Sciences majors

oBusinessEconomicsEducationEuropean StudiesFinanceLaw

oInternationalRelationsPolitical SciencePolitical EconomyPublic PolicySocial PolicySociology

BA/BSc Liberal Arts & SciencesProfessor Cillian Ryan, Dean of Liberal Arts &Sciences

Professor Cillian RyanDean of Liberal Arts &Sciences