BA (Hons) Liberal Arts with Italian (with a year abroad)

Course content

This degree is flexible. You can choose to study option modules from every department in our Faculty of Arts and Humanities.

In your first and second year, you'll study core liberal arts and Italian modules, and choose options from other departments. In your third year, you'll spend a year abroad. Our broad range of option modules will help deepen your subject knowledge. You'll then work on your dissertation and further your language skills in your final year.

The broad range of options will equip you with a diverse set of critical and creative skills. Our course will inspire you to make connections across subject areas, preparing you for a wide range of careers and pursuits beyond your degree.

Our modules may change to reflect the latest academic thinking and expertise of our staff, and in line with Department/School academic planning.

Teaching and assessment

You’ll study and learn with academics who are active researchers, experts in their field and have a passion for their subjects. Our approach to teaching will provide you with the knowledge, opportunities, and support you need to grow and succeed in a global workplace. Find out more about our approach to teaching and learning.

Teaching format

You'll be taught in varying methods depending on the areas within the arts and humanities that you choose to pursue. This includes lectures, small-group seminars and practical locations that are relevant to the chosen subject area.

Your Italian classes will teach you to become an effective communicator. That is why:

• we are unique in teaching our core modules in their language of study
• we teach mainly in small seminars
• we emphasise issues of cultures and society, allowing you to develop a high level of transcultural awareness to underpin your language skills
• many of our staff are native-speakers of the languages we teach

In the UK, full-time students are expected to spend 1,200 hours a year learning. That's about 40 hours of classes and independent study each week during semesters. Everyone learns at a different rate, so the number of hours you spend on independent study will be different to other students on your course.

Facilities

The base for Liberal Arts is the Grade II listed Heslington Hall. It's a vibrant interdisciplinary hub for arts and humanities at the heart of our campus. You'll have access to a common room and study spaces.

• Explore our facilities

Teaching location

Depending on the modules you choose to study, you may be based both on Campus West and Campus East.

About our campus

Our beautiful green campus offers a student-friendly setting in which to live and study, within easy reach of the action in the city centre. It's easy to get around - everything is within walking or pedalling distance, or you can use the fast and frequent bus service. Take a campus tour.

Assessment and feedback

You'll be assessed by various methods, including essays, portfolios, and team presentations. You'll also submit study plans and dissertation proposals as part of your assessments, which will help you to plan your path of study in later years. 

The option modules you choose from different departments will include a diverse range of assessment methods. This includes both critical essays and more practice-based, or creative formats.

Your year abroad is assessed. All students must complete two assessments in their language of study. If you are studying at a university, you must attend courses and sit the exams. If you are on a work or teaching placement, you must satisfactorily complete the duties set out in the placement agreement. However, your marks on the year abroad assessments do not contribute towards your overall degree mark.

Fees and funding

Annual tuition fees

UK (home) or international fees?

The level of fee that you will be asked to pay depends on whether you're classed as a UK (home) or international student. Check your fee status.

Fees for subsequent years

• UK (home) fees may increase within the government fee cap in subsequent academic years. We will notify you of any increase as soon as we can.
• International fees are subject to increase in subsequent years in line with the prevailing Consumer Price Index (CPI) inflation rate (up to a maximum of 10%).

More information

For more information about tuition fees, any reduced fees for study abroad and work placement years, scholarships, tuition fee loans, maintenance loans and living costs see undergraduate fees and funding.

Additional costs

The fees here are the University's standard undergraduate fees for September 2024 entry. Our fees for September 2025 will be published in the Summer.

Funding

We'll confirm more funding opportunities for students joining us in 2026/27 throughout the year.

• UK government loans
• UK scholarships and bursaries
• International scholarships
• Country-specific funding
• US loans

Entry requirements

Additional requirements

Ab initio

You can only take the language part of this programme ab initio (from scratch, or with a qualification at AS level or below), it is not suitable for those who already have an A Level in this language.

Our language programmes are designed to develop fluency. For this reason we do not normally offer places to native or near-native speakers who wish to study their own language.

Alternative offers

Meeting the following additional criteria may qualify you for an alternative offer.

English language

If English isn't your first language you may need to provide evidence of your English language ability. We accept the following qualifications:

For more information see our undergraduate English language requirements.