BA (Hons) Liberal Arts with a Foundation Year
Key Details
- Award
- Degree of Bachelor of Arts
- UCAS Course Code
- Y00F
- Typical Offer
- CCC
- Contextual Offer
- CDD
- Course Length
- 4 years
- Course Start Date
- September 2027
)
Chat to us on Unibuddy
Any questions? Chat online with current students, staff and experts. This is your chance to ask anything about UEA, university life, Norwich and more.
Course Overview
Why BA Liberal Arts with a Foundation Year at UEA?
Build deep expertise in a discipline and extend it across subjects, connecting ideas that shape the world around you.
Liberal Arts at UEA combines academic focus with flexibility to shape your studies and prepare for your professional future.
Why choose UEA?
- Defined specialism: Major in an Arts and Humanities subject and build a clear minor across disciplines
- Career-ready skills: Navigate complex issues by bringing different perspectives together
- Professional support: Study within a dedicated Liberal Arts team that knows you individually and supports your academic and career goals
What is BA Liberal Arts with a Foundation Year?
Our BA Liberal Arts with a Foundation Year degree is your platform on which to build a toolkit of essential academic skills. By forming your own goals and objectives you’ll have the be able to engage confidently with the Humanities at degree level. After completing this year, you can move on to BA liberal Arts, where you can combine modules from different disciplines, such as History, Politics and Literature.
You’ll have access to all the opportunities and resources that UEA and Norwich have to offer. From the Media Suite(opens in a new window) to the Sainsbury Centre for Visual Arts,(opens in a new window) you’ll have the space to grow your interests outside the seminar room.
Careers
Career Pathways
After graduating with a degree in Liberal Arts, or a similar Arts and Humanities discipline, there are many roles you could progress onto as you launch your career. For instance:
- Policy Officer: develop and evaluate policy within government departments or public institutions
- Research Analyst: analyse complex evidence to inform strategic and operational decisions
- Communications Officer: deliver research-informed messaging across public and commercial organisations
- Project Coordinator: manage organisational partnerships and multidisciplinary initiatives
- Business Analyst: assess data, processes, and performance to support organisational strategy
Career Support
During your Foundation Year, you’ll start your journey towards your ideal future career. We’ll help you identify how your academic interests and burgeoning attributes can link to real career possibilities. You’ll have access to networking opportunities, workshops, and personalised one-to-one appointments. No matter what stage you’re at with deciding on your next steps, you’ll be supported throughout your degree and beyond by UEA’s award-winning Careers Service, which offers guidance on CV writing, applications, internships and professional development.
Discover more on our Careers webpages.
After the Course
After successfully completing your Foundation Year, you’ll progress straight onto the BA Liberal Arts. Alternatively, you can request to transfer onto one of a selection of other undergraduate courses within the Faculty of Arts and Humanities. This may be subject to taking certain required prerequisite modules.
During the foundation year you’ll learn more about your academic interests and strengths. This will help you to choose the course that’s the best fit for you. You can also move onto a Creative Writing degree after your short portfolio of writing (c. five pages) is approved by the creative writing team. An academic adviser will support you through this path. Use your Liberal Arts Foundation Year as a springboard to the degree of your choice and take control of your future studies.
Study and Modules
Structure
During your Liberal Arts Foundation course, you’ll study a mixture of compulsory and optional modules. This enables you to tailor your studies to your interests, ensuring you’ll develop the knowledge, skills and confidence to achieve your full potential during the rest of your degree.
You’ll hone your essential critical thinking and skills of analysis, plus have the opportunity to discover a range of academic approaches and methodologies. Together with your lecturers and peers, you’ll explore important theories and ideas in humanities. You’ll learn how they relate to their political, social, historical and cultural contexts. For example, you might study ideology and myth, post-colonialism, gender and sexuality, or power. We also provide you with the space to practice necessary, core skills to build your confidence as you progress with your studies. For example, you’ll learn how to research, write, and properly reference your assignments, as well as how to make the most out of the amazing study and support resources that UEA has to offer.
One of the central questions we’ll explore is how new knowledge in the Humanities is created. By bringing together your subject interest and learning from across the course, you'll experiment with designing your own project. With our support, you'll learn how to break a larger task into manageable stages, gaining hands-on experience in planning, research and problem solving. These core skills won’t only be at the centre of your future degree but are at the heart of longer-term professional success. This step-by-step structure will build your confidence and show how complex ideas can grow and synthesise as you follow a process and make connections. Working through each stage in this dynamic way will develop your creativity, resilience and you’ll become a successful independent learner.
There are a range of subject-specific topics for you to choose from throughout your foundation year. You may choose to focus on history, literature, visual cultures, or politics. Alternatively, you could choose to study a language. By combining disciplines, you’ll be able to investigate key areas of your future degree while gaining an interdisciplinary perspective. This is your opportunity to develop your knowledge and skills in subjects closely tied to the rest of your degree or even try something new.
For information on subsequent years, please see the full BA Liberal Arts course.
Compulsory Modules
Optional A Modules
(Min Credits: 20, Max Credits: 40)Optional B Modules
(Min Credits: 0, Max Credits: 20)Whilst the University will make every effort to offer the modules listed, changes may sometimes be made arising from the annual monitoring, review and update of modules. Where this activity leads to significant (but not minor) changes to programmes and their constituent modules, the University will endeavour to consult with students and others. It is also possible that the University may not be able to offer a module for reasons outside of its control, such as the illness of a member of staff. In some cases optional modules can have limited places available and so you may be asked to make additional module choices in the event you do not gain a place on your first choice. Where this is the case, the University will inform students.
Teaching and Learning, and Assessment
Teaching and Learning
You’ll enjoy UEA’s supportive and rewarding learning environment where you’ll study with dedicated lecturers. This degree will connect your previous learning experiences to your future degree programme. Modules are delivered through a variety of methods, including seminars, interactive training sessions. Study tasks are designed to expose you to different learning and teaching types you’ll meet later on.
Throughout your year, you’ll receive supportive feedback which will improve your writing and research skills. Award-winning lecturers will teach you. Their teaching is informed by cutting-edge subject research and a strong commitment to innovative and engaging teaching practice.
We’ll support you throughout your intensive foundation year. You’ll learn to work independently between classes and get fully prepared for seminars, workshops and assessments. We’ll help you to make the most of the resources and facilities available to you at UEA.
Assessment
During your Arts and Humanities Foundation Year, your assessment might be through writing essays, preparing posters, presenting reflective work, or well-informed analyses. Therefore, you’ll explore different learning styles and prepare for degree-level assessment.
We use innovative methods to help you build confidence in your strength points. We’ll support you on your way to becoming a more independent learner. You’ll learn from your peers and teaching staff, while feedback allows you to improve your written work day after day.
You’ll also be supported by an academic adviser. During individual tutorials, they’ll ensure you’re progressing well employing your full potential.
Entry Requirements
- This course is open to
UK fee-paying students only. The entry point is in September each year.
We welcome and value a wide range of qualifications, and we recognise that some students might take a mixture of different qualifications. We have listed typical examples that we accept for entry.
You should hold or be working towards the specified English and Mathematics requirements and one of the examples of typical entry qualifications listed below. If your qualifications aren’t listed, or if you are taking a combination of qualifications that isn’t specified, please contact Admissions.
- English and Mathematics
All applicants must hold or be working towards GCSEs in English Language and Mathematics at minimum grade C or grade 4.
In place of Mathematics GCSE we can also consider Functional Skills Level 2 Mathematics.
We accept a wide range of English Language qualifications, please see our English Language equivalencies(opens in a new window) page.
- Contextual Offers
UEA are committed to ensuring that Higher Education is accessible to all, regardless of their background or experiences. One of the ways we do this is through our contextual admissions schemes(opens in a new window).
- Typical UK Entry Requirements
A Levels
CCC
Contextual offer: CDD
BTEC
Level 3 Extended Diploma: MMM
Contextual offer: MMP
BTEC Public Services, BTEC Uniformed Services and BTEC Business Administration are not accepted to make up any grades.
Access to HE Diploma
Access to Humanities & Social Sciences pathway. Pass the Access to HE Diploma with 45 credits at Level 3.
T Levels
Obtain an overall Pass.
- Further Examples of Typical Entry Requirements
International Baccalaureate
28 points overall
Irish Leaving Certificate
6 subjects at H4
Scottish Highers
BBCCC
A combination of Advanced Highers and Highers may be acceptable.
Scottish Advanced Highers
DDD
A combination of Advanced Highers and Highers may be acceptable.
We welcome applications from students with non-traditional academic backgrounds. If you have been out of study for the last three years and you do not have the entry grades for our three year degree, we will consider your educational and employment history, along with your personal statement and reference to gain a holistic view of your suitability for the course. You will still need to meet our GCSE English Language and Mathematics requirements.
- English Foreign Language
Applications from students whose first language is not English are welcome. We require evidence of proficiency in English (including writing, speaking, listening and reading):
-
IELTS: 6.0 overall (minimum 5.5 in all components)
We also accept a number of other English language tests. Review our English Language Equivalencies(opens in a new window) for a list of example qualifications that we may accept to meet this requirement.
Test dates should be within two years of the course start date.
-
- Deferred Entry
We welcome applications from students who have already taken or intend to take a gap year. We believe that a year between school and university can be of substantial benefit. You are advised to indicate your reason for wishing to defer entry on your UCAS application.
- Admissions Policy
Our Admissions Policy applies to the admissions of all undergraduate applicants.
- Progression
Once enrolled onto a course at UEA, your progression and continuation (which may include eligibility for study abroad, overseas experience, placement, or year in industry opportunities) is contingent on meeting the assessment requirements which are relevant to the course on which you are enrolled.
Progression from a Foundation Year may also be dependent on meeting the prerequisite module requirements of the course you wish to progress to. Please note subsequent changes to study or course can affect your tuition fee liability and the amount you are required to pay.
)
Fees and Funding
Tuition fees for the Academic Year 2027/28 are:
-
UK Students: £5,760
-
International Students: £24,250
We estimate living expenses at £1,171 per month.
Further Information on tuition fees can be found here(opens in a new window).
Scholarships and Bursaries
We are committed to ensuring that costs do not act as a barrier to those aspiring to come to a world leading university and have developed a funding package to reward those with excellent qualifications and assist those from lower income backgrounds. View our range of Scholarships(opens in a new window) for eligibility, details of how to apply and closing dates.
Course Related Costs
Please see Additional Course Fees for details of course-related costs.
How to Apply
UCAS Hub is a secure online application system that allows you to apply for full-time undergraduate courses at universities and colleges in the United Kingdom.
Your application does not have to be completed all at once. Register or sign in to UCAS to get started.
Once you submit your completed application, UCAS will process it and send it to your chosen universities and colleges.
The Institution code for the University of East Anglia is E14.
View our guide to applying through UCAS for useful tips, key dates and further information: