Why I chose Liberal Arts: Abi's Story

Not all students begin university at 18; in fact, choosing to pursue a degree later in adulthood can bring clarity, purpose, and a powerful sense of direction shaped by real-life experience. This was the case for one of our mature students Abi, who decided to study Liberal Arts at Warwick after realising her passion for the humanities in her mid-twenties. We spoke to Abi to find out more about her journey into Higher Education, and why she strongly believes that it is now more important than ever to study a subject you enjoy over one that pushes you towards a specific career trajectory.

Before my degree

My route into Higher Education is quite unorthodox compared to many of my peers in Liberal Arts; most of whom came straight from A Levels into university. Growing up, I always enjoyed school yet was never really interested in subjects related to the humanities, as I much preferred Maths and the sciences.

However, things started to shift when I went to college to study for my A-levels. I began to struggle both academically and mentally in the new and chaotic environment (I have in the years since been diagnosed with both autism and ADHD, and I believe being undiagnosed at the time played a big part in my struggle). This led me to drop out of my studies entirely after just one month, as I swore to myself that I was “done” with education and just going to go straight into the world of work.

In the years following, I supported myself with several retail jobs and even had a stint as a business administration apprentice. Although I do think these experiences helped improve my social abilities, I found both retail and administration increasingly dull, so as an escape from the boredom, I began listening to a lot of history and philosophy-related podcasts in my spare time.

It was these podcasts that ignited my interest in the humanities, despite never enjoying them at school. This is why it can sometimes be useful to delay your entry into university, as you may discover what your true passions are later in life. I also decided to enrol into a Humanities course at an Access to Higher Education college in my mid-twenties and found the transition into non-school education much easier than when I was a teenager, as the methods for teaching adults were more suitable to the way that I best like to learn.

I never used to think I was that smart, but after receiving so much positive feedback from my college tutors, my confidence grew in addition to my determination to learn absolutely everything that I could!

Why I chose Liberal Arts at Warwick

My Humanities course had exposed me to many subjects that I had found interesting, therefore I started researching interdisciplinary degrees as a next potential step in my education. When I stumbled across the concept of Liberal Arts, I remember being amazed that such a degree existed, and was immediately drawn to how I would be able to explore multiple disciplines of study whilst also tailoring my degree towards my main passions.

Warwick was initially the underdog of my university choices, as I initially had another institution in mind as my first preference. However, I immediately changed my mind after attending an Offer Holder Day, as not only did I connect well with the Liberal Arts teaching team, but I realised that the programme’s problem-based learning approach matched perfectly with how I like to learn. I also liked that Warwick’s course had core Liberal Arts modules that underpin degree and give it structure, which most other Liberal Arts programmes across the UK do not have.

How my Liberal Arts degree is going so far

I am currently in the second year of my degree and therefore have selected my pathway, which is titled ‘Non-human humanities,’ and is focused on looking at the humanities through a wider scientific lens. As part of this pathway, I currently take modules in the life sciences and neurology-based psychology. I was inspired to pursue this topic as a lot of people within STEM do not understand the importance of the humanities, so I was determined to bridge that gap!

Some of my favourite Liberal Arts modules that I have enjoyed so far include Consuming Cultures (which provides a nice mix between social theory, the life sciences and contemporary works) and Beauty; of which I still think about the things we read today! I also appreciate how Warwick’s Liberal Arts department has a strict AI policy, as I feel assured that my work is read by the actual academics rather than being put through software.

My Liberal Arts studies have been pivotal for developing my critical thinking skills and building a broad knowledge base. As a student, it has also motivated me to improve my time management, self-discipline, and research skills, and I have also become a lot more adept at communicating complex ideas in front of an audience and working as part of a team. In regard to my future following graduation, I am currently keeping my options open, however I am considering academia as I definitely want to do a master’s and PhD!

What I would advise to someone considering a Liberal Arts degree at Warwick

I understand that it may feel like the world is on fire right now, however personally I believe this gives you more reason to study something that you are interested in and enjoy, which Liberal Arts enables you to do through its “design your own degree” approach. You may be experiencing pressure from your family or peers to choose a degree that leads to an obvious career path; however, you will get so much more fulfilment and interesting opportunities doing something you love.

This aspect of the course also makes the Warwick Liberal Arts community much more interesting to be a part of, as we are all doing wildly different things and therefore learning so much from each other. So, if you want to choose a degree that allows you to fall back in love with learning, choose Liberal Arts!