Why I chose to study Liberal Arts at Warwick

When selecting an undergraduate degree, I was conscious to prioritise building employable skills and shaping my own personal development rather than just studying for a specific job in mind.

As I cared about multiple topics and issues yet was unsure on what to focus on, I decided to look for a study path that covered a breadth of different topics and allowed you to pick a specialism later in the course. My thinking at the time was that if I could have an influence on the title of my pathway, then future employers who did not understand what Liberal Arts was could at least understand the subject that I had chosen to specialise in.

I was immediately drawn to the Liberal Arts programme at Warwick as not only did it fulfil this requirement with its Routes and Pathways options but also focused on building skills, such as quantitative and qualitative research methods, and how to use historical documents to address current real-world issues.

The skills and experiences from Liberal Arts that contributed to my success

The Liberal Arts course at Warwick teaches you research rigour and how to have a flexible mindset. You are shown how to combine many different academic disciplines and theories to create your own unique framework for approaching a topic or issue, and as someone who has worked in both the corporate and academic worlds, l can confirm that these are relevant and widely sought after skills for both fields!

My Liberal Arts studies boosted my confidence in both my academic and intellectual abilities, as well as giving me the self-belief that I can achieve anything I put my mind to. Bryan’s mentorship was particularly invaluable; he not only encouraged me to send out my writing to many research prizes (which gave me wider academic validation within the research community) but also constantly demonstrated that he believed in me by going the extra mile to help my prospects.

After getting scholarship offers for many Ivy League schools - including Yale and Stanford - I decided to pursue the PhD programme at Harvard University, where I am currently continuing the research I started during my undergraduate degree – which used medieval and renaissance literature as a way to understand the cultural roots of the climate crisis, offering a new approach to critically engage with “sustainable” practices.

What I would tell parents whose children wish to study Liberal Arts

I would advise parents to remember that the job market and economy is constantly shifting, so if there is anything positive your child could achieve from university it is to learn how to be flexible and adaptable, which a Liberal Arts degree will provide for them. I would also recommend allowing your child to embrace their natural curiosity, as allowing them to pursue a subject that they really enjoy can set them onto their own path of success later on.

Many parents often express concerns that a Liberal Arts degree will not lead to their child being able to secure a job, or that it only prepares them for a research career. Yet after I finished my Liberal Arts degree, my rigorous research and data analysis skills acquired from my studies helped me secure a job as a private equity consulting business analyst, which I did for a year before deciding to return to higher education.

Therefore, my experience shows that Liberal Arts does not take away your child’s possibility of attaining a typical career path (if that’s what they want to do!).

What I would tell potential students thinking of studying Liberal Arts

I would say to not worry too much about outcomes at the end of your degree just yet. Liberal Arts offers a journey of self-discovery that gives you the tools to learn what your preferences and interests are so that you can create a degree, research project, or academic discipline that is completely original and intrinsic to you. You’re going to be fine!