Why I chose Liberal Arts: Robert's Story
Robert is a mature student currently in his first year of our Liberal Arts Undergraduate degree. He shares what attracted him to studying Liberal Arts at Warwick and his experiences of the course so far.
Prior to pursuing higher education, I ran the family construction business in my hometown of Reading, after leaving school at age sixteen. The business was successful, and I enjoyed the technical aspects of the work; however, I was becoming increasingly frustrated as the job did not align with my true passions, and some of the work I had to carry out went against my values (I feel very strongly that privately heated swimming pools should be banned in this country!). Therefore, I decided to enrol in college to undertake an Access to Higher Education course in Humanities.
I have always been interested in history and philosophy, so I initially considered studying these as my chosen degree. This was until a friend suggested looking into Liberal Arts. After hours of in-depth online research, I realised the flexibility of a Liberal Arts degree and how it can be shaped to focus on my specific interests, making it an ideal choice.
Why I chose Warwick
Initially, I had decided to study a Liberal Arts course at another university when, on a whim, I chose to attend a Warwick Open Day to reassure myself I was making the right decision.
Not only was I blown away by the beautiful campus, but I found that I immediately connected with the teaching staff. Gavin and I instantly bonded over our shared love of Dungeons & Dragons after he spotted the T-shirt I was wearing, and then I met Will, who impressed me with his broad knowledge and enthusiasm for what he does.
All the team at Warwick are friendly, approachable, and incredibly passionate about Liberal Arts, which ultimately convinced me to switch from my other university choice to Warwick!
How my Liberal Arts course is going
So far, I am really enjoying my studies, with one of my main highlights being the Revolution module. As a mature student in their thirties, I recognise that I am not your “typical” Warwick student; however, the lecturers have always made me feel welcome and included and have even commented that my background brings a unique and fresh perspective to class discussions. I was also initially concerned with integrating with my fellow students due to the age gap; I needn’t have been; their intelligence and passion make them a pleasure to work with.
Why should you choose Liberal Arts?
With a Liberal Arts degree, you essentially get to choose what you want to study so your final project or dissertation is based around in-depth research on a subject you feel genuinely passionate about. This model offers you a freedom that you do not experience with other degrees.
For this reason, I believe Liberal Arts is an especially great option of study for mature students like me, as we have the life experience to recognise what we are truly passionate about and can shape the degree towards our goals. However, I would advise that anyone who takes a Liberal Arts degree should know why they are taking it and for what purpose.
My plans for the future
My Liberal Arts degree has re-enforced my excitement for learning, so for now, my plan is to stay in higher education for as long as possible and perhaps explore potential postgraduate study options after finishing my degree. The idea of pursuing academia as a career and potentially teaching as a lecturer also appeals to me, but we shall see what the future holds!