The School of Liberal and Creative Arts offers a range of undergraduate degrees which are based on an interdisciplinary approach to learning.
We believe in developing the whole student and this means exposing them not only to their chosen subject, but also to opportunities to learn skills for the real world. In the new AI environment, the Liberal and Creative Arts have an important role in developing transferable skills such as the art of rhetoric, the ability to present and debate, and the ability to convey and articulate empathy and compassion.
Challenge your imagination and potential with our London-based Acting degree. You will work collaboratively and independently, studying acting and production techniques and practitioners.
You will cover subjects like:
- movement and voice
- devising
- acting methodologies
- digital production
- acting for camera
You will also participate in:
- a showcase in Central London
- second and third year productions.
BA Creative Production is a two year 'fast-track' programme. You will focus on ideas and their practical application, covering subjects like:
- lighting
- sound
- stage management
- design
- costume
- digital production.
This rigorous training will give you opportunities to develop all the skills you would need for a career in creative production.
Explore yourself and human society through writing, with our hands-on Creative and Professional Writing degree. You will fine-tune your craft, work collaboratively, and learn how to give constructive criticism in an encouraging environment.
You will focus on contemporary works to understand the latest developments in the literary world. You will cover:
- the publishing world
- young adult and children’s fiction
- narrative and identity
- modernism
- poetry
- lyricism
- screenwriting
- journalism.
You decide what you write about – we welcome you no matter your background, interests, style, or genre.
Trace connections between fiction and reality with our immersive English Literature degree. You will explore literature’s relationships with history, culture, and politics through various interdisciplinary perspectives. You will cover topics like:
- gothic literature
- London literature
- underrepresented authors
- unconventional literary forms
- the ‘unconscious’
- modernism
- romanticism.
We offer a wide range of modules, so you can focus on whatever excites you.
Our English literature course emphasises relationships between writing and place. Set in the grounds of Strawberry Hill House, in which renowned gothic writer, Horace Walpole, designed and lived to inspire his work, St Mary’s is the perfect place to study literature. As a result, your degree will be a fully immersive and geographically distinct learning experience.
Explore the stories that matter to you with our London-based Film degree. You will explore theoretical, practical, and industry perspectives, covering subjects like:
- film theory
- film production
- the media and society
- world cinema
- script and narrative
- documentary making
- horror, sci-fi, and fantasy.
With a wide variety of modules, you can focus on the areas that interest you the most.
Integrate filmmaking, acting, and live production with our practical film course. You will learn in an environment that fosters creativity, technical excellence, and personal wellbeing.
You’ll cover topics like:
- cinema history
- digital production
- motion graphics
- screenwriting
- sound, lighting, and costume
- documentary production
- horror, sci-fi, and fantasy
- funding in the arts.
Immerse yourself in the global histories of revolution, power, and people from the past to the present day with our BA History degree. You will study the rise and fall of states, the causes of wars and revolutions, and social and political movements.
You will interpret sources, explain how societies change and why this is important. Study with a supportive and stimulating department, and equip yourself to analyse the many challenges of today.
Our students tell us that St Mary’s is the perfect location to explore history at London’s many museums, archives and historic houses, such as:
- the British Museum
- the Imperial War Museum
- Hampton Court
- the London Docklands
- the Palace of Westminster
- Kew Archives
- The British Library and British Museum.
As a student of St Mary’s, you will be encouraged to undertake first-hand research in an intellectually stimulating environment.
Take an in-depth approach to contemporary issues with our exciting History and Politics degree. You’ll study questions like ‘why do Revolutions happen?’, ‘what should governments do about immigration?’, and ‘why do human rights matter?’. Combining political theory and policy questions with 500 years of historical context, you’ll cover topics including:
- International Relations and Political Economy
- political systems and their development
- wars and revolutions
- public history
- Decolonisation and the End of Empire
- the politics of memory
- popular music.
You will also build crucial skills for a successful career in a range of fields, from politics and policy to public history, heritage, and business.
On this degree you will explore the Arts and Humanities in an interdisciplinary programme, studying a broad range of subjects such as History, English Literature, Creative Writing, Film, Politics, and Theology. Assessments are particularly innovative including blogs, vlogs, exhibitions, and creative writing. On this degree you will have the opportunity to cover topics such as:
- Revolutions and rebellions
- world religions
- digital production
- creative writing
- journalism and the media
- political communication.
You can design your own degree, specialising in the areas that excite you most. Our major pathways include: History, English, Film, Creative Writing, Theology, and Politics.
This version of the Liberal Arts degree adopts a three-term per year structure, which means that you complete a normal three-year BA honours degree in just two years. The third term runs from June to July at our Liberal Arts Summer School. The Summer School offers the opportunity to meet students from our partner Universities and enjoy days out, innovative assessment techniques and extra-curricular events such as BBQs, afternoon cream teas, and cinema trips.
Study political institutions, theories, and developments with our London-based Politics and International Relations degree. You will advance your understanding of key contemporary challenges like:
- migration
- climate change
- global developments
- war and conflict
- human rights.
We will help you become a fully engaged citizen, equipped for a career that makes a difference.