10 Reasons to choose the BASc

1. Build your own degree

The Arts and Sciences (BASc) degrees at UCL offer you the opportunity to shape your own degree, building towards your academic strengths without having to drop subjects you enjoy. Ideally, you should demonstrate proficiency in both arts/social sciences and science subjects in order to be accepted onto one of the degrees. You will major in one of four Pathways: Cultures, Health and Environment, Sciences and Engineering or Societies. If you choose to major in Cultures or Societies, you must minor in Health and Environment or Sciences and Engineering - and vice versa. The other 50% of your modules each year are compulsory Core modules, including a modern language, which provide the spine of your degree.

2. Interdisciplinarity

You will learn how to make connections across different subjects which is important in problem-solving in the interconnected world of today. There are many examples of the importance of interdisciplinarity which one could give from the worlds of business, technology, politics, the arts, journalism, health, etc. To take just one, in the field of health, let’s say you want to find out why a particular disease is spreading among a community. You need to know about the disease, so you need some aspects of biomedicine. If the disease reoccurs at different times and in different places, you may need to know something of geography and how to use statistics and computer modelling to understand how it is spreading. You may notice that the disease spreads more widely where people live in close communities or have a particular diet. So you may need to investigate the economics or the anthropological aspects of the situation which oblige people to live in a certain way. Finally, if the disease if concentrated in a non-English speaking country, you may need a non-English language to understand properly what’s going on. Thus, for a full understanding, you may need to combine the subjects of Biomedicine, Geography, Computer Modelling, Economics, Anthropology and a foreign language.

By choosing your own Pathway modules, you can build your own interdisciplinary degree focussed on areas which interest you. The Core modules will give you sophisticated background knowledge and techniques which help you connect the different pathways together.

3. A new language and Study Abroad

Language and communication skills are of great importance on the BASc and are also valued by employers, According to recruitment agencies, languages can help you earn between 8 and 20 per cent more salary in your job. You may decide to try a new language or expand upon a language you already know. You may choose from Arabic, Dutch, French, German, Italian, Japanese, Mandarin, Portuguese, Russian or Spanish. You may then put your skills into practice on the BASc Study Abroad degree where you spend your third year either studying in an overseas university, undertaking a Traineeship or a combination of the two. If studying abroad, you will attend lectures in the local language or follow a course in your Core language if you are in an English-speaking environment. You can view a list of our current Study Abroad institutions on our destinations page.

In addition to enhancing employability, studying or undertaking a Traineeship abroad allows you to expand your world view, become a true global citizen, improve your confidence, immerse yourself in a different culture, meet new friends and create international networks.

4. A step up the job ladder

Today’s employers want versatile, confident, approachable and flexible staff who can turn their hand to anything required of them and for whom nothing presents an obstacle. In addition to your subject disciplines, you will learn quantitative and qualitative research skills, how to obtain, analyse and present data, how to work in a team and share results and how to present yourself as an interesting, well-rounded individual.

Part of the degree includes an optional internship so you will already have work experience by the time you come to make your job applications, Companies who have offered placements to BASc students so far are: Goldman Sachs, UBS, Huffington Post, Time Out, ResPublica, the Horniman Museum, Jimmy Choo, Afghan Aid, Royal Society of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, American Express, Accenture - to name just a few.

5. Variety is the spice of life

You will meet with a varied group of students from all corners of the globe, drawn together by a similar interest in doing different things. Many of our students say that one of the best things about the degrees are the great diversity of people and the range of talents which they will encounter. The modules you take through your Pathways will also provide an opportunity to mix with students on other degrees while the BASc Core modules give you a solid home-base in which to establish yourself.

6. An open door to postgraduate study

If you choose to continue studying, at least 80% of graduate degrees will be open to BASc graduates. The only Masters which may not be open to you are some specialised engineering, architecture and science degrees but even these may accept you in certain circumstances.

You can also take a Graduate Diploma in Law, as long as you meet the minimum 2:1 requirement and you may also enter the UCL Medical School as long as you achieve a 2:1 and have covered sufficient Biology and Chemistry.

7. London at your fingertips

Set in the heart of Bloomsbury, central London, the BASc degrees make use of many of London’s great sites and artefacts in its modules. You may be asked to visit parts of the city to create a virtual map as part of your Understanding Cities module; you may choose a painting from the UCL Art Museum or a whale’s tooth from the Grant Museum to study on your Object-Based Learning module; you may visit the famous churches or sculptures as part of Religion, State and Society; and you could even get your hands dirty on UCL’s own estate, measuring water usage in the Chemistry department as part of Engineering Thinking I. In short, due to the range of modules offered on the BASc and the interdisciplinary nature of many of them, you are likely to interact significantly with this great city at some point in your studies.

Remember that for three years, you’ll be living and studying in one of the world’s most vibrant cities with exciting cultural and social activities right on your doorstep.

8. Something old, something new

Alongside innovative methods of teaching and assessment such as flipped lectures, vlogs, blogs and presentations, you will enjoy traditional methods of teaching and learning with modules which combine main lectures with small group work in seminars. A unique feature of the BASc degrees is the selection of Core modules to be taken each year. These are specially designed to make links between different subject areas and to provide you with the tools necessary for interdisciplinary study between arts and sciences subjects.

9. A lively student society

BASc students are, by nature, dynamic, busy people with lots of interests both within and outside the classroom. This energy extends to the Arts and Sciences Society which runs events throughout the year such as music evenings, sporting events, annual celebrations at Christmas and Lunar New Year culminating in the end of year Ball. Despite the hectic nature of the degrees, students still find time to make the most of the array of other student-led societies across UCL and our students have been President of the Model United Nations, directed plays and set up charities and businesses. From sky-diving to scuba, football to folk-music, hockey to horse-riding, there’s always something for everyone.

10. An inspiring Common Room

BASc students have the luxury of a spacious and colourful common room in which to relax, work and play. It forms the central hub of student life with weekly ‘Doughnuts with the Department’ sessions which provide an opportunity to raise any problems with your colleagues and tutors or simply to enjoy a doughnut or two. The common room hosts a number of other events including inviting guest speakers from all walks of life to talk about careers and share their insights. It’s a lively, welcoming space where creativity is fostered, ideas are exchanged, and lasting friendships are formed.

Student Achievements

As well as keeping on top of this rigorous degree, some of our students have had the opportunity to produce a report for CHIRP Maritime on the Effects of Vision on Decision. This report has been read by over 500,000 readers across the world!