Best Liberal Arts Universities and Programs in the World
Liberal arts education is the specific academic program chosen by students in Western higher education. Liberal arts uses the term art to refer to an acquired ability rather than the fine arts explicitly.
History, literature, writing, philosophy, sociology, psychology, creative arts, and other subjects are covered in a liberal arts degree. Liberal arts programs are intended to assist you in developing appealing arguments, communicating effectively, and solving issues.
A liberal Arts degree is generally four years long for a full in-depth course. The most popular Universities for liberal arts are Harvard University, Stanford University, University of Cambridge, etc. and the general cost of a liberal arts degree can range anywhere from $30,000 to $60,000 depending upon the University chosen and place of study. Here are some additional facts about this degree program:
- The most popular program in this line of study is either a BA or MA in liberal arts.
- A bachelor’s degree in liberal arts usually lasts four years.
- Equity research, analytics, client service, banking, consultancy, HR, e-commerce, and other professions have been filled by students who finished their liberal arts education.
- The average length of a master’s degree in liberal arts is around 2 years.
- According to datausa.io, the number of Liberal Arts & Humanities graduates in the US has increased by 1.45 percent, from 669,841 in 2018 to 679,547 in 2019.
Duties of Liberal Arts degree graduates
- Placing themselves as leaders and building crucial workplace relationships.
- Becoming valuable assets to any department within an organization with their diverse collection of abilities.
- Offering valuable input to the organization through problem-solving, project management, critical thinking, and teamwork.
- When one is employed as a customer service representative, for example, he or she is in charge of improving the customer’s experience.
- Helping their employers manage employee conflict and grasp the organization’s hiring needs.
Popular degrees for pursuing a career in Liberal Arts
A bachelor’s degree in liberal arts takes three to five years to finish at a university. This type of degree shows that a student has studied an array of subjects like math and language, as well as specialized in his or her field of study. They are also perceived as students with great communication skills. Here are some of the most popular Bachelor’s degrees in this program:
- BA/BSc in Liberal Arts and Sciences
- BA in Liberal Arts
- BA/BSc Liberal Arts and Sciences: Global challenges
- Bachelor of Arts in Liberal Studies in Education
Those who study specific subjects in the humanities and social sciences are awarded an MA in liberal arts. This program is for people who want to pursue integrative liberal arts studies to help them achieve their personal and professional goals. Because this topic is so vast, it is frequently up to the student to choose their own major or specialization. Here are some examples of the most popular Master’s programs:
- Liberal Studies (MA)
- Master of Liberal Arts: Focused or Interdisciplinary Studies
- M.A. in Liberal Studies
- Liberal Studies MA (MALS)
Specializations in Liberal Arts
Liberal arts education is broad and diverse, as opposed to confined and specialized. You will be able to select courses from a wide range of subjects, ensuring that you receive a well-rounded education. Here’s a rundown of the several majors or specialties you can pursue in this program:
- Astronomy
- Biology
- Chemistry
- Comparative and world literature
- Geography
- Geology
- Germanic languages and literature
- History
- Integrative biology
- Sociology
- Spanish
- Speech communication
- Statistics
And many more…
Duration of programs in Liberal Arts
| Country | Bachelor’s Degree | Master’s Degree |
| the USA and Canada | 4 years | 2 years |
| UK | 4 years | 2-3 years |
| Australia | 3 years | 1.5 years |
| Others | 3-4 years | 1-2 years |
Career opportunities in Liberal Arts
Bachelor Degree Prospects
As a Bachelor’s graduate of the liberal arts, you will be exposed to more diverse fields, learn to communicate effectively and solve many problems within an organization. These all are valuable skills and assets which can help you land a job in many different areas and sections of society. Some of the jobs available as a Bachelor’s graduate are
- Public Relations manager
- Journalist
- Publisher
- Advertising Service
- Social Worker
- Psychologist.
Master Degree Prospects
A master’s degree in liberal arts provides you with a particular structure and skill set for creativity, problem-solving, communication, and other abilities that you can use for a wide range of employment disciplines and positions. Here are some examples of those employment opportunities:
- Financial analyst
- Graphic designer
- Human resources specialist
- Statistician
- Teacher
- Technical writer
- Web developer
Average salaries for Liberal Arts graduates
You will delve into the science of various themes and subjects around the world as a liberal arts graduate, depending on the major and degree you’ve selected, and you will also be doing a lot of research during your studies. This will pay off at the conclusion of your study and give you the skills you’ll need to find work. Here are some examples of liberal arts graduates’ salaries:
| Country | Average salary in USD*/year |
| Australia | $30,000-$106,000 |
| UK | $41862 |
| USA | $26,000-$102,227 |
| Germany | $52,400 – $66,400 |
| Canada | $54,531 – $74,751 |
*Note: All prices mentioned in the USD are for reference only. Exchange rates may vary from time to time and from country to country.
Top 50 universities in the world for Liberal Arts based on subject rankings
| Times Higher Education Ranking | QS Ranking | University | Country | Bachelor’s Programs | Master’s Programs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 6 | Stanford University | USA | Click here | Click here |
| 2 | =13 | Massachusetts Institute of Technology | USA | Click here | Click here |
| 3 | 3 | University of Cambridge | UK | NA | Click here |
| 4 | 1 | University of Oxford | UK | Click here | Click here |
| 5 | NA | University College London | UK | NA | NA |
| 6 | 2 | Harvard University | USA | Click here | Click here |
| 7 | =13 | The University of Chicago | USA | Click here | Click here |
| 8 | =4 | University of California, Berkeley | USA | Click here | Click here |
| 9 | 8 | Princeton University | USA | Click here | Click here |
| 10 | 11 | University of Edinburgh | UK | Click here | Click here |
| 11 | =4 | Yale University | USA | Click here | Click here |
| 12 | 9 | University of California, Los Angeles | USA | Click here | Click here |
| 13 | 10 | Columbia University | USA | Click here | Click here |
| 14 | =31 | University of Pennsylvania | USA | Click here | Click here |
| 15 | 17 | University of Toronto | Canada | Click here | Click here |
| 16 | 7 | New York University | USA | Click here | Click here |
| 17 | 29 | University of Michigan-Ann Arbor | USA | Click here | Click here |
| 18 | =49 | LMU Munich | Germany | NA | NA |
| 19 | =45 | Durham University | UK | Click here | Click here |
| 20 | 19 | Humboldt University of Berlin | Germany | NA | Click here |
| 21 | 16 | London School of Economics and Political Science | UK | Click here | Click here |
| 22 | 35 | Leiden University | Netherlands | Click here | Click here |
| 22 | NA | Paris Sciences et Lettres – PSL Research University Paris | France | NA | Click here |
| 24 | NA | University of Tübingen | Germany | NA | Click here |
| 25 | 66 | KU Leven | Belgium | NA | NA |
| 26 | =45 | Durham University | UK | Click here | Click here |
| 26 | =24 | Free University of Berlin | Germany | Click here | Click here |
| 28 | =36 | Peking University | China | NA | NA |
| 29 | 21 | Australian National University | Australia | Click here | NA |
| 30 | NA | King’s College London | UK | Click here | Click here |
| 31 | 40 | Duke University | USA | Click here | NA |
| 32 | =27 | University of Hong Kong | China | NA | NA |
| 33 | =62 | Heidelberg University | Germany | NA | NA |
| 34 | 15 | National University of Singapore | Singapore | NA | NA |
| 35 | 33 | McGill University | Canada | NA | NA |
| 36 | 26 | University of Amsterdam | Netherlands | Click here | Click here |
| 36 | 42 | University of St Andrews | UK | Click here | Click here |
| 38 | =47 | University of Vienna | Austria | NA | NA |
| 39 | 18 | University of Melbourne | Australia | Click here | Click here |
| 40 | =47 | Tsinghua University | China | NA | NA |
| 41 | =89 | Johns Hopkins University | USA | NA | NA |
| 42 | =93 | Delft University of Technology | Netherlands | Click here | Click here |
| 43 | 83 | Rutgers University – New Brunswick | USA | Click here | Click here |
| 44 | NA | Lomonosov Moscow State University | Russia | NA | NA |
| 45 | =79 | Lancaster University | UK | Click here | Click here |
| 46 | 23 | University of Sydney | Australia | Click here | Click here |
| 47 | =31 | Panthéon-Sorbonne University – Paris 1 | France | NA | NA |
| 48 | =49 | University of Warwick | UK | Click here | NA |
| 49 | 134 | ETH Zurich | Switzerland | NA | NA |
| 50 | =36 | University of Texas at Austin | USA | Click here | Click here |
Top universities in the USA for Liberal Arts
In the United States, majoring in Liberal Arts entails studying a broad field that includes literature, psychology, political science, philosophy, and other subjects. If you are an overseas student interested in studying liberal arts in the United States, these are some of the country’s best universities:
| Times Higher Education Ranking | QS Ranking | University |
| 1 | 6 | Stanford University |
| 2 | =13 | Massachusetts Institute of Technology |
| 6 | 2 | Harvard University |
| 7 | =13 | The University of Chicago |
| 8 | =4 | University of California, Berkeley |
| 9 | 8 | Princeton University |
| 11 | =4 | Yale University |
| 12 | 9 | University of California, Los Angeles |
| 13 | 10 | Columbia University |
| 14 | =31 | University of Pennsylvania |
| 16 | 7 | New York University |
| 17 | 29 | University of Michigan-Ann Arbor |
| 31 | 40 | Duke University |
| 41 | =89 | Johns Hopkins University |
| 43 | 83 | Rutgers University – New Brunswick |
| 50 | =36 | University of Texas at Austin |
Top universities in the UK for Liberal Arts
In the United Kingdom, pursuing a Liberal Arts degree frequently entails taking an interdisciplinary course that allows you to chart your own line of study. Liberal Arts offers a level of flexibility not found in other degree programs, which can lead to a wide range of job possibilities. Here are the greatest liberal arts universities in the UK:
| Times Higher Education Ranking | QS Ranking | University |
| 3 | 3 | University of Cambridge |
| 4 | 1 | University of Oxford |
| 5 | NA | University College London |
| 10 | 11 | University of Edinburgh |
| 19 | =45 | Durham University |
| 21 | 16 | London School of Economics and Political Science |
| 26 | =45 | Durham University |
| 28 | 16 | London School of Economics and Political Science |
| 30 | NA | King’s College London |
| 36 | 42 | University of St Andrews |
| 45 | =79 | Lancaster University |
| 48 | =49 | University of Warwick |
Top universities in Germany for Liberal Arts
Based on its reputation and research in the field, a liberal arts university in Germany is known for its arts and humanities departments. Due to the wide number of options and availability of some of the most prestigious universities, pursuing a liberal arts degree in this country is an excellent choice. These are some of the best universities:
| Times Higher Education Ranking | QS Ranking | University |
| 18 | =49 | LMU Munich |
| 20 | 19 | Humboldt University of Berlin |
| 24 | NA | University of Tübingen |
| 26 | =24 | Free University of Berlin |
| 33 | =62 | Heidelberg University |
Academic requirements for studying Liberal Arts
English Requirements:
All applicants to a foreign University (from abroad) must demonstrate English language ability. The following is the minimal English language requirement for this course:
- IELTS 7.0 overall with no less than 6.5 in any one component or
- An acceptable equivalent qualification.
Academic Requirements:
- Diploma from a high school.
- Resume/CV.
- The Statement of Purpose or a document that explains what you want to achieve.
- You may be required to take a variety of entrance examinations by some schools.
- Letter of recommendation
