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Liberal Arts + Economics

Module group of: Politics, Culture & Social Sciences Pathway

Key information

Course type:
Foundation
Study mode:
Full-time
Duration:
1 year
Application status:
Open
Start date:
29 September 2025
Extended start date:
18 August 2025
Priority deadline:
16 March 2025

When you study the Economics foundation module, you’ll learn all about the basics of microeconomics and macroeconomics and gain a solid understanding of economic theory and the key debates within this field.

In your Liberal Arts foundation module, you’ll look at visual culture, film studies, literary studies and the history of ideas as you explore the connections and contrasts between different disciplines and methodologies.

A combination of economics and liberal arts gives you the interdisciplinary skills to research and understand both the historical and contemporary contexts of, for example, economic theory. You’ll also learn a range of skills from your Liberal Arts module, such as critical thinking, analytical reasoning, and adaptability, which will further enhance your economics education.

There are many careers that value a blend of economic knowledge with an interdisciplinary perspective from the liberal arts. This insight is particularly useful for economists, data analysts, political scientists, accountants, and more.

When you study liberal arts and economics, you become eligible to apply for degrees in Business Management, International Management, Political Economy, as well as the wide range of degrees that welcome students of the humanities, social sciences and liberal arts. 

You will study a total of four modules and you will be allocated either one of English for Academic Purposes or Academic Expression & Critical Thinking plus the Society module.

Take a look at the Liberal Arts module and Economics module to see more details about what you will learn from each foundation module, and view the full list of recommended and eligible undergraduate degrees on the tabs below.

Core modules

Pathway modules

Choose the qualification that you are studying from the below to see what you need to achieve in order to receive a conditional offer for your chosen module combination. For example, if you are studying the US qualifications but you live in France, choose the US as your country in the drop-down below.

Accepted national school qualifications

Accepted Common International Qualification

  • A-levels: grades BBB in three A-Levels excluding General Studies/Critical Thinking. No progression to degrees at the Dickson Poon School of Law.
  • AS-levels: grades BBB in three AS-levels excluding Critical Thinking/ English General Paper/ General Studies/ Global Perspectives & Research
  • Advanced Placement Tests (College Board) and the ACT: 26 in the ACT and 444 in three College Board AP subjects excluding AP Capstone Research and Seminar. No progression to degrees at the Dickson Poon School of Law.
  • Advanced Placement Tests (College Board): 44444 in five AP subjects excluding AP Capstone Research and Seminar. No progression to degrees at the Dickson Poon School of Law.
  • International Baccalaureate Certificates: 555 in three International Baccalaureate Certificates
  • International Baccalaureate Diploma (IB): 32 points overall or an aggregate score of 15 from three Higher Levels. No progression to degrees at the Dickson Poon School of Law.
  • International Baccalaureate Career-related Programme (IBCP): a grade of ‘Pass’ in the CP core, and two IB Diploma Programme Certificates (taken at standard or higher level) at 5

Students that need a visa

If you need to apply for a Student Visa to study in the UK, we can only accept IELTS and Pearson results that have been provided by test centres approved by UK Visas and Immigration: IELTS for UKVI (Academic) and PTE (Academic) UKVI are only valid if taken within two years before the start date of your chosen programme of study. You can find a list of approved test centres on the UKVI website.

Test King's International Foundation Extended King's International Foundation*
IELTS for UKVI (Academic) 6.0 overall with no skill below 5.5 From 5.5 overall with no skill below 5.0, to 6.0 overall, with no skill below 5.5
Pearson Test of English (Academic) UKVI 59 overall with a minimum of 54 in each communicative skill 54 overall with a minimum of 46 in each communicative skill

(*please see note below regarding English Language Entry Requirements for the King's International Foundation programme and Extended King's International Foundation programme.)

Students who don't need a visa

Qualification
King's International Foundation
Extended King's International Foundation*
Cambridge Advanced Certificate (CAE)/Cambridge C1 Advanced or Cambridge Certificate of Proficiency in English (CPE)/Cambridge C2 Proficiency

169 overall with a minimum of 160 in each skill

162 overall with a minimum of 154 in each skill

IELTS (Academic)

Minimum 6.0 overall, with no skill below 5.5

Minimum 5.5 overall, with no skill below 5.0

IELTS (Online)

Minimum 6.0 overall, with no skill below 5.5

Minimum 5.5 overall, with no skill below 5.0

Pearson Test of English (Academic)

We also accept Pearson Test of English (Academic) for UKVI. We do not accept Pearson Test of English (Academic) Online

59 overall with a minimum of 54 in each communicative skill

54 overall with a minimum of 46 in each communicative skill

TOEFL iBT Institution code: 0394 OR TOEFL iBT Home Edition OR TOEFL iBT Paper Edition

80 overall with a minimum of 20 in each skills

72 overall with a minimum of 17 in writing/speaking and 15 in listening/reading. All TOEFL test results must be provided via King’s Apply.  

Trinity College London Integrated Skills in English (ISE)

Level III with pass in each skill

Level II with pass in each skill

*Students who exceed this requirement will be transferred to the King's International Foundation Programme, which starts on 29 September 2024. Students who exceed this English language requirement and still want to be considered for the Extended King's International Foundation will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis by the Admissions Tutor.

Deposit

Upon accepting an offer for the King’s International Foundation Programme, you are required to pay a deposit of £5,500 to secure your place by the deadline, which will be stated in your offer. If you do not pay the deposit or provide evidence of financial sponsorship by the deadline stated in your offer, your offer will expire, and King’s reserves the right not to reinstate the offer.

This deposit is payable when you firmly accept an offer (unconditional or conditional) to study with us and will be offset against your tuition fees when you join King’s.

Payments are made online through the King's Apply portal.

All students need to pay the deposit, with the exception of sponsored students. If you are being sponsored by an employer or your government, for example, you will need to provide a valid Financial Guarantee letter. Please contact our Admissions team if you have any questions.

Application fee: £75

Our King’s International Foundation Programmes require a non-refundable application fee before you can submit your application to be considered. This step is built into the application process. Please note that payment of an application fee does not guarantee that you will receive an offer for your chosen programme, as many of our programmes are competitive.

If you apply for a pathway and receive a rejection your application fee will not be refunded. If you then choose to apply for a different pathway you will need to pay another application fee.

Please ensure that you carefully read the information about your chosen pathway and modules before applying.

Note: if you receive an offer, our King’s International Foundation Programme will also require a deposit to secure your place. This is in addition to the application fee; however, the deposit is used as a partial payment of the tuition fees upon enrolment. Your offer letter will include details of any deposit you must pay, deadlines, and payment methods. You should not make a deposit payment unless instructed to do so as part of an offer.

Find out more about how to apply for the International Foundation Programme.

Additional costs/expenses

In addition to your application and tuition fees, you can also expect to pay for:

  • Accommodation and living costs
  • Travel costs for travel around London and between campuses
  • Books if you need your own copy or they are required for your module
  • Library fees and fines
  • Society membership fees
  • Personal photocopies
  • Printing course handouts
  • Stationery
  • Graduation costs

Please see our student Terms and Conditions for further fee details, including our refund policy.

Choose the qualification that you are studying from the below to see what you need to achieve in order to receive a conditional offer for your chosen module combination. For example, if you are studying the US qualifications but you live in France, choose the US as your country in the drop-down below.

Accepted national school qualifications

Accepted Common International Qualification

  • A-levels: grades BBB in three A-Levels excluding General Studies/Critical Thinking. No progression to degrees at the Dickson Poon School of Law.
  • AS-levels: grades BBB in three AS-levels excluding Critical Thinking/ English General Paper/ General Studies/ Global Perspectives & Research
  • Advanced Placement Tests (College Board) and the ACT: 26 in the ACT and 444 in three College Board AP subjects excluding AP Capstone Research and Seminar. No progression to degrees at the Dickson Poon School of Law.
  • Advanced Placement Tests (College Board): 44444 in five AP subjects excluding AP Capstone Research and Seminar. No progression to degrees at the Dickson Poon School of Law.
  • International Baccalaureate Certificates: 555 in three International Baccalaureate Certificates
  • International Baccalaureate Diploma (IB): 32 points overall or an aggregate score of 15 from three Higher Levels. No progression to degrees at the Dickson Poon School of Law.
  • International Baccalaureate Career-related Programme (IBCP): a grade of ‘Pass’ in the CP core, and two IB Diploma Programme Certificates (taken at standard or higher level) at 5

Students that need a visa

If you need to apply for a Student Visa to study in the UK, we can only accept IELTS and Pearson results that have been provided by test centres approved by UK Visas and Immigration: IELTS for UKVI (Academic) and PTE (Academic) UKVI are only valid if taken within two years before the start date of your chosen programme of study. You can find a list of approved test centres on the UKVI website.

Test King's International Foundation Extended King's International Foundation*
IELTS for UKVI (Academic) 6.0 overall with no skill below 5.5 From 5.5 overall with no skill below 5.0, to 6.0 overall, with no skill below 5.5
Pearson Test of English (Academic) UKVI 59 overall with a minimum of 54 in each communicative skill 54 overall with a minimum of 46 in each communicative skill

(*please see note below regarding English Language Entry Requirements for the King's International Foundation programme and Extended King's International Foundation programme.)

Students who don't need a visa

Qualification
King's International Foundation
Extended King's International Foundation*
Cambridge Advanced Certificate (CAE)/Cambridge C1 Advanced or Cambridge Certificate of Proficiency in English (CPE)/Cambridge C2 Proficiency

169 overall with a minimum of 160 in each skill

162 overall with a minimum of 154 in each skill

IELTS (Academic)

Minimum 6.0 overall, with no skill below 5.5

Minimum 5.5 overall, with no skill below 5.0

IELTS (Online)

Minimum 6.0 overall, with no skill below 5.5

Minimum 5.5 overall, with no skill below 5.0

Pearson Test of English (Academic)

We also accept Pearson Test of English (Academic) for UKVI. We do not accept Pearson Test of English (Academic) Online

59 overall with a minimum of 54 in each communicative skill

54 overall with a minimum of 46 in each communicative skill

TOEFL iBT Institution code: 0394 OR TOEFL iBT Home Edition OR TOEFL iBT Paper Edition

80 overall with a minimum of 20 in each skills

72 overall with a minimum of 17 in writing/speaking and 15 in listening/reading. All TOEFL test results must be provided via King’s Apply.  

Trinity College London Integrated Skills in English (ISE)

Level III with pass in each skill

Level II with pass in each skill

*Students who exceed this requirement will be transferred to the King's International Foundation Programme, which starts on 29 September 2024. Students who exceed this English language requirement and still want to be considered for the Extended King's International Foundation will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis by the Admissions Tutor.

Deposit

Upon accepting an offer for the King’s International Foundation Programme, you are required to pay a deposit of £5,500 to secure your place by the deadline, which will be stated in your offer. If you do not pay the deposit or provide evidence of financial sponsorship by the deadline stated in your offer, your offer will expire, and King’s reserves the right not to reinstate the offer.

This deposit is payable when you firmly accept an offer (unconditional or conditional) to study with us and will be offset against your tuition fees when you join King’s.

Payments are made online through the King's Apply portal.

All students need to pay the deposit, with the exception of sponsored students. If you are being sponsored by an employer or your government, for example, you will need to provide a valid Financial Guarantee letter. Please contact our Admissions team if you have any questions.

Application fee: £75

Our King’s International Foundation Programmes require a non-refundable application fee before you can submit your application to be considered. This step is built into the application process. Please note that payment of an application fee does not guarantee that you will receive an offer for your chosen programme, as many of our programmes are competitive.

If you apply for a pathway and receive a rejection your application fee will not be refunded. If you then choose to apply for a different pathway you will need to pay another application fee.

Please ensure that you carefully read the information about your chosen pathway and modules before applying.

Note: if you receive an offer, our King’s International Foundation Programme will also require a deposit to secure your place. This is in addition to the application fee; however, the deposit is used as a partial payment of the tuition fees upon enrolment. Your offer letter will include details of any deposit you must pay, deadlines, and payment methods. You should not make a deposit payment unless instructed to do so as part of an offer.

Find out more about how to apply for the International Foundation Programme.

Additional costs/expenses

In addition to your application and tuition fees, you can also expect to pay for:

  • Accommodation and living costs
  • Travel costs for travel around London and between campuses
  • Books if you need your own copy or they are required for your module
  • Library fees and fines
  • Society membership fees
  • Personal photocopies
  • Printing course handouts
  • Stationery
  • Graduation costs

Please see our student Terms and Conditions for further fee details, including our refund policy.

Key information

Course type:
Foundation
Study mode:
Full-time
Duration:
1 year
Application status:
Open
Start date:
29 September 2025
Extended start date:
18 August 2025
Priority deadline:
16 March 2025
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