BA in Liberal Arts

In the Western cultural tradition liberal arts education has always been the ultimate mark of an educated person, and still today it provides a comprehensive education in the humanities with the foundation knowledge to enter a number of careers in cultural life, education, and government, or to go straight into graduate study in any subject of humanities. The core aim of the curriculum is to develop well-rounded individuals with general knowledge of a wide range of subjects and with mastery of a range of transferable skills. It is designed to enable students to develop critical thinking and problem-solving skills, effective oral and written communication skills, and a sense of social responsibility. You will be taught in small, interactive seminar groups, encouraging discussion and debate with teaching staff and fellow students.

You will study a combination of required and optional modules, and choose a subject in which you will major, so no two Liberal Arts students have exactly the same program. The program offers you outstanding flexibility, balancing the breadth of knowledge across disciplines with the opportunity for in-depth study in a field of your choice. The program is structured with a system of major - a package of 80 study credits - and minor - 50 study credits to be chosen among the other liberal arts fields – and with required core courses.

Specialization

Art history

Art History courses combine a comprehensive review of art movements, artists, and artistic media with opportunities to put your knowledge into practice. The program emphasizes art-historical theories and analytic methods with a strong focus on the visual arts of Europe and North America. It develops students’ critical skills and approaches to studying and interpreting works of art. These skills can be applied in many professions: education, public museums, commercial galleries, auction houses, interior design, fashion marketing, advertising, art journalism, art investigation, art and healing, law and property rights, and art and computer software development.

Classical Studies

(The specialization in the admission period for the 2022/23 academic year is not available).

The program offers an introduction to the era of classical antiquity, which is considered the essential education for a critically thinking individual knowledgeable in many fields and highly articulate. It provides a sound foundation for studies in European literature and Western cultural history in general – literary genres, mythology, Greek and Roman religion, arts, philosophy, and history of science. By acquiring basic language skills in Greek and Latin, students not only attain knowledge of fundamental issues of general linguistics but are also provided help in getting acquainted with the Graeco-Latin international vocabulary used in other fields of humanities and social sciences. Typical positions with a BA degree include museums and galleries, libraries and archives, tourism (foreign and domestic), and cultural project management.

Ethics

With this program, you will gain knowledge of the history of moral theories and examine ethical debates in different fields of application. Courses mostly focus on the history of Western moral philosophy, and on the application of current philosophical thinking in contemporary settings. The knowledge and skills gained in this program can be applied to a number of current issues. For example, encouraging ethical media practices, ethical principles in emerging technologies, and developing policies that benefit the environment. Students will acquire the skills to provide analysis of moral problems and ethical debates and be able to make critical assessments of ethical arguments and policy documents, which are needed in a number of work settings including education, health care, law, social justice, research, and development.

Film and Visual Studies

The purpose of the module is to train professionals who are able to critically analyze and aesthetically evaluate films by giving the students substantial training in film analysis, history, and theory. Special attention is given to the study of Hungarian cinema, the forms and types of film narratives, the social context of cinema and popular culture, and the history and characteristics of experimental/avant-garde film.

Philosophy

The aim of the program is to provide a thorough, broad, and comprehensive historical and systematic education in philosophy. The program will equip you with the ability to think logically, evaluate arguments critically, and challenge your own ideas and those of other people. You will learn about the central philosophical principles, concepts, problems, texts, and figures of the Western tradition. Courses will provide you with the necessary knowledge of history of philosophy and expound on the key philosophical themes and concepts. Seminars will teach you how to read and analyze texts closely, as well as offer well-structured presentations, and write philosophical papers. This degree will offer you a wide range of highly sought-after skills: analytical, evaluative, critical, and creative thinking skills.