Newcastle University

Combined Honours BA Honours
UCAS Code: Y001 (3 or 4 Years)

• Course Overview
• Course Content
• Entry Requirements
• Careers
• Finance

Independent-minded individuals who enjoy the challenge of mastering more than one subject will find Combined Honours at Newcastle has plenty to offer.

You have unrivalled flexibility to choose topics from our Single Honours degrees to create a unique pathway through your chosen subjects. The result is an intellectually demanding degree that lets you develop existing expertise or explore new interests.

Subject choice

With Combined Honours, you have the freedom to choose subjects that reflect your individual interests and career aspirations. We offer over 20 different subjects, meaning you can create a degree that is as unique as you are.

You could combine complementary subjects such as Archaeology, History and Classics – or unusual subject combinations such as Business, Politics and Music.

You can also choose to study a language and spend a year abroad, which can boost your confidence and your CV (see below).

Please note that some of the subject combinations possible through Combined Honours may already exist as a Joint Honours degree at Newcastle – check in advance in our A-Z of degrees. If your chosen subject combination exists as a Joint Honours degree, you should apply directly to that degree rather than to Combined Honours.

Flexible degree structure

The flexibility of our degree programme means you can study up to three subjects in your first year, before deciding to carry on with all three or drop down to two for the remainder of your degree.

This gives you the freedom to try new subjects, without committing to your final subject choice until Stage 2. Alternatively, if you know the two subjects you want to study, you may study only those from your very first year.

In first year, you divide your time equally between the two or three subjects you have chosen. From second year onwards, you can choose how you want to combine them.

• study three subjects in equal proportion or
• study two subjects in equal proportion (the joint route); or
• spend two thirds of your time on one subject and one third on the other (the major/minor route)

In your final year, you have the option of undertaking a dissertation that spans more than one of your chosen subjects or focuses on just one.

Your degree certificate will reference the subjects you studied in Stages 2 and 3, allowing employers to identify your areas of expertise, for example, BA Combined Honours (English Literature and French).

Quality and ranking

Combined honours achieved a 92% overall student satisfaction score in the 2013 National Student Survey.

Teaching and assessment

Though the details may vary depending on which subjects you choose, as a guide you will normally attend three or four lectures and a similar number of seminars a week. You are taught by staff from within the different subject areas that you choose to study, which means you learn from specialists in each field.

You have access to a wide range of modules, which include a variety of assessment methods ranging from course work to examinations. Stages 2 and 3 students also have access to optional independent research and project-based modules. If you take a modern language you will spend a year abroad, usually between Stages 2 and 3. Teaching and assessment methods may vary from module to module; more information can be found in the individual subject module listings.

Studying a language

Combined Honours at Newcastle offers six different language subjects: Chinese, French, German, Japanese, Portuguese, and Spanish and Latin American Studies.

• Most language subjects provide modules both for beginners and those with previous language experience
• You may study a maximum of two language subjects together in Stage 1, alongside a third subject. Only one of these languages can be at beginners’ level
• You can only study one modern language beyond Stage 1
• It is not possible to study Chinese and Japanese together

Study abroad

If you study a language beyond Stage 1, you are required to spend a year abroad. This makes your degree four years long. Most students spend their year abroad between Stages 2 and 3, but those who begin studying Chinese or Japanese at Level B (post A level or equivalent) will spend their year abroad between Stages 1 and 2. Find out more about what this year abroad involves on the Combined Honours Centre website.

Depending on your subject combination, UK and EU students who are not studying a language may also have the opportunity to study abroad through an Erasmus or non-EU exchange. This counts directly towards your final degree mark and can be completed during the normal period of your degree.

Combined Honours Centre

As a Combined Honours student you will be based in the Combined Honours Centre in the Daysh Building. There is a strong sense of community amongst our students: we run a student mentoring scheme, pairing first years with a current Combined Honours student for help and support; there is also a student common room where you can meet people informally.

You are welcome to join our active Combined Honours student society; you also have access to student societies in your chosen subjects, giving you even more opportunities to meet new people.