Taught Postgraduate Admissions Policy - Faculty of Arts, Humanities and Cultures 2021-22

Please see the relevant Coursefinder entry or school website for information about typical entry requirements and accepted qualifications. 

Exceptions to the typical academic requirements may be made when an applicant demonstrates significant relevant experience, such as work or voluntary experience or academic research, and their potential for benefiting from the course is clear. Prospective applicants should check the relevant Coursefinder entry for details.   

In addition to the documents listed in the corresponding section of the University of Leeds Taught Admissions Policy, some courses may require additional documentation, such as a piece of academic writing or a portfolio of recent creative work. Please check the relevant Coursefinder entry for details of any additional evidence of skills, knowledge and experience that may be required as part of the application/selection process.

Please refer to the University of Leeds Taught Admissions Policy for information on references for Taught Postgraduate applications.

Any decision on credit transfer or entry of students with advanced standing is an academic decision taken within the relevant school at the point of admission onto a course. Retrospective applications from students who are part-way through a course will not normally be considered.   

For further information, please contact the relevant faculty Education Service Officer for Taught Postgraduate Admissions, as listed in the Useful contacts and resources section. 

Accreditation of Prior Learning 

Accredited Prior Learning (APL) is a process undertaken by the University in order to assess and, as appropriate, recognise prior experiential learning or prior certificated learning for academic purposes. For further information see the corresponding section of the University of Leeds Taught Admissions Policy. 

All applicants for taught postgraduate courses should apply online via the Applicant Portal.

If an application deadline is in place, this will be stated under the relevant Coursefinder entry and the completed application must be submitted by this date. If any scheduled application slots/dates are in place, details of these will also be provided.

Funding/scholarship applicants should submit an application for a place at the University well ahead of any specific scholarship deadline. More specific details about scholarship application deadlines may be found on the relevant school’s website (please see Useful contacts and resources section).

Part-time study

The Faculty of Arts, Humanities and Cultures offers some courses on a part-time basis, details of which are provided in the relevant Coursefinder entry. Applications for postgraduate study should be made via the Applicant Portal regardless of the mode of study.

Applicants for distance learning courses in the Faculty of Arts, Humanities and Cultures are not required to attend the University as part of their course, therefore a visa is not required for participation in this course.

Information relating to applicants under the age of 18 is provided in the corresponding section of the University of Leeds Taught Admissions Policy.

Some courses within the Faculty of Arts, Humanities and Cultures (indicated on Coursefinder) may involve regular access to children and/or vulnerable adults. As a result, applicants to these courses will be required to declare a criminal conviction at the application stage in order that certain checks with the Disclosure and Barring Service can be undertaken. Admission may not be possible where satisfactory results are not achieved. The University will send further instructions as part of the admissions process where such checks are required.

The Faculty of Arts, Humanities and Cultures is obliged to refuse admission to applicants for certain courses which are regulated by national or statutory bodies where enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) checks reveal prior criminal behaviour giving rise to concern for the protection of the public.

Please note that, although there are no limitations on registration for those with criminal records, candidates for the MA Applied Theatre and Intervention in the School of Performance and Cultural Industries should understand that Disclosure Barring Service (DBS) checks will be needed for some practical contexts in some modules. If you have specific questions please contact the School (see the Useful contacts and resources section for contact details).

Applicants who wish to defer an offer of a place to the following academic year should make the request online via the Applicant Portal by 1 April 2022, where the course has a September or October start date. Deferral of a place to study is at the discretion of the relevant school.

Applicants are usually required to submit a personal statement as part of their online application, which outlines their aptitude and interest in the proposed area of study.

Consideration of the applicant’s personal statement is an important part of the selection process, and it is essential that applicants take this opportunity to demonstrate their enthusiasm and aptitude for the course. Specific questions may be provided in this section of the application, to help guide the applicant’s statement/response, and to help in the consideration of the applicant’s suitability for the course, such as in relation to criteria set by the academic school.

Applicants to the School of Media and Communication (other than for MA Film, Photography and Media) and some courses in the School of Languages, Cultures and Societies that involve translation and interpreting are not required to submit a supporting statement, though one may be requested if further information is needed.

Many courses offered by the Faculty of Arts, Humanities and Cultures do not undertake interviews with applicants as part of their standard admissions process. However, in certain circumstances, an applicant (to any course) may be invited to interview, if more information is needed to assess their relevant skills, experience and knowledge in relation to the course’s requirements.

Suitably qualified applicants to some courses will be invited to participate in an interview as a standard part of the admissions process, in order to assess particular skills and knowledge needed to succeed on the course. Applicants are advised to refer to the University’s Coursefinder for details about any interview requirement for their proposed course.

If you are invited to participate in an interview on a specific date, you will receive an email notification or invitation from the relevant school, usually via the Applicant Portal. The school will do its best to accommodate requests for an alternative date, though this cannot be guaranteed. Interviews may take place via a number of alternative means depending on the applicant’s circumstances. An interview might be in person, on a one to one basis; or (particularly for overseas students) interviews may be conducted via Skype, video conferencing or telephone.

Some applicants (for example, disabled applicants, applicants who are pregnant, etc.) may require adjustments at interview (for example, a sign-language interpreter or an adjustment to an audition process) to provide them with full and equal access to the process. The school is responsible for making reasonable adjustments where possible.

The University’s Disability Services team should be consulted for further advice or information regarding disability related adjustments (email disability@leeds.ac.uk) and the Equality and Inclusion Unit for advice on other adjustments (email equality@leeds.ac.uk).

If application receipt deadlines and scheduled application slots are in place, details will be provided under the relevant Coursefinder entry.

Please refer to the University’s Coursefinder for details of any additional evidence of their skills and knowledge that may be required as part of the application/selection process, such as examples of creative or academic work, or details of relevant voluntary or work experience.

Please refer to the University of Leeds Taught Admissions Policy for information on how decisions will be communicated by the University.

Unsuccessful applicants who wish to request feedback on the reason for the outcome of their application should do so in line with the Feedback section of the main policy, using the relevant email address contact in the Useful contacts and resources section.

Generally, where applicants request feedback on why they have not been admitted, feedback will be given. However, please note that initial feedback is given as standard to all unsuccessful candidates who apply via the Applicant Portal The Faculty of Arts, Humanities and Cultures receives very large numbers of high-quality applications and regrets that it cannot make offers to all of its applicants. Some particularly popular schools may have to reject many that hold the necessary academic qualifications.

Applications may also be rejected in the following circumstances:

• If the applicant does not meet the published or equivalent academic, practical or creative, or English language entry requirements (for details please go to Coursefinder)
• If required documentation is not submitted
• If required evidence of academic or creative ability (such as an art portfolio) is not provided
• If a compulsory admissions test has not been passed or completed

As per the University of Leeds Taught Admissions Policy, applicants who have sought feedback and wish to challenge the decision made on their application should contact the Faculty Admissions Manager, whose contact details can be found in the Useful contacts and resources section.