Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences

Lancaster University

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A dynamic and creative community of enquiry, learning and engagement.

Discover the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences at Lancaster University

Executive Dean Professor Edward Simpson welcomes you.

News

Image shows women, who are alleged witches and live in the Northern Region of Ghana, picking pebbles and sieving dust mixed with maize, soya bean and other grains gathered from the floor of the town market to clean and make food for themselves and their families.

Legislation not the ‘silver bullet’ in fight against barbaric practices

Every year thousands of people globally are wrongly accused of witchcraft, often with fatal consequences yet, says new research by Lancaster University, legislation designed to stamp out the barbaric practices is rarely used.

Four pictures in black and white of snow capped mountains

Cultivating Data Natures – come and see how data shapes futures

Lancaster University is all set to host a special event exploring how data shapes our relationship with place, environment, and the future
Grassland in the Forest of Bowland with a person holding a placard saying are you lost? in the centre of the image

Exciting new Lancaster Arts project coming to the Forest of Bowland

An exciting and ambitious new art project, produced by Lancaster Arts at Lancaster University, is set to open to the public for the first time on Saturday 28 June in Nelson.

 
An AI generated drawing, suggesting brain, bilingualism, and healthy ageing.

Thematic Session: Bilingualism, Cognitive Control, and Ageing

This thematic seminar features three invited talks exploring how bilingualism shapes cognitive ageing, highlighting interdisciplinary research on language, memory, and brain health across the lifespan.
A group, showing the lab members

Congratulations, Dr Zhu!

Congratulations to our student Liuqi (Yuki) Zhu, who passed her viva with minor corrections on June 17, 2025!
Image shows Professor Broadhurst against a leafy backdrop

OBE in King’s Birthday Honours for Professor Karen Broadhurst

A Lancaster University professor, who has championed compassionate and effective services for women whose children are at risk of entering the care system, receives an OBE in the King’s Birthday Honours.

More News

School of Global Affairs

The Lancaster School of Global Affairs launches in September 2024. The former Department of Languages and Cultures is the primary constituent of the new School, which takes a distinctive place-based approach to the major planetary challenges of our times.

Global Affairs
Group side silhouette men and women of different culture

The reputation and influence of the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences extends across the world. We are placed in the top 100 in the world for Education, Arts and Humanities in the Times Higher Education World University Rankings 2025. We are considered one of the top three universities in the world for Linguistics by the QS World subject rankings 2025, with several other subjects placed in the world top 100.

Many of our subject areas feature in the top ten of UK university league tables, and we have an excellent track record for graduate prospects.

Reputation and Rankings
Staff brainstorming using a glass panel and marker pens

'Remarkable results' for Faculty of Arts and Social Science in the Research Excellence Framework (REF2021)

Two departments in the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences at Lancaster University achieved the highest possible score for impact in the Research Excellence Framework results published on 12 May 2022. The Department of Educational Research and the Department of Linguistics and English Language are both rated ‘outstanding’ for 100% of their research impact and both are rated joint top in the UK for impact. Read more about the notable successes in our other departments.

Read more

Areas of Focus

Our diverse and vibrant Faculty has research strengths across the arts, humanities and social sciences. We hold true to the University’s mission to be a pioneer in challenging established thinking and championing new ideas.

  • Lancaster Arts

    Lancaster Arts has a long-established artistic reputation for the creation, development and presentation of cutting edge contemporary arts.

  • The Ruskin Library, Museum and Research Centre

    Home to the leading collection of the works of John Ruskin (1819-1900), the epoch-defining writer, artist and social thinker.

  • Confucius Institute

    Supporting language learning and enterprise in the North West region and awarded Confucius Institute of the Year 2019.

  • Centre for Child and Family Justice Research

    The Centre’s mission is to progress cutting-edge research to improve the lives of children, young people and families

  • ImaginationLancaster

    Our research centre works with a variety of organisations to provide design-led perspectives on real-world issues and facilitate innovation.

  • School of Architecture

    We are exploring the future of architectural practice through work on issues of global importance, with a focus on ethical and sustainable solutions.

Events

12th Jul

Undergraduate Open Day

Saturday 12 July 2025, 9:00am to 4:00pm
14th Jul

GCSE Chinese preparation classes

Monday 14 July 2025, 4:30pm to 5:30pm
18th Jul

The Value of Literature Conference

Friday 18 July 2025, 8:00am to 6:00pm
28th Jul

Chinese Language and Culture Summer School 2025 (6-11 years old)

Monday 28 July 2025, 9:30am to Friday 1 August 2025, 3:30pm
28th Jul

Language, Speech, and AI: A Forensics Summer School

Monday 28 July 2025, 12:00pm to Wednesday 30 July 2025, 1:30pm

More Events