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Course summary

Explore contemporary global challenges and become a skilled professional who is ready to promote and implement sustainable development.

Learn to understand complex global challenges including international development, sustainability, climate change, hazards, disasters and urbanisation.

Broaden your experience through work placements and international field trips to destinations such as Italy and Spain.

Develop the knowledge and transferable skills needed for a wide range of careers or postgraduate study.

Global sustainable development is at the heart of the environmental, social, economic and geopolitical challenges affecting the world today. Our Global Development and Sustainability degree is designed to ensure that you develop the interdisciplinary knowledge, practical skills and solution-oriented mindset needed to manage the challenges and opportunities of sustainable development in a variety of locations and situations. You’ll explore topics including climate change, natural hazards and disaster risks, cities and urbanisation, education and development, environmental justice and migration. Your core studies will focus on key themes and skills in geography and global development, and you'll have the option to study modules drawn from a range of relevant subject areas including geography, sociology, education, business and management, and history. As part of our supportive Geography community you’ll develop a real sense of belonging and benefit from small class sizes, specialist staff expertise and up-to-date technologies. You’ll be taught by our team of lecturers who have expertise in international development, sustainability, climate change, urbanisation and disaster risk reduction, and who are engaged in international networks and world-leading research. You’ll learn both inside and outside the classroom, in our laboratories, and at field sites on campus in Bath, across the UK and overseas.

Modules

Year one You’ll develop a foundational knowledge of the social and environmental processes that shape global development and sustainability challenges, and you’ll acquire the basic geographical skills needed to examine and analyse these issues. Year two You’ll develop more specialist knowledge and skills in topics and research methods relevant to a range of professional careers. In the spatial development planning module, you’ll work on a research project where you’ll apply your growing mastery of your subject to real-world problems and issues. You’ll also start to plan for your career options, with opportunities to undertake a work placement. The optional field trip to Italy offers a unique opportunity to explore development and sustainability themes in a highly dynamic, real-world context. On this trip you’ll learn about a range of topics such as: earthquake disasters, flood hazards, air quality and pollution, climate change impacts and vulnerabilities, regional development, sustainability and urban geographies. You’ll also have opportunities to experience the regional diversity, food and culture of Italy. Please note that some of our field trips may incur additional costs on top of your course fees. Financial support for field trip costs may be available via the Bath Spa University International Travel Fund. An optional Professional Placement Year between your second and final years gives you the opportunity to gain relevant and valuable experience in the workplace. Year three In your final year, you’ll complete an independent research project that will enable you to demonstrate both the academic and transferable skills that you’ve acquired on the course. An optional field trip to Barcelona allows you to specialise in either human geography or physical geography and environmental management by studying topics such as urban development, wildfires and cascading hazards, social inequalities, urban sustainability policies, coastal erosion, nationalism and independence movements, heat waves, Olympic legacies or urban flood risks.

Assessment method

You’ll experience a variety of assessment methods throughout your degree. These include essays, project reports, presentations, posters, video-clips, field-craft assessments, reflective items, time-constrained tests and examinations. These are designed to give you a rich and diverse skill-set, and be of real benefit in pursuit of your chosen career.

How to apply

31Jan

This is the deadline for applications to be completed and sent for this course. If the university or college still has places available you can apply after this date, but your application is not guaranteed to be considered.

Application codes

Course code:: LF81

Institution code:: B20

Campus name:: Main Site

Campus code:: -

Points of entry

The following entry points are available for this course:

Year 1
Year 2
Year 3

Entry requirements

Qualification requirements

A level - BBB - BCC

Pearson BTEC Level 3 National Extended Diploma (first teaching from September 2016) - DDM - DMM

Access to HE Diploma - M: 45 credits

International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme - 32 points

T Level - M

English language requirements

Test	Grade	Additional details
IELTS (Academic)	6	IELTS 6.0 - for visa nationals, with a minimum score of IELTS 5.5 in each element.

Unistats information

Fees and funding

Tuition fees

England	£9250	Year 1
Northern Ireland	£9250	Year 1
Scotland	£9250	Year 1
Wales	£9250	Year 1
Channel Islands	£9250	Year 1
Republic of Ireland	£9250	Year 1
EU	£15750	Year 1
International	£15750	Year 1

Additional fee information

No additional fees or cost information has been supplied for this course, please contact the provider directly.

Degree level: Undergraduate

Global Development and Sustainability

Course options

Open days