Education and Geography

Explore the ways that education, society, and organisations are structured, and how these structures impact the wellbeing and opportunities of individuals, groups and communities.

We introduce you to education systems from around the world and investigate how education can be used in different ways to change lives. We also look at educational policy and practice and how it can be used to promote social justice.

You’ll examine principles of human and physical geography and apply these to contemporary challenges globally and locally. In your second and third years, optional modules and international trips enable you to specialise and develop your interests.

Year one
The first year introduces key concepts and skills that underpin the study of education. You'll be introduced to formal and informal education and explore the potential of education to transform lives. Key themes include wellbeing, global citizenship and the impact of research.

In your Geography modules, you'll establish foundational skills and knowledge. You’ll cover both human and physical geography and build practical skills through a residential field trip.

Year two
In your second year you’ll be introduced to the key ideas and theories needed to understand contemporary educational issues. You’ll learn about education policy and its role on a local and global scale.

You’ll also evaluate how education contributes to achieving change in the workplace. You’ll explore themes such as global citizenship and wellbeing in more depth. You’ll have the opportunity to explore sustainable development. Depending on your choice of optional modules, you can undertake an education placement in your second year.

You'll develop more specialist Geography knowledge and skills and begin to specialise through optional modules in topics such as climate change, migration or geotechnologies. An optional field trip to Italy provides a tangible way to engage with disasters and sustainable development.

Year three 
You’ll develop a deeper understanding of a professional career in education and education’s role in sustainable development. Your dissertation in either Education or Biology will complete your studies.

In Geography, optional module topics include disaster risk reduction, identities and inequalities, river management and environmental justice. An optional field trip to Spain allows you to specialise further in either human or physical geography.

You can either choose to: 

• undertake a dissertation in Education which gives you the chance to use your research to help solve real-world problems with our industry partners; or
• demonstrate the skills you've acquired in Geography by undertaking an independent research project in an area that interests you.

Assessment methods vary, depending on the modules you choose. You could submit an essay, report, creative project, video, practical assessment, field assessment, reflective piece, or group presentation. Some Geography modules require timed assessments and exams. There are no exams in Education.

We’ll provide regular guidance on how to improve your skills, knowledge and understanding. Each task is designed to develop a rich and diverse skillset, to help you pursue your career goals.

You’ll learn through lectures, workshops, and seminars, with small groups that enable discussion and collaborative learning. You’ll also learn in the classroom, lab and outdoors, with fieldwork on campus and at locations across the UK and overseas.

Our staff are active researchers and authors in education and geography. From the start, they’ll introduce you to their specialisms and research interests.

Visiting speakers provide insights that can inform your long-term career decisions.

To find out more about how we teach and how you'll learn, please read our Learning and Teaching Delivery Statement.

Throughout your degree, you'll be immersed in work-based learning, giving you the opportunity to investigate a range of education-related careers and develop your employability skills. If you go into a school placement, you’ll be required to apply for a DBS (Disclosure and Barring Services). You'll get more details once you've accepted your place with us.

The Professional Placement Year version of the course is your chance to take an extended placement between your second and final year.

This course is ideal for students interested in an education career, including teaching (on successful completion of a PGCE). If you’re on target to successfully complete your degree, we offer a guaranteed interview for our Primary or Secondary PGCE courses in your final year.

You’ll also gain a broad understanding of education and how it applies to lots of different settings, which prepares you for a career in:

• Youth work
• Other roles in schools, such as Teaching Assistant
• Charity education
• Heritage organisations
• Prisons.

You could also progress to postgraduate study in a range of Geography or Education-related courses.

You can win prizes each year for excellence in core Geography modules. If you choose to undertake a Geography dissertation, your work could also be awarded Geography Project of the Year.

Depending on the modules you choose, you'll get the chance to visit Italy (second year) and Spain (third year). Off-campus locations include other locations across the South West region.

Depending on the optional module you choose in your second year, you can undertake additional accreditation in Outdoor Learning. Please note that you’ll have to pay a contribution towards the cost of these opportunities; these include DBS, transport costs, and payment of accredited course fee.

If you’re a full-time undergraduate student starting your first year at Bath Spa University, you can apply for the Certificate in Global Citizenship, which you’ll study alongside your degree.

You’ll gain global awareness and add an international dimension to your student experience, and funding is available. On successful completion of the programme, you’ll be awarded a Certificate in Global Citizenship. This is in addition to your degree; it doesn’t change your degree title or results.

As part of your degree, you could study abroad on a placement at one of Bath Spa’s partner universities.

The Professional Placement Year (PPY) provides you with the opportunity to identify, apply for, and secure professional experience, normally comprising one to three placements over a minimum of nine months. Successful completion of this module will demonstrate your ability to secure and sustain graduate-level employment.

By completing the module, you'll be entitled to the addition of 'with Professional Placement Year' to your degree title.

Before your PPY, you'll work to identify roles of interest and secure a placement. The Placements Team will support through timetabled sessions and 1:1 appointments.

As well as completing a minimum of 900 placement hours, you will complete two assessments demonstrating your skill development, growth in professional behaviours and how the PPY has impacted your future career aspirations.

Aiming to make work experience more accessible, we have introduced the PPY Bursary. Students undertaking a PPY can receive between £500 and £1,500 to be used towards placement costs such as travel, food, workwear or accommodation.

For more information and details of eligibility criteria, please visit the PPY Bursary webpage.

You'll be taught at our Newton Park campus. Nestled in the countryside at the edge of Bath, the campus offers a blend of modern and eighteenth-century buildings and good access to the city.

From your lectures, you’ll be able to visit the library, the Students’ Union, and access our student information and support teams, as well as many of our facilities.

Access to experts

Our Hazard, Risk and Disaster Research Group runs an online research lecture series. As part of the series, leading researchers from all over the world deliver talks on climate change adaptation and mitigating the risk of disasters. 

ASk (Academic Skills)

Available both in-person and online, this dedicated team can help with essay writing, referencing, maths skills and statistics.

Careers

The team runs networking events and advisory workshops that explore your future options and the essentials of the job application process. They help you get experience by assisting with your search for work placements and paid part-time jobs while you're studying.

When you're ready to progress into your chosen career, they can help you secure graduate-level employment, freelance opportunities, and funding for your own business ideas. Career support continues for years after you graduate with the dedicated Grad Support Unit.

English Language Unit

If English isn't your first language, the ELU can help you improve your English, reach your full potential and boost your confidence.

Laboratories

Newton Park campus is a beautiful 'natural laboratory' where you can study environmental processes. You can also analyse audio-visual data, soils, water, air, and microfossils in our recently renovated labs.

Online resources

You can access thousands of specialist Library resources digitally. Don't forget to contact your dedicated subject Librarian for help with your research. Tutors will post helpful resources to the Virtual Learning Environment.

You’ll have free access to thousands of business, design, and tech courses online via LinkedIn Learning.

Student Wellbeing Services

SWS (Student Wellbeing Services) is available to support you throughout your learning.