Overview

Have you ever wondered why societies are so unequal? How processes of colonialism, globalisation, urbanisation, and (de)industrialisation have transformed people’s lives? Or considered how uneven development emerges at the global, regional, national, and local scales, and what we can do about it? What are the causes and consequences of social polarisation and inequalities between groups? How do people challenge, resist, and transform spatial difference and social injustice? And how can we understand the complex interactions between people, communities, and their wider environments in order to create a better future for everyone? Learn to tackle these big questions – and many more – in our BA Geography with International Development with a Foundation Year. You’ll start your degree with a foundation year to help you develop the skills and knowledge you’ll need to succeed. You’ll have the chance to get a taste of previously unknown areas of study and you’ll be actively encouraged to develop your own scholarly interests, so when you successfully finish your foundation year, you’ll be perfectly placed to progress to Year 1.

About This Course

This innovative course combines a strong interdisciplinary foundation with a specialist geographical lens in the study of global development. You will take core human and social geography modules that seek to understand critical contemporary issues from a geographical perspective – including poverty, inequality, race, health, migration, and urbanisation – focusing specifically on the relationship between people and place, and transformative social justice. You will obtain key practical skills training, including Geographical Information Systems (GIS), qualitative and quantitative methods, alongside in-depth field experience. In fact, fieldwork and field courses are a vital part of this degree with local field trips embedded within core modules, where we partner with and learn from community-based organisations. We have several opportunities for residential trips both in the UK and overseas throughout the programme. In addition to this geographical focus, you’ll gain a broad grounding in the key issues, agendas and practices of development, fusing insights from geography with those from across the social sciences, including anthropology, economics, environmental sciences, media, and politics. You can develop your understanding of particular regions in the world, through area modules relating to sub-Saharan Africa, South Asia, or Latin America, and you can pursue your emerging interests through this unique blend of geography and development. The result is an extremely flexible degree programme that you can tailor to suit your particular interests, and that allows you to combine an interdisciplinary foundation with your focused specialism. During your foundation year, we will work with you to help you make the best decision for your interests and career goals. If you find your interest in a particular field growing through your Foundation Year, you can switch to one of our BA degree pathways that focuses on that field. Students would also have the option to transfer to the BA Geography in the School of Environmental Sciences. By studying with us, you’ll join our close-knit academic community, made up of experts from across multiple disciplines, all housed within the School of International Development. As such, you will benefit from a truly vibrant, interdisciplinary environment and learn from researchers who are making a real difference in the world. We are amongst the best in the world for researching, teaching, and practicing development. Come and study with us and help us to create a fairer world.