Geography (Professional Placement Year)

Develop the knowledge and skills needed to understand our complex world with a degree in Geography.

• Gain fieldwork experience in international destinations such as Italy and Spain, on our Newton Park campus and in the world heritage city of Bath.

• Tailor your studies to specialise in either human or physical geography, or combine both.

• Acquire specialist skills and knowledge to prepare for a wide range of careers and postgraduate study opportunities.

On this accredited Geography degree, you’ll learn how to understand, analyse and manage some of the most critical global issues facing contemporary society.

You’ll study modules that engage with topics such as climate change, urbanisation, hazards and disasters, sustainable and equitable futures, coastal and river management, exclusion and inequalities, extreme climates and environments, colonial legacies and identities, environmental management and migration.

Throughout the programme you’ll learn in a variety of settings and formats, helping you to develop the skills and knowledge to prepare you for a wide range of future careers. This includes lectures, laboratory practicals, computer-based workshops and discussion seminars.

You’ll have the opportunity to develop fieldwork skills on our beautiful Newton Park campus, in Bath, Bristol and the surrounding region, and on international trips to Italy and Spain.

Our small class sizes allow students to learn in a supportive setting, while our practical classes and fieldwork allow for hands-on experiential learning. You’ll develop sought after skills in mapping, surveying and geospatial data analysis, using up to date geotechnologies including Geographical Information Systems (GIS).

During your second year you can choose to spend an optional semester abroad at one of our partner universities in Portugal, Australia, Ireland, Canada or the United States.

In your final year you’ll undertake a dissertation research project on a topic of your choosing in either human or physical geography, under the supervision of one of our team of expert lecturers.

Throughout your degree you'll have opportunities to learn from the expertise and experience of our academic staff team. This includes topics such as long-term environmental change in Siberia and Alaska, resource extraction and indigenous communities in the Ecuadorian Amazon, flood and wildfire hazards in Ireland, adaptation to climate change in South Asia, cartographic representations of race and ethnicity, and public engagement with climate change and sustainability.

More about the Professional Placement Year
A Professional Placement Year (PPY), traditionally known as a sandwich year, is where you undertake a period of work with an external organisation for between 9-13 months. The placement occurs between your second and final years of undergraduate study. You can engage in multiple placements to make up the total time and are required to source the placement(s) yourself, with support from the Careers team.

<b>Year one</b>
Your first year helps you to transition to university-level Geography by establishing foundational skills and knowledge. You’ll develop these basic skills and knowledge through modules in both human and physical geography covering topics such as cities, environmental change and sustainable development.

<b>Year two</b>
In your second year, you’ll develop more specialist knowledge and skills. In core modules you’ll develop your understanding of the discipline of geography, and learn geospatial data collection and analysis skills that can be used in a wide variety of careers.

Optional modules enable you to specialise in topics in human or physical geography, and you’ll also start to plan for your career, with an opportunity to undertake an optional work placement module.

The optional field trip to Italy offers a unique opportunity to explore geographical themes in a highly dynamic, real-world context. 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.

You can also choose to undertake an optional Professional Placement Year between your second and final years.

<b>Year three</b> is your Professional Placement Year.

<b>Final year</b>
You’ll complete a final year independent research project (supervised by one of our expert lecturers), allowing you to conduct a piece of original geographical research on a topic of your choosing.

Students have undertaken their final year dissertation projects in locations across the UK, as well as in countries such as Canada, Kenya and Uganda.

You’ll have a choice of optional modules that give you the opportunity to continue to specialise in human or physical geography.

An optional field trip to Spain allows you to study how local communities are engaging with issues such as climate change, water resource management, regenerative agriculture and sustainable development.

Please visit our website for full details of modules available to you.

You’ll be assessed through a variety of engaging and challenging assessment formats designed to help you to develop key skills and to prepare for your future career or postgraduate study.

Your assessments will depend on the modules you choose, but may include a mix of essays, projects, reports, posters, presentations, video clips, field or lab-based activities, portfolios or reflective commentaries.

Most modules are assessed primarily through coursework and assessment rather than tests or exams.

You'll complete many of your assessments as an individual, but there are also some group projects designed to help you to develop essential collaborative working skills.

In addition to the help provided by your subject lecturers, you can also access extensive support for your assessments through ASk, the Academic Skills Service.

Professionally accredited courses provide industry-wide recognition of the quality of your qualification.

• Royal Geographical Society