COURSE CURRICULUM

In the Foundation Year, students are introduced to key global challenges such as climate change, migration, gender inequality, and food security, while developing essential academic skills. Through modules like Academic Literacy and Skills and Global Challenges, they gain confidence in university-level writing, critical thinking, and independent study. These modules also provide an early grounding in the interdisciplinary field of development studies, helping students to understand the social, political, economic, and environmental factors shaping the modern world.In Year 1, students build on this foundation by exploring the core principles of human geography and their application to global development. Modules such as Geographies of an Unequal World and Big Questions for People and Planet examine how global systems and historical processes like colonialism and industrialisation shape uneven development. Through fieldwork, including local case studies and a residential trip, students gain practical research experience and are introduced to tools such as Geographical Information Systems (GIS).Year 2 focuses on advancing methodological skills through core modules in research design, qualitative and quantitative analysis, and spatial methods. Students take part in a week-long field course and explore topics like economic geography, urban restructuring, and environmental governance. This year also encourages students to broaden their understanding by choosing from a range of optional modules with regional and thematic focuses.In the final year, students can specialise in areas of interest through a wide selection of advanced modules. There is also the opportunity to undertake a dissertation, allowing students to conduct independent research and apply what they have learned throughout the degree. Across all four years, the course emphasises critical thinking, interdisciplinary learning, and hands-on experience. By graduation, students are well-prepared to engage with complex global issues and pursue careers or further study in international development, policy, research, or related fields.