Top 25 for career prospects
We're in the top 25 UK universities for career prospects in Education (source: Guardian University Guide 2022).

BA (Hons)
Undergraduate degree - combined honours
We accept a wide range of qualifications for entry to our undergraduate programmes. The main ones are listed under 'Typical offers' in the main column below. For combined courses, please check both subjects. If your qualification is not listed, please email admissions@bathspa.ac.uk with your specific details.
This secondary education degree is designed to enable you to gain real teaching experience before you embark on your PGCE. You'll study Education - in the broader contexts of professional practice, policy, teaching and learning - alongside the subject you're most passionate about.
In teaching, subject expertise and enthusiasm isn't enough to give you the edge. This degree gives you the practical experience of working in schools with young people that employers are looking for.
The course offers a guaranteed interview for our PGCE Secondary, and is flexible; we'll support you in achieving your aspirations as a professional educator - however they develop during the degree. You'll benefit from our tutors' wealth of research and practice-informed expertise when you join this community of learning and practice.
Throughout my three years on this course, I've developed a wide and in-depth understanding of the many ways that children learn. I feel confident in applying this understanding to my PGCE year and to my own teaching.
Robert Collard, graduate
You’ll explore education from many theoretical and ideological perspectives in your core modules. This in-depth knowledge of the education industry, combined with your specialist subject knowledge, gives you that all-important edge when you embark on your professional education career.
Year one
The first year introduces key concepts and skills that underpin the subject of Education Studies. In addition, the placement module provides you with a sound introduction to secondary schools via a school placement.
Year two
You’ll consider more deeply the current issues in education, such as pedagogy, pupil voice, special needs, assessment and classroom organisation. You’ll undertake a second school placement, this time with a focus on developing your professionalism.
Year three
This year, the Teaching and Professionalism module prepares you for the PGCE. For your dissertation, you'll explore an issue of your choice and use your creativity and the skills you've gained so far to develop a classroom resource to address it. You'll also have opportunities to engage with PGCE staff and students; this eases your transition to initial teacher training.
Coursework includes essays, group presentations, research-based reports and portfolio-based work. We’ll provide you with prompt feedback and give you regular guidance on how to improve your skills, knowledge and understanding.
All modules are led by experienced and respected university staff. Many staff are active researchers and authors in the field of education studies; from the outset, they’ll introduce you to their particular specialisms and research interests. You’ll also benefit from regular visiting speakers – these include headteachers, PGCE staff, practitioners, educational advisers, specialist researchers and international visitors.
This course offers or includes the following modules. The modules you take will depend on your pathway or course combination (if applicable) as well as any optional or open modules chosen. Please check the programme document (below the main image on this page) for more information.
An optional module which may include:
Please note, not all optional modules are guaranteed to run each year.
We have an excellent partnership with schools where you can develop your understanding of Secondary level teaching.
You’ll attend a placement in each year of the degree for approximately eight to ten days. They usually occur one day a week during a term to allow you to continue with other university studies. We’ll arrange each placement for you. We try to ensure you're located within a reasonable distance from where you live; however, you should normally expect to travel using your own or public transport.
You must be in possession of a Bath Spa DBS disclosure. Details are sent once you have accepted your place with us.
You’ll have the opportunity to study in a wide range of locations around the world. Our students have completed exchange programmes in a variety of countries including Spain, Sweden and the USA.
This course is designed to inform a range of education careers - from classroom teaching to advisory roles that inform policy and practice, both nationally and internationally.
Successful completion of the secondary education degree leads to a guaranteed interview for our Oftsted 'Outstanding' rated PGCE Secondary course.
Our students often enter the teaching profession in local schools and a range of other settings and benefit from continued participation in the community of research and practice here at Bath Spa.
This optional placement year 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 Professional Placement Year, you'll work to secure your placement, constructing a development plan with your module leader and your placement coordinator from our Careers and Employability team.
On your return to University for your final year, you'll submit your Placement Portfolio, detailing your development on your placement.
Our focus is on providing the best possible in-person experience for you and your peers whilst maintaining the most successful aspects of online delivery that we know will benefit your learning. Learn more by reading our programme delivery statement.
Your Secondary Education modules are based at Newton Park campus. You'll also undertake placements in schools in each year of your studies.
You'll benefit from access to a wide range of excellent facilities, including:
You'll have access to the PGCE team, particularly in your final year as you transition to initial teacher training, and you'll also benefit from talks by guest speakers and incoming experts. Access to our research centres will give you the opportunity to stay up-to-date with the latest in teaching research and excellence.
Please note: Students from the EU, EEA and Switzerland are not generally eligible for the UK (Home) fee status. Please refer to the international student rate. Irish citizens and those granted Settled status under the EU Settlement Scheme are eligible for UK (Home) fee status. There are also other circumstances where this may apply: See UKCISA for more information.
Year 1 | £9,250 |
Year 2 | Published Jan 2023 |
Year 3 | Published Jan 2024 |
Year 1 | Published Jan 2023 |
Year 2 | Published Jan 2024 |
Year 3 | Published Jan 2025 |
Year 1 | Published Jan 2024 |
Year 2 | Published Jan 2025 |
Year 3 | Published Jan 2026 |
Year 1 | £15,240 |
Year 2 | Published Jan 2023 |
Year 3 | Published Jan 2024 |
Year 1 | Published Jan 2023 |
Year 2 | Published Jan 2024 |
Year 3 | Published Jan 2025 |
Year 1 | Published Jan 2024 |
Year 2 | Published Jan 2025 |
Year 3 | Published Jan 2026 |
We’re looking for individuals who are curious, reflective and interested in their subject areas. You’ll be motivated, committed and keen to push the boundaries of your knowledge and get the best possible preparation for your future career.
We accept a wide range of qualifications for entry to our undergraduate programmes. The main ones are listed below. All applicants will also be required to hold GCSEs at Grade C/4 or above in English, Maths and Science.
English Language Requirements for International and EU Applicants
IELTS 6.0 - for visa nationals, with a minimum score of IELTS 5.5 in each element.
Entry requirements for PGCE courses
The entry requirements for subsequent interview to the PGCE programme may alter (for example if the DfE changes entry requirements for PGCE courses). You’ll be advised of any changes during the degree.
Course enquiries
For further information about the programme or entry requirements, please email us at admissions@bathspa.ac.uk.
Ready to apply? Click the 'apply now' button in the centre of this page.
Need more guidance? Head to our how to apply pages.
Course leader: Eleanor West
Email: e.west@bathspa.ac.uk
Geography is about places and people. This link between environmental processes and social behaviours means that the study of Geography is essential in understanding today’s pressing global and local issues – from climate change to sustainable development.
During your Bath Spa Geography degree, you’ll study specialisms such as poverty and development, sustainability, cultural identities and representation, river and coastal processes, and geotechnologies. You’ll mix fieldwork and data collection techniques with a further understanding of communities and environments.
You’ll develop your knowledge of a wide range of geographical concepts and theories, all while gaining skills that employers look for: communication, research, data management and analysis, problem solving and IT skills – specifically in Geographic Information Systems (GIS) and remote sensing. You'll also produce a video-clip and a personal website in your second year.
Find out more about Geography at Bath Spa on Twitter, Instagram and YouTube.
"...The extensive use of ArcGIS on the course greatly increased my employability, as all the major companies use this software - I use it daily in my job. My links to the Environment Agency were picked up in interviews as being of great benefit and provided a talking point."
Jennifer Drew, BSc (Hons) Geography
We take an integrated approach to Geography; you’ll gain an understanding of both the human and physical aspects of the subject. As your curiosity, abilities and career plans evolve, you can choose to specialise in the aspects of Geography – whether physical or human – that interest you.
The best Geography university courses are characterised by meaningful partnerships between students and staff. We’re a small, accessible team and we take the time to get to know you. Research – at the cutting edge of diverse topics such as global challenges, migration, identities and citizenship – underpins our teaching.
Our rural campus is in itself a natural laboratory that gives you the opportunity to use your growing skills, alongside state of the art equipment (GIS, satellite data and Geotechnologies), to investigate the world on your doorstep.
You’ll graduate with a range of skills that are highly valued by employers, from scientific techniques and computer skills to people skills such as communication, teamwork, independent research, data collection, fieldwork and critical thinking.
Year one
In your first year, you’ll acquire foundational geographical knowledge, understanding and skills. You also get a taste of a variety of geographies, and benefit from plenty of fieldwork opportunities to local sites such as the Mendips, Somerset Levels and Bristol.
Year two
Start to specialise in your geographical interests. Greater emphasis is placed on research methods; you’ll learn a wide range of useful geographical techniques, both in the classroom and in fieldwork settings.
You apply your growing mastery of your subject to real-world problems and issues. The history of Geography forms a core part of the course, and we also give you the chance to engage with the Royal Geographical Society and other professional bodies as we help you begin to map out potential career paths.
Year three
Continue to specialise. Develop your skills as an independent scholar by undertaking primary research that will enable you to demonstrate the theoretical and practical aspects of your geographical interests.
There’s a huge variety of topics to choose from for your dissertation, and throughout it, you’ll benefit from one-to-one tuition and expert guidance.
You’ll experience a variety of different assessment methods throughout your Geography degree. These include essays, project reports, presentations, posters, video clips, fieldcraft assessments, reflective items and time-constrained tests and examinations. These will give you a rich and diverse skill set, designed to be of real benefit in pursuit of your career goals.
Good teaching is important to us; our graduates highly rate the quality of teaching on the course. In our friendly department you’ll benefit from small classes, specialist expertise and up-to-date technologies, including ArcGIS, GPS survey instruments, campus river gauging and digital ‘met’ stations.
Our rural site is a superb natural laboratory where you’ll learn a range of scientific techniques including field sampling and the use of laboratory instruments for sediment and water analysis. You’ll also learn social scientific techniques e.g. surveys and landscape interpretation.
Lectures, workshops and seminar-based teaching within small groups enables discussion about specific topics.
This course offers or includes the following modules. The modules you take will depend on your pathway or course combination (if applicable) as well as any optional or open modules chosen. Please check the programme document (below the main image on this page) for more information.
You’ll have the opportunity to study in a wide range of locations around the world. Our students have completed exchange programmes in a variety of countries including Spain, Sweden and the USA.
Fieldwork is an integral part of our Geography programme as it provides you with the opportunities to learn hands-on geographical skills with real world applications.
Residential fieldwork is a required component of our first year programme, while there are further optional residential field trip opportunities in both the second and third year. Our current residential field trip destinations are the English Lake District (first year), Northern India (second year) and Barcelona (third year).
Within modules you'll also undertake fieldwork in the local area including on our beautiful Newton Park campus, as well as in locations such as the Mendip Hills, the Somerset Levels, the Royal Geographical Society in London and the Jurassic Coast of Dorset.
Please note that you will have to make a financial contribution towards residential field trips.
There are opportunities to undertake work placements in your second year – this is an excellent way to gain experience in the workplace. Students have worked with local organisations such as Send a Cow, African Initiatives, Local Planning authorities, environmental organisations and the National Trust.
Guest speakers from industry contribute to the learning experience throughout the course. This engagement with potential employers will help you make those all-important career decisions when you graduate.
There are prizes awarded each year in recognition of excellence in the core modules. This culminates with the Geography Project of the Year Award for the best dissertation.
This optional placement year 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 Professional Placement Year, you'll work to secure your placement, constructing a development plan with your module leader and your placement coordinator from our Careers and Employability team.
On your return to University for your final year, you'll submit your Placement Portfolio, detailing your development on your placement.
Our focus is on providing the best possible in-person experience for you and your peers whilst maintaining the most successful aspects of online delivery that we know will benefit your learning. Learn more by reading our programme delivery statement.
You'll be taught at our Newton Park campus, with access to a range of facilities including:
We have the latest technologies and learning resources. You’ll have access to IT laboratories with geographical software such as ArcGIS. In addition we have a comprehensive stock of field and laboratory equipment.
Other resources available include Leica Smart Rovers and Laser Scanner, handheld Global Positioning System devices, survey seismograph, Russian and standard sediment corers, teaching microscopes, stream flow meters, particle size analysis kits, digital Schmidt hammers, digital weather station, campus stream gauging station, digital dictaphones, digital video cameras, tablets and laptops.
"One of the most important elements of the course was the development of transferable skills that I now use on a daily basis and I think employers look for when reviewing candidates."
Matt Davies, BSc (Hons) Geography
Please note: Students from the EU, EEA and Switzerland are not generally eligible for the UK (Home) fee status. Please refer to the international student rate. Irish citizens and those granted Settled status under the EU Settlement Scheme are eligible for UK (Home) fee status. There are also other circumstances where this may apply: See UKCISA for more information.
Year 1 | £9,250 |
Year 2 | Published Jan 2023 |
Year 3 | Published Jan 2024 |
Year 1 | Published Jan 2023 |
Year 2 | Published Jan 2024 |
Year 3 | Published Jan 2025 |
Year 1 | Published Jan 2024 |
Year 2 | Published Jan 2025 |
Year 3 | Published Jan 2026 |
Year 1 | £15,240 |
Year 2 | Published Jan 2023 |
Year 3 | Published Jan 2024 |
Year 1 | Published Jan 2023 |
Year 2 | Published Jan 2024 |
Year 3 | Published Jan 2025 |
Year 1 | Published Jan 2024 |
Year 2 | Published Jan 2025 |
Year 3 | Published Jan 2026 |
We’re looking for individuals who are curious, reflective and interested in their subject areas. You’ll be motivated, committed and keen to push the boundaries of your knowledge and get the best possible preparation for your future career.
We accept a wide range of qualifications for entry to our undergraduate programmes. The main ones are listed below. All applicants will also be required to hold GCSEs at Grade C/4 or above in English, Maths and Science.
English Language Requirements for International and EU Applicants
IELTS 6.0 - for visa nationals, with a minimum score of IELTS 5.5 in each element.
Entry requirements for PGCE courses
The entry requirements for subsequent interview to the PGCE programme may alter (for example if the DfE changes entry requirements for PGCE courses). You’ll be advised of any changes during the degree.
Course enquiries
For further information about the programme or entry requirements, please email us at admissions@bathspa.ac.uk.
Ready to apply? Click the 'apply now' button in the centre of this page.
Need more guidance? Head to our how to apply pages.
Course queries: sciences.admin@bathspa.ac.uk
Website feedback to web@bathspa.ac.uk