Top 20 for career prospects
We're in the top 20 UK universities for career prospects in Geography and Environmental Studies (source: Guardian University Guide 2022).

BA (Hons)
Undergraduate degree - single 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.
Geography is about places and people. It explores how people’s lives vary in these different places, and how our own lives are dependent on people and places, near and far.
An ability to link environmental processes and social and spatial behaviours is a defining feature of geographical practice. As a result, Geography is clearly important in understanding today’s pressing global and local issues including climate change, inequality, migration, poverty and sustainable development.
Studying Geography at Bath Spa University, you’ll learn geographical concepts, theories and knowledge, while gaining skills that can improve your career prospects. Geography graduates are valued by employers for this unique combination. Find out more about Geography at Bath Spa on Twitter, Instagram and YouTube.
While Geography combines the earth and social sciences, we appreciate that you may be more interested in the nature and role of people and society, rather than analysis of the physical processes of landscape formation and change.
This award provides a specialist human geography pathway through our Geography programme. You’ll cover a wide variety of human geography themes, building your specialist knowledge.
You’ll graduate with a range of skills that are highly valued by employers. These include scientific techniques and computer skills, as well as people skills like communication, team-work and critical thinking.
Year one
The first year of this course introduces you to the exciting world of Geography at university. You’ll acquire foundational geographical knowledge, understanding and skills. You’ll get a taste of a variety of geographies, and there are plenty of opportunities to do fieldwork, visiting local places such as the Bristol and Bath.
Year two
This year you’ll continue to explore human geography. Greater emphasis is placed on research methods; you’ll learn a wide range of useful geographical methods and techniques, both in the classroom and in fieldwork settings where you’ll apply your growing mastery of your subject to real-world problems and issues.
You’ll also start to further explore career options and planning, with opportunities for a work placement or volunteering overseas. We also give you the chance to engage with the Royal Geographical Society and other professional bodies.
Year three
This year you will further specialise in human geography. You’ll develop your skills as an independent scholar by undertaking primary research that will enable you to explore further your geographical interests. Alternatively, you can undertake an extended work placement with a relevant research report.
You can further broaden your studies through a field trip to Barcelona to study historical, cultural and political geographies. There is also the opportunity to undertake a community placement and project as part of your studies.
You’ll experience a variety of different assessment methods throughout your degree. These include essays, project reports, presentations, posters, video clips, fieldcraft assessments, reflective items, time-constrained tests and examinations. These will give you a rich and diverse skills learning experience, be of real benefit in the search for a good career, and be useful in your professional activities.
Good teaching is important to us; our graduates highly rate the quality of teaching on the course. In our friendly department you will benefit from small classes, specialist expertise, and up-to-date technologies, including ArcGIS and GPS survey instruments.
You’ll experience lectures and workshop or seminar-based teaching, with small groups to enable 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 and third year – this is an excellent way to gain experience in the workplace.
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.
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.
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.
You'll be taught on Newton Park campus, with access to a range of facilities including:
We have all the latest technologies and learning resources. You’ll have access to IT laboratories with geographical software such as ArcGIS and Idrisi. 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.
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 | £4,625 |
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 | £14,400 |
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 |
During the placement year, the fee is reduced to 20% of the full time fee. Otherwise, fees are the same as for full time study. This applies to UK, EU and International students.
We’re looking for interested and motivated students who understand the importance of a geographical perspective on the issues facing society today.
We accept a wide range of qualifications for entry to our undergraduate programmes. The main ones are listed below:
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.
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.
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