Education Secondary and Geography

This Secondary Education course is designed to lay the foundations of your teaching career. By experiencing the realities of teaching and learning in several school settings, you’ll be better prepared to enter the profession with confidence and a strong foundation of practical knowledge. The skills you’ll learn can also be applied to a range of careers. 

You’ll explore education in theory and practice, from a range of perspectives, examine principles of human and physical geography, and apply these to contemporary challenges globally and locally.  

In your second and third years, optional modules and international trips enable you to specialise and develop your interests. 

Year one
The first year introduces key concepts and skills that underpin the study of education. A placement module provides you with a sound introduction to secondary schools via a school placement.

In your Geography modules, you'll establish foundational skills and knowledge. You’ll cover both human and physical geography and build practical skills through a residential field trip.

Year two
In your second year you’ll be introduced to the key ideas and theories needed to understand contemporary educational issues. You’ll undertake a second placement in a secondary school, which this year will focus on developing your professionalism.

You'll develop more specialist Geography knowledge and skills and begin to specialise through optional modules in topics such as climate change, migration or geotechnologies. An optional field trip to Italy provides a tangible way to engage with disasters and sustainable development.  

Year three
This year, the Teaching and Professionalism module prepares you for the PGCE or other postgraduate study. 

In Geography, optional module topics include disaster risk reduction, identities and inequalities, river management and environmental justice. An optional field trip to Barcelona allows you to specialise further in either human or physical geography.

You can either choose to:

• undertake a dissertation in Education which gives you the chance to explore an issue of your choice and use your creativity and the skills you've gained so far to develop a learning resource to address it; or
• demonstrate the skills you've acquired in Geography by undertaking an independent research project in an area that interests you.

Assessment methods vary, depending on the modules you choose. You could submit an essay, report, poster, video, field assessment, reflective piece, or group presentation. Some Geography modules require timed assessments and exams.

We’ll provide regular guidance on how to improve your skills, knowledge and understanding. Each task is designed to develop a rich and diverse skillset, designed to help you pursue your career goals.

You’ll learn through lectures, workshops, and seminars, with small groups that enable discussion and collaborative learning. You’ll also learn in the classroom, lab and outdoors, with fieldwork on campus and at locations across the UK and overseas.  

Our staff are active researchers and authors in education and geography. From the start, they’ll introduce you to their specialisms and research interests.  

Visiting speakers – including previous graduates, headteachers, Initial Teacher Education staff and researchers – provide insights that can inform your long-term career decisions. 

To find out more about how we teach and how you'll learn, please read our Learning and Teaching Delivery Statement.

We have an excellent partnership with schools where you can develop your understanding of Secondary teaching.  

You’ll attend an 8-day placement during each year of your studies, usually for 1 day a week so that it fits around your university studies. We’ll arrange each placement for you. You should expect to travel, either using your own or public transport, and we'll do our best to make sure the placement is a reasonable distance from you. 

You’ll be required to apply for a Bath Spa DBS (Disclosure and Barring Services). You'll get more details once you've accepted your place with us.  

The Professional Placement Year version of the course is your chance to take an extended placement between your second and final year.  

This course is ideal for students who are interested in a career in teaching. When you successfully complete this course, we guarantee to interview you for our Secondary PGCE. 

This course also informs a range of other education careers. You may be interested in advisory roles in education policy, or another related path. You could also progress to postgraduate study in a range of Geography-related courses. 

You can win prizes each year for excellence in core Geography modules. If you choose to undertake a Geography dissertation, your work could also be awarded Geography Project of the Year.

Depending on the modules you choose, you'll get the chance to visit Italy (second year) and Spain (third year). Off-campus locations include the Mendip Hills, Somerset Levels, Dorset's Jurassic Coast, and the Royal Geographical Society in London.

If you’re a full-time undergraduate student starting your first year at Bath Spa University, you can apply for the Certificate in Global Citizenship, which you’ll study alongside your degree.

You’ll gain global awareness and add an international dimension to your student experience, and funding is available. On successful completion of the programme, you’ll be awarded a Certificate in Global Citizenship. This is in addition to your degree; it doesn’t change your degree title or results.

As part of your degree, you could study abroad on a placement at one of Bath Spa’s partner universities.

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 at our Newton Park campus. Nestled in the countryside at the edge of Bath, the campus offers a blend of modern and eighteenth-century buildings and good access to the city.

From your lectures, you’ll be able to visit the library, the Students’ Union, and access our student information and support teams, as well as many of our facilities.

Access to experts

Guest speakers share their expertise and experience of teaching and education. You'll meet our PGCE tutors, particularly in your final year as you get ready for the next phase of your teacher training. You can also get involved with our research centres to stay up to date with the latest in teaching research. 

Our Hazard, Risk and Disaster Research Group runs an online research lecture series. As part of the series, leading researchers from all over the world deliver talks on climate change adaptation and mitigating the risk of disasters. 

ASk (Academic Skills)

Available both in-person and online, this dedicated team can help with essay writing, referencing, maths skills and statistics.

Careers

The team runs networking events and advisory workshops that explore your future options and the essentials of the job application process. They help you get experience by assisting with your search for work placements and paid part-time jobs while you're studying.

When you're ready to progress into your chosen career, they can help you secure graduate-level employment, freelance opportunities, and funding for your own business ideas. Career support continues for years after you graduate with the dedicated Grad Support Unit.

English Language Unit

If English isn't your first language, the ELU can help you improve your English, reach your full potential and boost your confidence.

Expert speakers

Guest speakers share their expertise and experience across many aspects of your subjects. In Biology, visiting lecturers may be from healthcare and public health organisations, small independent companies, charities, or work in conservation.  

You'll meet our PGCE tutors, particularly in your final year as you get ready for the next phase of your teacher training. You can also get involved with our research centres to stay up to date with the latest in teaching research.

Laboratories

Newton Park campus is a beautiful 'natural laboratory' where you can study environmental processes. You can also analyse audio-visual data, soils, water, air, and microfossils in our recently renovated labs.

Online resources

You can access thousands of specialist Library resources digitally. Don't forget to contact your dedicated subject Librarian for help with your research. Tutors will post helpful resources to the Virtual Learning Environment.

You’ll have free access to thousands of business, design, and tech courses online via LinkedIn Learning.

Student Wellbeing Services

SWS (Student Wellbeing Services) is available to support you throughout your learning.