BA Geography and International Development with a Foundation Year

Key details

BA GEOGRAPHY AND INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT WITH A FOUNDATION YEAR

Start Year

2020

Attendance

Full Time

Award

Degree of Bachelor of Arts

UCAS course code

8FLL

Entry Requirements

CCC

You will start your degree with a foundation year to help you develop the skills and knowledge you will need to succeed, exploring global challenges, such as migration, HIV/AIDS and population growth, and being supported to learn and study effectively.

You will have the chance to get a taste of previously unknown areas of study and you’ll be actively encouraged to develop your own scholarly interests, so when you successfully finish your foundation year, you’ll be perfectly placed to progress to Year 1.

The School of International Development is internationally renowned for its research. We work closely with the School of Environmental Sciences, which houses the Tyndall Centre for Climate Change Research and a research group on Science, Society and Sustainability.

About

After your foundation year, you will study specialised human and social geography modules such as Geographies of Development, People and Place and Urban Geographies. At the same time, you will be able to select modules dedicated to the development of regions of the world such as Sub-Saharan Africa, South Asia and Latin America, and a range of complementary options from related disciplines including anthropology, politics, economics, environmental studies and media.

Fieldwork and field courses are a vital part of the degree. Field-work elements are incorporated in a number of the taught modules, and it is our intention that in Year 2 you will take a compulsory field trip module, either in the UK or overseas, but this will be subject to government health advice at the time the activity takes place.

In Year 3, you’ll have the opportunity to gain hands on experience through your dissertation research and/or Development Work Experience module.

Although registered on the BA Geography and International Development degree, successful completion of the foundation year allows entry to any of the interdisciplinary undergraduate degree pathways in the School of International Development (DEV), including: BA International Development, BA International Development with Anthropology, BA International Development with Economics, BA International Development with Politics, BA Media and International Development, BA Geography and International Development and BSc International Development and the Environment. Students would also have the option to transfer to the BA Geography in the School of Environmental Sciences.

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Environmental Justice

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Important Information

Whilst the University will make every effort to offer the courses listed, changes may sometimes be made arising from the regular review of course programmes. Where this activity leads to significant (but not minor) changes to programmes, there will normally be prior consultation of students and others. Changes may for example consist of variations to the content and method of delivery of programmes, courses and other services, to discontinue programmes, courses and other services and to merge or combine programmes or courses. The University will endeavour to keep such changes to a minimum, and will inform students.

Assessment for Year 1

You’ll be assessed through essays, course tests or exams, field project reports and presentations, as well as quantitative-analytical reports and policy briefs.

In the foundation year you will be assessed predominantly through coursework, including through interactive essays, visual presentations, blog entries and poster infographics. Key to assessment in the foundation year is ensuring you are well supported in developing the skills needed for you to successfully complete your assignments.

Throughout your degree you’ll have the chance to get valuable feedback on your work from staff and fellow students. This helps you identify areas for improvement, ensuring you get the most from your work.

Structure

Foundation Year

You will explore contemporary global challenges facing the developing world such as climate change, migration and population growth, being introduced to the interdisciplinary subject of development studies. You will also develop the study skills you need for success at university, developing as an independent learner, through dedicated modules. Optional modules can be taken from the Schools of Environmental Sciences, Politics and History.

Teaching and Learning

You’ll join a friendly and thriving learning environment, sharing your passion for making a difference with students from over 50 countries. Approximately half of our students choose to spend some time abroad as part of their degree (subject to government health advice). This provides invaluable academic, practical, and personal experience for all who choose to take advantage of it.

You’ll experience a varied programme that includes lectures, group work, projects, fieldwork and guest speakers. You’ll engage with information technologies, simulation exercises and a range of innovative and often student-led practices.

In the foundation year, your learning will predominantly be through interactive seminars and workshops. Teaching will be designed to support you to develop your studying, critical thinking, writing and presenting skills.

Independent study

As the degree progresses you’ll pursue areas of learning tailored specifically to your needs and interests. The final year dissertation is an important independent study that enables you to pursue a topic in an original and dedicated way.

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Virtual Open Day

Assessment for Year 2

You’ll be assessed through essays, course tests or exams, field project reports and presentations, as well as quantitative-analytical reports and policy briefs.

Structure

You'll continue to advance your knowledge of human geography and international development alongside practical field and research skills. This will include your use of GIS. Subject to government health advice, you'll participate in a residential field course, either in the UK or overseas. You'll choose optional modules from a selection, reflecting your developing interests or career aspirations. These include geography modules and topics across different fields of international development. You can also study a foreign language.

Teaching and Learning

Independent study

Admissions Live Chat

Virtual Open Day

Assessment for Year 3

You’ll be assessed through essays, course tests or exams, field project reports and presentations, as well as quantitative-analytical reports and policy briefs.

Structure

In your final year there’s a greater emphasis on independent study and employability. There are no core modules other than the dissertation, giving you the flexibility to tailor your studies to your interests. You’ll select your final-year dissertation topic and have the chance to complete a work placement at one of our many partner institutions and organisations within the UK.

Teaching and Learning

Independent study

Admissions Live Chat

Virtual Open Day

Assessment for Year 4

You’ll be assessed through essays, course tests or exams, field project reports and presentations, as well as quantitative-analytical reports and policy briefs.

Structure

In your final year there’s a greater emphasis on independent study and employability. There are no core modules other than the dissertation, giving you the flexibility to tailor your studies to your interest, and you’ll select your final-year dissertation topic. You’ll also have the chance to complete a work placement at one of our many partner institutions and organisations within the UK.

Teaching and Learning

You’ll join a friendly and thriving learning environment, sharing your passion for making a difference with students from over 50 countries. Approximately half of our students choose to spend some time abroad as part of their degree. This provides invaluable academic, practical, and personal experience for all who choose to take advantage of it.

Independent study

Admissions Live Chat

Virtual Open Day

Assessment for Year 1

You’ll be assessed through essays, course tests or exams, field project reports and presentations, as well as quantitative-analytical reports and policy briefs.

Compulsory Modules

ACADEMIC LITERACY AND SKILLS

Code DEV-3001A

Credits 20

The Academic Skills and Literacy module (Autumn semester) will help develop Foundation Year students’ study skills, assisting them with both their assignments for the Foundation Year but also preparing them for study from Year 1 onwards, ensuring they become competent independent learners. This module will complement the other core module in the Autumn semester, Global Challenges 1, guiding students through key issues such as academic reading, note-taking and comprehension, and how to use the library (in person and online). Students will acquire key concepts and skills such as, what we mean by academic literature and how to assess the validity of a source, undertaking literature searches, plagiarism and referencing. Their writing will be strengthened through additional work on constructing an argument, critical analysis and critical reading, IT skills (including Excel), digital literacy, written assignment structure, and presentation and debating skills. Students will also learn how to understand and present data. Furthermore, students will be encouraged to be reflexive about their learning styles and to think about how they learn and how they can improve. A second key element of the Academic Skills and Literacy module will be to ensure that students know where to go for support.

FOUNDATION PAPER IN DEVELOPMENT STUDIES

Code DEV-3002B

Credits 20

The Foundation Paper in Development Studies module is a project-based module in which students focus on a particular global challenge, developing an extended paper. The module complements the two core International Development Foundation Year modules, Global Challenges: Issues and Concepts in Development Studies 1 and 2 in terms of the subject-based content. It also complements the Autumn Semester module Academic Literacy and Skills in further developing study skills (with a focus on desk-based research and writing skills). Students will work on exploring in more depth one particular global challenge, choosing a theme from Global Challenges 2. There will be a number of assignments (both formative and summative), that will culminate in a longer summative essay (the 'foundation paper') and an accompanying individual presentation. The Foundation Paper in Development Studies module will include a writing workshop in which students will have support in planning, thinking and writing. Each week will guide the students with skills development as well as helping students to develop their research project (and assessments) through a step-by-step process. It will not be possible to produce a high standard of work without attending class and completing the formative assignments.

GLOBAL CHALLENGES:ISSUES AND CONCEPTS IN DEVELOPMENT STUDIES 2

Code DEV-3012B

Credits 20

Global Challenges: Issues and Concepts in Development Studies 2 is a progression from Global Challenges: Issues and Concepts in Development Studies 1 and Foundation Year students in the School of International Development will take both modules. Global Challenges 2 continues with a thematic approach to an introduction to the interdisciplinary subject of development studies. Key pressing global challenges will be addressed, with case studies from specific countries used to explore issues in more contextual detail. Key issues studied across the two modules could include such issues as inequality and poverty, population growth, climate change, democracy, HIV/AIDS, indigenous peoples, and migration and refugees.

GLOBAL CHALLENGES:ISSUES AND CONCEPTS IN DEVELOPMENT STUDIES1

Code DEV-3011A

Credits 40

Global Challenges: Issues and Concepts in Development Studies 1 (GC1) takes a thematic approach to an introduction to the interdisciplinary subject of development studies. Key pressing global challenges will be explored, with case studies from specific contexts used to look at issues in more contextual detail. Key issues studied in GC1 include population change, inequality, HIV/AIDS, gender, migration, climate change, food security, governance and humanitarian communication. Global Challenges: Issues and Concepts in Developments Studies 2 is a related module in the Spring semester and Foundation Year students in the School of International Development will take both modules.

Optional A Modules

(20 credits)

ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES

Code ENV-3001Y

Credits 20

In this module you will learn about the interdisciplinary nature of environmental sciences through discussion of current hot topics, and carrying out projects on environmental problems. You will acquire skills in field work, data analysis, and writing scientific reports. Through the year-long module you will gain an understanding of the breadth of environmental science topics, the multidisciplinary and interdisciplinary nature of environmental systems. You will develop skills in verbal and written scientific communication skills, critically analyse environmental problems and discuss solutions to the challenges of sustainable management of our environment.

HISTORY AND SOCIETY

Code HUM-3001B

Credits 20

How is history used to inform the society in which we live? What is the relationship between the history we study academically at university and how history is used and consumed in contemporary society? These are some of the questions you will explore in this module. Using examples from modern history and other time periods that inform our understanding of this history as our case study, you will develop the key skills you need to critically analyse the past and the different representations we make about the past. You will develop key skills needed by the historian to analyse different primary and secondary sources, understand the importance of contextualisation and the role of the historian in shaping narratives about the past.

POLITICAL PHILOSOPHIES

Code HUM-3002B

Credits 20

This module introduces you to some of the key ideologies and 'isms' within contemporary political theory which form the focus of contemporary debates. It will encourage you to consider the role that politics plays in your life through the examination of political theory. Radical doctrines such as anarchism and fundamentalism will be discussed and evaluated alongside more traditional ideologies such as socialism, liberalism and conservatism. If you are a Foundation Year student it will have relevance to you in its critical approach to ideology.

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Important Information

Whilst the University will make every effort to offer the modules listed, changes may sometimes be made arising from the annual monitoring, review and update of modules. Where this activity leads to significant (but not minor) changes to programmes and their constituent modules, the University will endeavour to consult with students and others. It is also possible that the University may not be able to offer a module for reasons outside of its control, such as the illness of a member of staff. In some cases optional modules can have limited places available and so you may be asked to make additional module choices in the event you do not gain a place on your first choice. Where this is the case, the University will inform students.

Assessment for Year 2

You’ll be assessed through essays, course tests or exams, field project reports and presentations, as well as quantitative-analytical reports and policy briefs.

Compulsory Modules

INTRODUCTION TO HUMAN GEOGRAPHY

Code DEV-4007B

Credits 20

This module introduces geographical approaches to the key processes of change that shape our world and its societies. You will examine how people and places are connected and transformed as a result of processes such as colonialism, globalisation, industrialisation, migration, urbanisation and development, and explore how differences and inequalities emerge. A central theme will be why space matters, as people’s lives are influenced by the places that surround them - both near and far - and as they in turn change those places. You will explore these issues through a range of contemporary geographical topics, from sweatshops to climate change, through which you will be introduced to core geographical concepts, ideas and approaches, emphasising on critical thinking and practice. You will discover key methods for geographical research, including Geographical Information Systems (GIS), and will include field-based practical work in the local area.

INTRODUCTION TO DEVELOPMENT STUDIES

Code DEV-4001A

Credits 40

This module provides an introduction to International Development Studies. Themes of poverty, inequality, culture, economic growth and sustainability are explored from the perspectives of development economics, social development, human geography and environment and natural resource management. A range of contemporary development issues are examined including globalisation, environmental degradation, gender, the state, aid, property rights, knowledge and progress.

EVIDENCE IN INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT AND GEOGRAPHY

Code DEV-4002A

Credits 20

The Evidence in International Development and Geography (EIDG) module is closely linked to the DEV-4001A Introduction to Development Studies (IDS) module. This module focuses on the role of evidence in understanding the themes introduced in IDS, with the following aims: - To provide a basic introduction to quantitative and qualitative research methods; - To introduce key concepts in maths and statistics relevant to the study of international development and human geography; - To provide training in use of important software used in the analysis of evidence; and - To provide a foundation in the key academic skills expected at university including writing, reading and thinking critically, using UEA Library services and computing systems and developing effective teamwork skills. Learning by doing is the central teaching approach and throughout the semester you will apply ideas from classes to address a research question of your choice. There are few conventional lectures; most sessions are interactive workshops, complemented by IT lab sessions.

Optional A Modules

(40 credits)

INTRODUCTION TO ECONOMICS OF DEVELOPMENT

Code DEV-4003B

Credits 20

The module introduces you to key development economics theories and empirical evidence. Topics include the economics of poverty and inequality, economic growth, the balance between states and markets, agriculture and internal migration, population growth, health, human capital, the environment, international trade, and development aid. All of these are discussed within the context of development.

INTRODUCTION TO NATURAL RESOURCES AND DEVELOPMENT: PRINCIPLES AND CONCEPTS

Code DEV-4004B

Credits 20

This module explores the biological and physical basis for primary production within the main natural resource systems providing food, fuel and fibre to human populations. The module has an integrated biophysical core and deals with resource demand, supply and exploitation issues. There will be a particular emphasis on the important processes in production and a number of key issues in natural resource systems will be introduced here e.g. global resource cycles, diversity, productivity and stability of natural resource systems. There is an important field-based, practical element throughout this course.

HUMANITARIAN COMMUNICATION

Code DEV-4008B

Credits 20

This module will critically explore changing trends in humanitarian communication by both the international news media and international development actors, such as Non-Governmental Organisations. This will include a critical review of media representations of development in the Global South and the role and responsibility of journalists reporting about humanitarian crises and poverty. We will also explore conventional strategies of humanitarian communication, such as ‘pornography of poverty’, as well as more contemporary issues such as the role of celebrities, social media and the rise of ‘post-humanitarian’ communication. With case studies ranging from Live Aid to Kony 2012, you will be introduced to key concepts and theoretical approaches cutting across a range of disciplines. This module also contains an integral practical skills component. Speakers from leading NGOs and experienced practitioners will share their insights about the everyday complexities of humanitarian communication and a number of workshops will focus on a relevant hands-on skills such blogging and the basics of development photography.

INTRODUCTION TO THE POLITICS OF DEVELOPMENT

Code DEV-4009B

Credits 20

This module provides an introduction to political concepts and frameworks that are central to the study of international development. Through studying theoretical approaches you will gain the foundations required to critically evaluate contemporary development debates and development policy and practice.

Admissions Live Chat

Virtual Open Day

Important Information

Assessment for Year 3

You’ll be assessed through essays, course tests or exams, field project reports and presentations, as well as quantitative-analytical reports and policy briefs.

Compulsory Modules

METHODS IN HUMAN GEOGRAPHY

Code DEV-5014A

Credits 20

This module will introduce students to the theory and practice of research methods in human geography. It will prepare students for undertaking research within and beyond the university context i.e. both for the Dissertation and Field course modules and equipping students with key employability attributes for professional careers. In doing so, the module will introduce students to a range of qualitative, quantitative and spatial methods that human geographers use in research including research design, data collection and data analysis skills that are transferable to the workplace. The module will be taught using lecture-based classes and computer labs. The module is organised based on three research methods that use different approaches to data collection, analysis and presentation. The quantitative method focuses on building statistical skills to analyses secondary survey data as well as interpreting quantitative research findings. The GIS method focuses on data visualisation skills, mapping skills and basic GIS analysis. The qualitative method focuses on analysing and presenting qualitative data.

GEOGRAPHIES OF DEVELOPMENT

Code DEV-5010B

Credits 20

What is uneven development and why should we care about it? How did uneven development emerge, and what can we do about it? This module focuses on how geographers have engaged with these questions from different perspectives, including economic, environmental and social. You will explore how economic geographers (and geographical economists) have sought to explain the spatiality and unevenness of economic activity, including examining the evidence for ‘natural advantage’. You will engage with geographical work on urban restructuring and environmental governance which have seen uneven development as a product of capitalism, and consider the influence of Marxist theory on geographical thought. You will also consider how both ordinary people and civil society have tried to address, contest and resist spatial difference and uneven development. Questions of scale emerge in various forms through the module, which demonstrates how understanding ‘uneven development’ is a fundamentally geographical endeavour by exploring some of the key geographies of development.

GEOGRAPHY FIELD COURSE

Code DEV-5016B

Credits 20

This module involves a residential field course, either within the UK or overseas. You will undertake immersive field-based learning, tailored to the field trip location/s. The module is designed primarily for students taking the BA Geography and International Development degrees, and depending on the number of enrolments, multiple trips might run each year. Extra charges apply for the overseas trips and the locations are subject to change.

Optional A Modules

(40-60 credits)

GENDER AND DEVELOPMENT

Code DEV-5001A

Credits 20

This interdisciplinary module will begin by exploring the various approaches to understanding gender and development, then introduce and explain a range of key concepts as the foundations of gender analysis. The module then applies these concepts in examining a selection of important relevant debates: gender analysis of economic growth, divisions of labour and incomes, land and property rights, environmental change, education and health policies, voice and empowerment, and violence and religion.

QUANTITATIVE EVIDENCE IN DEVELOPMENT

Code DEV-5002A

Credits 20

Throughout the study of International Development, it is important to weigh our theoretical ideas and policy recommendations against the available evidence. This module deals with the use of quantitative evidence. The aim is to enable students: • To understand quantitative analysis encountered in other modules • To become critical readers of published quantitative data analysis • To gather, analyse and Interpret quantitative evidence themselves in support of their own study of development questions. The module deals with research design, a review of descriptive statistics and a number of inferential methods. Techniques taught include simple tests for group differences such as the t-test, analysis of variance and multiple regression.

EDUCATION AND INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Code DEV-5003A

Credits 20

This module provides you with an understanding of key theories and current debates linking education to development and relating these to international and national education strategies, policies and educational practices. The module will begin by introducing you to some key policy themes in education and international development, and some established theories such as human capital, human development and capabilities, and theory on education as social reproduction. The module then goes into more depth with thematic content on themes such as early childhood development, conflict, gender and difference.

SOCIAL ANTHROPOLOGY FOR INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Code DEV-5004A

Credits 20

On this module you’ll learn the concepts and debates that are fundamental to social anthropology, and their relationships with development and change. The teaching methods on this module include formal lectures, guided discussions of key readings, small-group seminars, and ethnographic films. Topics you’ll cover include economic anthropology, ecological anthropology, personhood, embodiment, the anthropology of talk, identity and gender, cultural rights, technical change and the anthropology of development.

LATIN AMERICAN DEVELOPMENT

Code DEV-5005B

Credits 20

This is a regional studies module which covers economic, social and political aspects of development in Latin America. It situates the region in its historical and international context, and gives an overview of major development debates in the region. The module also includes country case studies of contrasting development strategies.

SUB-SAHARAN AFRICA DEVELOPMENT

Code DEV-5006B

Credits 20

Sub-Saharan Africa Development aims to provide students with a historical, political, social and economic analysis of key issues relating to development in Sub-Saharan Africa. Students will develop a historically grounded understanding of political, social and economic change in Sub-Saharan Africa through a critical engagement with a range of scholarship from political science, sociology, anthropology, education and economics. Through an exploration of issues such as colonialism and the post-colonial experience, the state in Africa, reasons for Africa’s poor economic performance and aid effectiveness, conflict and ethnicity, migration and urban development students will develop understandings of the dynamics and agendas of change.

SOUTH ASIAN DEVELOPMENT

Code DEV-5007B

Credits 20

This module begins with an overview of the region's history before analysing recent and contemporary social, political and economic development processes. Topics include economic growth, social difference, democracy, land and food security, the environment, health and education. The module draws heavily on India, but also considers Bangladesh, Pakistan and Sri Lanka in relation to the various topics.

PEOPLE AND PLACE

Code DEV-5011A

Credits 20

This module will develop your theoretical and empirical understanding of how social environments in different places affect people’s health or ill-health. It is about the geographies of health. You will develop knowledge about how ill-health and health inequalities are linked to socio-economic inequalities, poverty and marginalisation. You will be able to apply this knowledge to questions of health policy and interventions designed to improve health. A key conceptual framework for this module is the social determinants of health (SDH). This includes analysis of the risk environment for ill-health, influenced by social structures (such as gender or class) in a particular setting, how people make a living, environmental change and the nature of health policy and the health services available to people. We are therefore also interested in the interventions which can help deal with risk environments, to make people less susceptible to disease and less vulnerable when they become ill. You will learn how some places have achieved good health. Case studies from different places and of different diseases are used to illustrate the social determinants of health, including infectious diseases (such as HIV, malaria, Ebola) and non-communicable diseases. The module is inter-disciplinary, drawing on theories and evidence from disciplines such as sociology, anthropology, public health and development studies, and to a lesser extent economics, demography and epidemiology. The module also provides an understanding of the ways different cultures and societies define and understand health and ill-health and why some diseases are highly stigmatised.

NATURAL RESOURCES AND DEVELOPMENT 3

Code DEV-5013B

Credits 20

In this module, you will focus on the governance of natural resources in the global South. In particular you will investigate some important and contested environment and development issues involving biodiversity conservation, agricultural technology and energy. These contests will include problems of human-wildlife conflict arising from protected areas, conflicts over genetically modified crops and debates about how to achieve food security. By focusing on these contested areas of policy and practice, you will gain insight into the challenges facing governance in the real world. Understanding of these challenges is supported by using different frameworks for analysing the underlying contexts, including an ecosystem services approach, political ecology and environmental justice.

COMMUNICATION FOR DEVELOPMENT

Code DEV-5015A

Credits 20

What role can media and communications play within development? How can media – both ‘old’ and ‘new’ - help mobilise citizens, change policy, modify behaviours and promote democracy, good governance and economic growth? You will address these and other questions by providing a critical introduction to the field of ‘Communication for Development’ (C4D). Key topics will include behaviour change communication, participatory communication, press freedom, media literacy, media and conflict and access to new communication technologies.

ECONOMICS FOR DEVELOPMENT 2: Microeconomics

Code DEV-5016A

Credits 20

You’ll be introduced to the basic concepts of microeconomics and its application to development problems. Microeconomic theories of consumption, production, externalities, public goods, common property resources, market structures, land and labour markets and households are covered with an emphasis on issues relevant to developing countries. In addition to conventional microeconomic principles, insights from behavioural and institutional economics on development problems are also covered.

ECONOMICS FOR DEVELOPMENT 3: Macroeconomics

Code DEV-5017B

Credits 20

The module will introduce you to the main macroeconomic issues of development. You will cover long-run macroeconomics, with a particular focus on economic growth, and short-run macroeconomics, including fiscal, monetary and exchange rate policy. The module combines theory and evidence, relating theoretical arguments to recent macroeconomic phenomena. You will look at specific topics including the government budget and fiscal policy, inflation and monetary policy, trade and the balance of payments, exchange rates and capital flows, and the relationships between gender, institutions, and capital (physical, human and natural) and economic growth.

POLITICS, DEVELOPMENT AND SOCIETY

Code DEV-5019B

Credits 20

This module critically analyses the role of key development actors, and the contexts that they work within. It emphasises how actual interventions play out in society - where they become concrete and have real effects. What changes because of these interventions, and what stays the same, and why? What are the actors’ intentions, who shaped them, and why are outcomes often unintended and contradictory? The module considers a range of actors from social movements to international organisations. It exposes students to the complexities of policy implementation and social change, and provides a strong grounding in understanding the politics of development policy. Although open to all students it is useful if you have taken Introduction to the Politics of Development (DEV-4009B). If you have not you may have to do some additional work in the opening weeks of the semester in order to familiarise yourselves with key concepts. Lecturers will assist you in doing so.

Optional B Modules

(0-20 credits)

ENVIRONMENTAL POLITICS AND POLICY MAKING

Code ENV-5002B

Credits 20

The most significant obstacles to problem solving are often political, not scientific or technological. This module examines the emergence and processes of environmental politics. It analyses these from different theoretical perspectives, particularly theories of power and public policy making. The module is focused on contemporary examples of politics and policy making at UK, EU and international levels. The module supports student-led learning by enabling students to select (and develop their own theoretical interpretations of) ‘real world’ examples of politics. Assessment is via seminar slides and a case study essay. The module assumes no prior knowledge of politics.

CLIMATE CHANGE: SCIENCE AND POLICY

Code ENV-5003A

Credits 20

You will develop your skills and understanding in the integrated analysis of global climate change, using perspectives from both the natural sciences and the social sciences. You will gain a grounding in the basics of climate change science, impacts, adaptation, mitigation and their influence on and by policy decisions. This module also offers you a historical perspective on how climate policy has developed, culminating in the December 2015 Paris Agreement. Finally, it considers what will be required to meet the goal of the Paris Agreement to limit global warming to well below 2 °C above pre-industrial levels.

CONSTRUCTING HUMAN GEOGRAPHIES

Code ENV-5038B

Credits 20

How can human geographers help us understand and address pressing environmental and social problems? This is the central question of the module which affirms the distinctive value and relevance of work in contemporary human geography. Throughout you will explore a wide range of approaches to environmental and social problems in contemporary human geography. You’ll gain a firm grounding in social constructivism which is underlying philosophy of these approaches. You’ll also learn how to communicate insights from human geography to policy-makers and practitioners, and how to critically evaluate examples of human geographers’ engagements with policy. You’ll begin with the basics of social constructivism, learn why this approach is used by human geographers, and consider the value of this perspective. You’ll then delve deeper, exploring the social construction of a different object or problem each week. Topics covered will include: nature, hazards, alternative economies, and social difference. By looking at what these human geography perspectives mean for real-world environmental and social problems you’ll practice applying what you’ve learnt to current policy problems and learn about how human geographers are making a difference to these issues. You’ll learn through a mixture of lectures, workshops and self-directed study and you’ll be assessed through a written policy brief and reflective report (100%).

POWER, WEALTH AND NATIONS: GLOBAL POLITICAL ECONOMY

Code PPLI5161B

Credits 20

What if I told you that the West was no longer the power centre of the world’s economy? Could Pax Sinica provincialize the UK as political economic power settles over Hong Kong and the Pearl River Delta? What would Adam Smith, Karl Marx and Friedrich List have to say about global transformations underway in the global political economy? And, as Susan Strange famously put it: cui bono: Who benefits from all these transformations? Multinational corporations, nation states, financial sector, exporting economies, citizens? You’ll investigate the accumulation of wealth, movement of capital, centres of power, flows of globalisation, patterns of trade, and the ubiquity of finance in a world being transformed by innovation where emerging powers challenge the status quo of North Atlantic powerhouses.

Admissions Live Chat

Virtual Open Day

Important Information

Assessment for Year 4

You’ll be assessed through essays, course tests or exams, field project reports and presentations, as well as quantitative-analytical reports and policy briefs.

Compulsory Modules

DISSERTATION

Code DEV-6007Y

Credits 40

The dissertation will provide you with an opportunity to undertake a research project on a topic within development studies in consultation with your supervisor. It is intended to complement the more conventional methods of coursework and examination assessment, allowing you to investigate and consider themes and issues of importance to you in more depth. The dissertation is not an extended essay; rather it is a (social) scientific piece of research that sets out a clear question and methods, and develops a coherent argument based on a review of existing and/or interpretation of fresh evidence, and application to theory. Please note, the dissertation is restricted to International Development and Environmental Geography & International Development students.

DISSERTATION (WINTER SUBMISSION)

Code DEV-6017A

Credits 40

DISSERTATION (SPRING SUBMISSION)

Code DEV-6018B

Credits 40

Optional A Modules

(60-80 credits)

GENDER AND DEVELOPMENT

Code DEV-5001A

Credits 20

EDUCATION AND INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Code DEV-5003A

Credits 20

LATIN AMERICAN DEVELOPMENT

Code DEV-5005B

Credits 20

SUB-SAHARAN AFRICA DEVELOPMENT

Code DEV-5006B

Credits 20

SOUTH ASIAN DEVELOPMENT

Code DEV-5007B

Credits 20

COMMUNICATION FOR DEVELOPMENT

Code DEV-5015A

Credits 20

WARS AND HUMANITARIAN CRISES

Code DEV-6003A

Credits 20

Since the late 1950s, far more wars have been fought within the boundaries of single states than between different countries. The occurrence of these violent intrastate conflicts poses significant challenges to the development agenda, as they have often devastating social, political and economic consequences that can lead to severe humanitarian crises. Grounded in the acknowledgement that it is extremely difficult to meet international development targets in states experiencing violent civil conflict, the aim of Wars and Humanitarian Crises is to critically assess the (contested) causes and possible solutions of protracted civil wars. Key themes in the module include competing explanations for the incidence of civil war, the humanitarian implications of civil wars, the role of the media in reporting wars and humanitarian action, terrorism as another form of political violence that is distinct from but in many cases related to violent intrastate conflicts and strategies and challenges of peace-building.

DEVELOPMENT WORK EXPERIENCE

Code DEV-6004A

Credits 20

This module will provide you with the opportunity to work overseas or in the UK, for example working in education, conservation, agriculture, working with vulnerable groups, administration or journalism. You are expected to fund your own project, which must be approved by the module convenor. The School has a database of projects to assist you with your project selection. The work placement can be between 2 - 5 months duration, over a period stretching from the summer (July) at the end of year two through to the end of the autumn semester of year three (November/December). You are expected to work for a minimum of two months and complete 150 hours of work as a minimum requirement. There are two pieces of assessment: an initial reflective piece of writing about the placement, and an essay related to the placement or project work.

CONTEMPORARY ISSUES IN RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT & CONSERVATION

Code DEV-6005B

Credits 20

CONTEMPORARY ISSUES IN RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT & CONSERVATION is a hands-on module that uses recent research and practical experience to analyse the challenges for more just development and conservation policies in the developing world. You will be examining themes such as the relationship between science and policy, and the implications of increased participation and local control in the use of natural resources through an environmental justice lens, bringing together theory and the use of case studies, in order to learn how people across the world are trying to put in to practice different types of just transformations for sustainability. Each year these themes will be explored within two selected contexts such as; African pastoralism, savannah-forest mosaics, water resources and irrigated agriculture, forestry, biodiversity, indigenous territories, fisheries and aquatic resources, environment and conservation, etc.

GLOBALISATION AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

Code DEV-6006B

Credits 20

The causes and consequences of globalisation are controversial, and this module will present the alternative theoretical perspectives that lie behind these debates. It extends the analysis of trade and international finance covered in Economics for Development 3: Macroeconomics. Specific areas examined include global production and transnational corporations, global trade and liberalisation, global finance and debt crises, aid and migration, as well as several bisecting issues, such as the impacts of globalisation on the environment, and on poverty and inequality.

DEVELOPMENT IN PRACTICE

Code DEV-6009B

Credits 20

This module offers you the opportunity to explore how development ideas and aims are reflected in contemporary and emerging development practice. The module content is geared towards giving you tools with which to approach working in development, exploring the process of defining and developing development projects. We explore the history of different approaches to aid enterprises, and how they have been shaped by different geo-political and ideological forces. You will learn the difference between a log frame and a theory of change, how to create both, and how they may be useful to defining your endeavours. You will work in a team to develop your own project, with a justification of the need, an evidence-based approach and a strong analysis of the social and political context in which it is going to operate. This will also need a communications strategy and a fully costed budget, all of which you will be supported to learn how to do. However we will also encourage you to think critically about these processes, looking at how these tools have been developed and why, and being aware of their limitations and benefits.

URBAN GEOGRAPHIES

Code DEV-6010B

Credits 20

This module will examine the historical and contemporary development and governance of urban centres around the globe. In order to understand these processes, we will explore both the structure of human settlements and the multiple relationships and processes that shape and reshape urban spaces. We will examine the changing environmental, political, social, and economic dynamics of cities and smaller urban centres, drawing on case studies from the global north and the global south. The module will cover a range of concepts and topics which have preoccupied urban geographers, including but not limited to: urbanisation and urban growth patterns; urban economic restructuring and neoliberalism; urban infrastructure; poverty and inequality; informality; migration; citizenship; urban nature; and race and sexuality in the city. A one-day field trip focusing on urban planning and regeneration is an integral part of the module.

POLITICS, POLICY AND PRACTICE

Code DEV-6011B

Credits 20

This module builds upon key themes in the politics of development that recur throughout the politics-related modules in DEV: distributions of power and resources, geographies of poverty and inequality, and dynamics of social and political change. The module mixes lectures with student led sessions that are intended to provide space for students to draw out their experiences of development in practice, and to think through concrete strategies for making human society a little less unequal, violent, and destructive. Students are encouraged to approach ‘development’ as a ‘relational whole’, and to think critically about the complex and often contradictory nature of change. The module culminates in a workshop in which groups of students will present strategies for fostering more equitable processes of social change.

MIGRATION AND DEVELOPMENT

Code DEV-6014A

Credits 20

This module will address different forms of migration (e.g. internal, international, circular, return, seasonal, irregular) and reasons why people migrate (e.g. economic, political, social and environmental), and will critically explore the different ways in which these are related to development and change in societies of origin and destination. We will start by exploring migration from a historical perspective, and addressing different theoretical approaches with a multidisciplinary angle (including different methods of researching migration – both quantitative and qualitative), as well as regional differences and heterogeneity in migration trends and patterns across the globe. We will then look at key issues in migration studies including: types of migrants; networks and community organisations that link home and host societies; migrants’ integration into the host society; the impact of climate change on people’s movement; policies, citizenship and human rights; and the refugee crisis. Within these topics, we will also discuss inequalities across population subgroups (e.g. by age, gender, education and ethnicity) in terms of migration opportunities, access, networks and integration. These topics will be discussed through the analysis of case studies in various parts of the world and the participation of local community practitioners or migrants themselves in one or more seminar sessions. The module will also include one visit to a local museum to learn about the long and complex history of migration to Norfolk from the museum curators. With this comprehensive approach to migration this module will move beyond a narrow and casual view of the relationship between migration and development, and contribute to understanding the myriad ways in which global forces influence people’s movements, and how these movements, in turn, have historically been transforming societies and communities.

Optional B Modules

(0-20 credits)

ENVIRONMENTAL POLITICS AND POLICY MAKING

Code ENV-5002B

Credits 20

CLIMATE CHANGE: SCIENCE AND POLICY

Code ENV-5003A

Credits 20

CONSTRUCTING HUMAN GEOGRAPHIES

Code ENV-5038B

Credits 20

NATURAL RESOURCES AND ENVIRONMENTAL ECONOMICS

Code ENV-6012B

Credits 20

Environmental economics provides a set of tools and principles which can be useful in understanding natural resource management issues. This module introduces you to key principles and tools of environmental economics for students who have not studied the subject previously. It then explores how these principles can be applied to address a number of complex economy-environment problems including climate change, over-fishing and water resources management. In this module you will have the opportunity to practically apply cost-benefit analysis as a framework for decision-making and will gain knowledge on the key non-market valuation techniques that are used to monetarily value environmental goods and services. At the end of the module you will have gained insights into how environmental economics is used in developing natural resource management policy as well as some of the challenges in using environmental economics in policy-making.

ENERGY AND PEOPLE

Code ENV-6026B

Credits 20

Modern everyday life rests fundamentally on the availability of energy. Since the 1970s, however, serious concerns have been raised about the sustainability of current energy systems. Traditionally, these problems have been analysed (and solutions proposed) from within the engineering and physical sciences. Understanding, managing and attempting to solve energy problems, however, demands a thorough appreciation of how people, at a range of scales, engage with energy in the course of their daily lives. This is a critical challenge for the social sciences, and will be the core focus of this module. Through this module, you will discover and explore a range of social science perspectives on the inter-relationships between energy and people. You will learn how to apply these ideas to contemporary energy problems and use them to generate your own visions for a sustainable energy future. You’ll also be given the chance to work as part of a team and to communicate your ideas through both written and oral presentation. You’ll begin by tracing the history and development of energy intensive societies and everyday lives as a means of understanding how energy has emerged as a key sustainability problem. You’ll then go into more depth around different theories of social and technical change before exploring how these can be used to critically analyse a range of people-based solutions to energy problems that are currently being tried and tested around the world. You’ll learn through a combination of lectures and seminars involving interactive group projects, class debates, practical exercises and student-led learning. At the end of the module, you will have developed the knowledge, skills and experience necessary to allow you to apply theories of social and technical change to a range of real-world energy problems. You’ll be able to develop and critically analyse your own (and already existing) visions of a sustainable energy future, and you’ll be able to creatively communicate these ideas to a range of different audiences.

NEW GEOGRAPHIES OF THE ANTHROPOCENE

Code ENV-6032A

Credits 20

The onset of the Anthropocene, a geological epoch defined by the human shaping of planet Earth, is seeing people starting to fundamentally rethink the human place in nature. What does this mean for the study of human geography? In this module you’ll explore the debate over the onset of the Anthropocene, and the unique contribution that human geographers can make to it. You’ll gain a firm grasp on how the idea of the Anthropocene is re-shaping geographical thought, and will encounter concepts and methods from across the field of human geography which can help us to think in new ways about the past, present and future of human-environment relationships. You’ll also learn new skills in communicating geographical ideas and theories by written, oral and visual means. You’ll begin with an introduction to the Anthropocene debate and to the different kinds of evidence that are drawn upon to define the character of this new age. You’ll then range across the discipline, taking on-board ideas and insights from historical, political, social and cultural geography on the complex roots, meanings and politics of environmental change. Through a mixture of lectures, seminars, field classes and self-directed study, you’ll explore what it means to be a geographer in a rapidly changing world. You’ll develop a new appreciation of the processes shaping our environmental present, as well as the critical capacities needed to help shape our environmental future. Lectures cover topics such as Geopolitics as if the Earth Mattered, Cities in the Anthropocene, and Conservation at the end of Nature. As you study you’ll put your new knowledge into practice, gaining experience in communicating your ideas in tutorials, group discussions, presentations and written work.

INTERNATIONAL AND EU ENVIRONMENTAL LAW

Code LAW-6014A

Credits 20

“What is the use of a house if you haven’t got a tolerable planet to put it on?” (Henry David Thoreau, a letter to H.G.O. Blake, May 20, 1860). Our planet is being plundered, degraded and polluted at an unprecedented rate. This pattern of human activity compromises not only the right of future generations to a healthy environment, but also their ability to fulfil their most basic needs. The biggest environmental challenges of our time, such as climate change, trans-boundary pollution and the loss of biodiversity, require a common action by the international community as a whole. International Environmental Law represents the set of legal rules and principles that guide the international community in its collective effort to meet these challenges. This module aims to provide students with a comprehensive understanding of the context, foundations and the complexities of international environmental law, and its application through EU law. It will review the historical background and the developments that shaped the evolution of this field of law. It will provide students with a comprehensive understanding of the unique legal principles and regulatory approaches that guide environmental law-making, as well as with some knowledge of specific subject-areas, such as climate change law, biodiversity law, and water law. This module will be taught through the use of a dual-themed approach; each part will be covered by two lectures; the first seminar will present the international regulatory framework (i.e. 'international environmental law'), while the following seminar will include a more concrete discussion on the manner in which international law was adopted into, and refined through, the EU framework. Such a teaching methodology will provide the students with a wider understanding of the topic; notably the students will grasp the relevance of international law to our everyday life, the challenge of balancing environmental goals with other policy objectives, and the manner in which general international law principles can be, and have been, concretised via EU law.

POWER, WEALTH AND NATIONS: GLOBAL POLITICAL ECONOMY

Code PPLI5161B

Credits 20

Admissions Live Chat

Virtual Open Day

Important Information

Entry Requirements

A Levels

CCC

BTEC

MMM

Scottish highers

BBCCC

Scottish highers advanced

DDD

Irish leaving certificate

6 subjects at H4

Access course

Pass the Access to HE Diploma with 45 credits at Level 3

European Baccalaureate

60%

International Baccalaureate

28 points

GCSE offer

You are required to have Mathematics and English Language at a minimum of Grade C or Grade 4 or above at GCSE.

Additional entry requirements

If you are currently studying your level 3 qualifications, we may be able to give you a reduced grade offer based on these circumstances:

You live in an area with low progression to higher education (we use Polar 4, quintile 1 & 2 data)
You will be 21 years of age or over at the start of the course
You have been in care or you are a young full time carer
You are studying at a school which out Outreach Team are working closely with

Alternative Qualifications

UEA recognises that some students take a mixture of International Baccalaureate IB or International Baccalaureate Career-related Programme IBCP study rather than the full diploma, taking Higher levels in addition to A levels and/or BTEC qualifications. At UEA we do consider a combination of qualifications for entry, provided a minimum of three qualifications are taken at a higher Level. In addition some degree programmes require specific subjects at a higher level.

Students for whom english is a foreign language

Applications from students whose first language is not English are welcome. We require evidence of proficiency in English (including writing, speaking, listening and reading):

IELTS: 6.5 overall (minimum 5.5 in all components)

We also accept a number of other English language tests. Please click here to see our full list.

Interviews

Most applicants will not be called for an interview and a decision will be made via UCAS Track. However, for some applicants an interview will be requested. Where an interview is required the Admissions Service will contact you directly to arrange a time.

Gap year

We welcome applications from students who have already taken or intend to take a gap year. We believe that a year between school and university can be of substantial benefit. You are advised to indicate your reason for wishing to defer entry on your UCAS application.

Intakes

This course is open to UK and EU applicants only. The annual intake for this course is in September each year.

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Course Reference Number: 665338

International Development

BA GEOGRAPHY AND INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT WITH A FOUNDATION YEAR

Key details

Year of Entry:

Attendance

Full Time

Award

Degree of Bachelor of Arts

UCAS course code

8FLL

Entry Requirements

CCC

Important Information

You will start your degree with a foundation year to help you develop the skills and knowledge you will need to succeed, exploring global challenges, such as migration, HIV/AIDS and population growth, and being supported to learn and study effectively. You will have the chance to get a taste of previously unknown areas of study and you’ll be actively encouraged to develop your own scholarly interests, so when you successfully finish your foundation year, you’ll be perfectly placed to progress to Year 1. The School of International Development is internationally renowned for its research. We work closely with the School of Environmental Sciences, which houses the Tyndall Centre for Climate Change Research and a research group on Science, Society and Sustainability.

Admissions Live Chat

What is International Development

Enrol on our free online course.

FIND OUT MORE >

What are the benefits of doing a foundation year course at UEA?

Hear from Foundation students across the University

WATCH >

Ask an Academic

Find out what life at our university is really like by chatting to our academics.

JUST ASK >

Environmental Justice

LEARN MORE >

BA GEOGRAPHY AND INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT WITH A FOUNDATION YEAR