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Global Development at UEA
Find out more about studying Global Development at UEA, and browse our other courses.
Find out moreBA (Hons) Geography with Global Development with a Year Abroad
Key details
- Award
- Degree of Bachelor of Arts
- UCAS Course Code
- LL7A
- Typical Offer
- ABB
- Contextual Offer
- BBC
- Course Length
- 4 years
- Course Start Date
- September 2025
Other Start Dates
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Other Start Dates
1st
UEA is ranked 1st overall for research quality in Development Studies
Times Higher Education REF 202195%
Of graduates go on to work and/or study within 15 months after the course
Graduate Outcome Survey 20201st
in the UK for research quality in Geography and Environmental Science.
The Complete University Guide 2026Course Overview
The world is more interconnected than ever before, and is facing urgent global challenges such as food insecurity, conflict, social justice and the environmental crisis. Now, more than ever, there’s a need for geographers with a truly global perspective. Our BA in Geography and Global Development with a Year Abroad prepares you to think globally and work towards a just and sustainable future.
You’ll study critical contemporary issues from a geographical perspective – including poverty, race, gender, health, migration, the environment, artificial intelligence and cities – with a focus on the relationship between people, place, and transformative social justice. You’ll gain key practical skills, including the use of Geographical Information Systems (GIS), cross-cultural communication, policy analysis, problem-solving, and fieldwork skills. You can also develop your understanding of specific regions of the world, such as sub-Saharan Africa, South Asia, and Latin America.
Fieldwork is a vital part of this degree and all students have the chance to go on residential trips in the UK and abroad. In your third year you’ll have the rewarding opportunity to learn at one of our many partner universities around the world, studying modules that complement your studies at UEA. In recent years, students have gone to universities in Ghana, Mexico, Japan, and Australia, amongst many others.
UEA is the ideal place to study for a BA in Geography and Global Development. We’ve been rated 1st in the UK for research quality in both Development Studies (REF 2021) and Geography and Environmental Science (Complete University Guide 2025). By studying with us, in the vibrant city of Norwich, you’ll join our welcoming and close-knit academic community. You’ll work alongside world-renowned geographers as well as experts in politics, anthropology, economics and the environment – all within the School of Global Development. Our academics work across every region of the world, and you'll benefit from their connections and expertise in countries as diverse as Uganda, India, and Chile.
A degree in Geography and Global Development will prepare you for an exciting and rewarding career in a range of sectors including tourism, urban and regional planning, environmental sustainability, law, government, NGOs, and more. According to the Royal Geographical Society, geography graduates have the joint highest employment rates amongst social scientists and command some of the highest salaries.
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Field Trips
UK and overseas fieldtrips are a key feature of this course
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Development Work Placements
Gain hand-on experience through our various Development Work Placement options in the UK or oversees.
Study Abroad
You’ll spend your third year studying abroad before returning to UEA for your final year. You can choose from a broad range of partner universities across Europe, North America, Latin America, Africa, Asia, Australia, and New Zealand.
Your time abroad gives you valuable insights and practical experience in a different country, as well as the chance to develop the personal skills employers seek.
For further details, visit the Study Abroad section of our website.
Accreditations
This course is accredited by the Royal Geographical Society (with IBG). Accredited degree programmes contain a solid academic foundation in geographical knowledge and skills, and prepare graduates to address the needs of the world beyond higher education. The accreditation criteria require evidence that graduates from accredited programmes meet defined sets of learning outcomes, including subject knowledge, technical ability and transferable skills.
Careers
Career Pathways
Examples of careers that you could enter include:
- UK Government and planning
- Business
- Technology, including geospatial
- Charitable sector in the UK and globally
- Environmental management and the green economy
- Teaching
Discover more on our Careers webpages.
After the Course
You’ll graduate with knowledge and skills valued by a vast range of organisations related to geography and global development. Many of our graduates go on to work in related roles in policy and advocacy, these include government agencies, the United Nations, private sector companies, consultancy firms, and the many hundreds of large and small non-government organisations that focus on social and environmental issues and humanitarian work. Furthermore, geographers are renowned for being ‘systems-thinkers’, focusing on people and our relationships with the environment. Trained geographers contribute to advocating for liable climates, influencing social policy, and managing resources.
Alternatively, you could use the academic and transferable skills gained from our degrees for careers in business, the voluntary and public sector, education, and academia. Geography provides an ideal set of skills and understandings for approaching a myriad of career choices.
Entry Requirements
- This course is open to
UK and International fee-paying students. Choose UK or International above to see relevant information. The entry point is in September each year.
We welcome and value a wide range of qualifications, and we recognise that some students might take a mixture of different qualifications. We have listed typical examples that we accept for entry.
You should hold or be working towards the specified English and Mathematics requirements and one of the examples of typical entry qualifications listed below. If your qualifications aren’t listed, or if you are taking a combination of qualifications that isn’t specified, please contact Admissions.
- English and Mathematics
All applicants must hold or be working towards GCSEs in English Language and Mathematics at minimum grade C or grade C.
We accept a wide range of English Language qualifications, please see our English Language equivalencies(opens in a new window) page.
- Contextual Offers
UEA are committed to ensuring that Higher Education is accessible to all, regardless of their background or experiences. One of the ways we do this is through our contextual admissions schemes(opens in a new window).
- Typical UK Entry Requirements
A levels
ABB
Contextual offer: BBC
BTEC
Level 3 Extended Diploma: DDM
Contextual offer: DMM
Combinations of BTEC and A levels
Extended Diploma: DDM
Contextual: DMM
Diploma: DD plus B at A level.
Contextual: DD plus C at A level.
Extended Certificate: D plus BB at A level.
Contextual: D plus BC at A level.
BTEC in Public Services, Uniformed Services and Business Administration are all excluded from our BTEC offers
Access to HE Diploma
Pass Access to HE Diploma with Distinction in 30 credits at Level 3 and Merit in 15 credits at Level 3
T levels
Obtain an overall Pass including a B in the core of the T Level and a Distinction in the Occupational Specialism.
Any subject is acceptable.
Foundation Year options:
If you do not meet the academic requirements for direct entry, you may be interested in one of our Foundation Year programmes such as - Geography with Global Development with a Foundation Year (opens in a new window)
- Further Examples of Typical Entry Requirements
International Baccalaureate
32 points overall
Irish Leaving Certificate
3 subjects at H2, 3 subjects at H3
Scottish Highers
AAABB
Scottish Advanced Highers
BCC A combination of Advanced Highers and Highers may be acceptable
- Deferred Entry
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.
- Admissions Policy
Our Admissions Policy applies to the admissions of all undergraduate applicants.
- This course is open to
UK and International fee-paying students. Choose UK or International above to see relevant information. The entry point is in September each year.
We welcome and value a wide range of qualifications, and we recognise that some students might take a mixture of different qualifications. We have listed typical examples that we accept for entry.
You should hold or be working towards the specified English and Mathematics requirements and one of the examples of typical entry qualifications listed below. If your qualifications aren’t listed, or if you are taking a combination of qualifications that isn’t specified, please contact Admissions.
- English and Mathematics
All applicants must hold or be working towards GCSEs in English Language and Mathematics at minimum grade C or grade C.
We accept a wide range of English Language qualifications, please see our English Language equivalencies(opens in a new window) page.
- Typical International Entry Requirements
We accept many international qualifications for entry to this course. For specific details about your country, view our information for International Students(opens in a new window).
A levels
ABB
BTEC
Level 3 Extended Diploma: DDM
Combinations of BTEC and A levels
Extended Diploma: DDM
Diploma: DD plus B at A level.
Extended Certificate: D plus BB at A level.
BTEC in Public Services, Uniformed Services and Business Administration are all excluded from our BTEC offers
International Baccalaureate
32 points overall
- INTO UEA
If you do not meet the academic and/or English language requirements for direct entry our partner, INTO UEA offers progression on to this undergraduate degree upon successful completion of a preparation programme. Depending on your interests, and your qualifications you can take a variety of routes to this degree.
- English 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):
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IELTS: 6.0 overall (minimum 5.5 in all components)
We also accept a number of other English language tests. Review our English Language Equivalencies(opens in a new window) for a list of example qualifications that we may accept to meet this requirement.
Test dates should be within two years of the course start date.
If you do not yet meet the English language requirements for this course, INTO UEA offer a variety of English language programmes which are designed to help you develop the English skills necessary for successful undergraduate study.
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- Deferred Entry
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.
- Admissions Policy
Our Admissions Policy applies to the admissions of all undergraduate applicants.
Fees and Funding
Tuition Fees
View our information for Tuition Fees.
Scholarships and Bursaries
We are committed to ensuring that costs do not act as a barrier to those aspiring to come to a world leading university and have developed a funding package to reward those with excellent qualifications and assist those from lower income backgrounds. View our range of Scholarships for eligibility, details of how to apply and closing dates.
Course Related Costs
During your year abroad, you're eligible for reduced fees. Further details are available on our Tuition Fee webpage.
Extra costs, related to items such as your travel and accommodation during your year abroad, will vary depending on location.
Please see Additional Course Fees for details of other course-related costs.
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How to Apply
Apply for this course through the Universities and Colleges Admissions Services (UCAS), using UCAS Hub.
UCAS Hub is a secure online application system that allows you to apply for full-time undergraduate courses at universities and colleges in the United Kingdom.
Your application does not have to be completed all at once. Register or sign in to UCAS to get started.
Once you submit your completed application, UCAS will process it and send it to your chosen universities and colleges.
The Institution code for the University of East Anglia is E14.
View our guide to applying through UCAS for useful tips, key dates and further information: