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BSc Geography and Urban and Regional Planning with Year Abroad

Duration
4 Years
UCAS code
LK75
Course Type
Undergraduate, Single Honours
Fees
£9,250 (Home/EU - 2025-26)
£23,660 Fee Band 1c (International Students - 2025-26)
More detail

The Geography and Urban and Regional Planning BSc explores the big issues facing societies in the physical and natural environment, including urban regeneration, mitigation of and adaptation to climate change, sustainable development, community involvement and transport infrastructure. Our course delivers the theoretical and practical expertise required to take informed decisions about the future of our towns and cities for a more sustainable and healthy environment. 

Urban and regional planning lies at the heart of the major challenges that face existing and future generations. Decisions that are taken today can have a major impact on what happens to our towns and cities in the future, so it is important that we get those decisions right. Only by having an in-depth understanding of the way our towns and cities work can we hope to make informed decisions about the future of the built environment.

Our Department of Geography, Earth and Environmental Sciences is home to one of the leading groups of planning academics, providing unparalleled mentorship and cutting-edge research opportunities.

You will have access to a wide range of modules in one of the largest and most vibrant geography departments in the country, on top of the flexibility and choice offered in planning.

There is a lot of practitioner input into the programme and there are opportunities for European field trips – this year it was to Berlin – and professional placements.

The programme is also recognised by the Royal Town Planning Institute (RTPI) as a spatial accredited qualification, meaning that it provides a first step towards Chartered Membership of this Institute. 

The course has given me a range of academic and transferable skills and what I’ve found most enjoyable are certainly the practical elements of the course. Working with practitioners and real-life planning and development projects has really allowed me to use the skills I have learnt and be able to visualise a career in planning.

Jadine Havill, BSc Geography and Urban and Regional Planning

Why study this course?

  • The programme is recognised by the Royal Town Planning Institute (RTPI) as a spatial accredited qualification, meaning that it provides a first step towards Chartered Membership of this Institute. 

  • International reputation of the Centre for Urban and Regional Studies (CURS) will be integral to your degree studies, in both the research and practice of urban planning and environmental management.  
  • Embedded within the city of Birmingham the staff and students work closely with public bodies and private companies within the UK’s second city, exploiting the huge wealth of experience and history on our doorstep.
  • Access to diverse modules in one of the largest and most vibrant geography departments in the country, on top of the flexibility and choice offered in planning.
  • Broad horizons with a year abroad undertaking study with one of our partner institutions following our very well-established and well-supported international year programs with the School.
  • Gain the knowledge and skills for a fulfilling career making a difference to how we and future generations will inhabit urban spaces.

Modules

We are committed to continual improvement of our programmes and to ensuring we respond to the changing needs of the world and our student body. As such, we are in the process of updating our year one curriculum for this course (to be launched in 2025-26). These changes have been developed with student and staff consultation and have research-based teaching at their core. Our core programme outcomes have not changed, but module structures in year one have. Below you can find a list of the modules that will be taught in the new Year 1 curriculum.

Below you can find the module titles that will be taught in 2025 to give you a sense of what you will learn.

Please note: You will take 120 credits of modules in each year of study. The modules listed on the website for this programme are regularly reviewed to ensure they are up-to-date and informed by the latest research and teaching methods. Unless indicated otherwise, the modules listed for this programme are for students starting in 2025. On rare occasions, we may need to make unexpected changes to compulsory modules; in this event, we will contact offer holders as soon as possible to inform or consult them as appropriate.

Year 1

Compulsory modules

  • Societies, Space and Place
  • Our dynamic world: Exploring Environmental and Landscape change
  • Planning and the Built Environment
  • Research Methods and Design 
  • Geography and Planning in the field
  • Cities in Transition

Year 2

Compulsory modules

Optional modules - Example optional modules may include:

Year 3

  • Study Abroad (Geography)

Year 4

Compulsory modules

Optional modules - Example optional modules may include:

Please note: The modules listed on the website for this programme are regularly reviewed to ensure they are up-to-date and informed by the latest research and teaching methods. Unless indicated otherwise, the modules listed for this programme are for students starting in 2024. On rare occasions, we may need to make unexpected changes to compulsory modules after that date; in this event we will contact offer holders as soon as possible to inform or consult them as appropriate.

Fees

£9,250 (Home - 2025-25)
£23,660 Fee Band 1c (International Students - 2025-26)

More detail

Learn more about fees and funding

Scholarships
Learn more about our scholarships and awards

How To Apply

Apply through UCAS at www.ucas.com  
Learn more about applying

Standard offer

International Requirements



Number of A levels required:
3
Typical offer:
ABB

Specified subjects excluded for entry: General Studies and Critical Thinking

BTEC Extended Diploma will not be considered without suitable Geography content or additional A level - contact us for further guidance.

BTEC Diploma accepted in combination with an A level.

BTEC Extended Certificate accepted in combination with two A levels.

Alternative offers through our Pathways to Birmingham programmes and our Contextual Offer scheme 

Students who are eligible and successfully complete a Pathways to Birmingham programme will receive special consideration from admissions tutors and an alternative offer (typically two grades below the standard offer). In addition, our Contextual Offer Scheme recognises the potential of students whose personal circumstances may have restricted achievement in school or college. If you are eligible to benefit from the contextual offer scheme, you will receive an offer which is one grade lower than the standard offer.

Alternative offers through our Pathways to Birmingham programmes and our Contextual Offer scheme

Students who are eligible and successfully complete a Pathways to Birmingham programme will receive special consideration from admissions tutors and an alternative offer (typically two grades below the standard offer). In addition, our Contextual Offer Scheme recognises the potential of students whose personal circumstances may have restricted achievement in school or college. If you are eligible to benefit from the contextual offer scheme, you will receive an offer which is one grade lower than the standard offer.

International Students

International Baccalaureate Diploma: 6, 5, 5 in Higher level subjects plus 32 points overall. Higher level subjects need to include the required subjects as defined for the A-level qualification, where applicable.

Learn more about international entry requirements (link to: https://www.birmingham.ac.uk/study/undergraduate/apply/entry-requirements).

Depending on your chosen course of study, you may also be interested in one of our foundation pathways, which offer specially structured programmes for international students whose qualifications are not accepted for direct entry to UK universities.

Learn more about international entry requirements

Depending on your chosen course of study, you may also be interested in one of our foundation pathways, which offer specially structured programmes for international students whose qualifications are not accepted for direct entry to UK universities. Further details can be found on Birmingham International Academy web pages.

The learning experience at Birmingham combines a wide variety of study methods extending far beyond the lecture theatre, to include extensive fieldwork, practical work and tutorials. 

How you will learn

We use a number of different teaching and assessment methods including lectures, essays, group and individual work and formal examinations, culminating in an extended essay in Year three. Throughout the degree you will receive personalised support from a dedicated team of academic and support staff.

Fieldwork

Fieldwork is included as part of this programme, and there are opportunities for European field trips to locations such as Berlin.

Support

You will have access to a comprehensive support system to help you make the transition to Higher Education.

  • Personal tutors - You will be assigned your own personal tutor who will get to know you as you progress through your studies. They will provide academic support and advice to enable you to make the most of your time here at Birmingham.
  • Wellbeing officers - We have dedicated wellbeing officers who provide professional support, advice and guidance to students across a range of issues. They can meet with you to discuss extensions, disabilities, reasonable adjustments, extenuating circumstances, or talk through any problems you might be experiencing, and help you access wider support on campus and beyond.
  • Academic Skills Centre - The centre aims to help you become a more effective and independent learner through a range of high-quality support services. The centre offers workshops on a range of topics, such as note-taking, reading, academic writing and presentation skills.
  • Student experience - Our Student Experience Team will help you get the most out of your academic experience. They will offer research opportunities, study skills support and help you prepare for your post-university careers. They will also organise social events, such as field trips, to help you meet fellow students from your course.

During your first year it is important that you have a smooth transition into university. You will be able to talk to your tutors about this and discuss if there are particular areas where you need support.

Lecturers and world leading researchers

You will be taught by a mixture of professors, doctors and doctoral researchers, thereby receiving a rich diversity of academic knowledge and experience. You can find out more about the members of staff in the School of Geography, Earth and Environmental Sciences where you can read about their qualifications, publication history and specific areas of interest.

Our cutting-edge teaching programme is built on a foundation of over one hundred years of research and teaching excellence. From the outset you will be encouraged to become an independent and self-motivated learner shaping your own intellectual development with us. You will learn from academic specialists at the top of their fields and the world-leading research they carry out feeds directly into our degree programmes. The research-led teaching on our flexible degree courses ensures an inspirational and enquiry-based learning environment in the classroom, lab and field.

Resources and facilities

As well as lectures, tutorials and practical classes you will have access to extensive educational facilities across the School and University including library resources, a well-equipped map room, state-of-the-art laboratory and IT facilities, and purpose-built learning spaces.

Contact Hours

In Years 1 and 2 of your Planning degree you can expect to average between 10-14 hours of lectures and classes per week. In addition, there are residential field courses in both years. In your final year, more of your time will be spent on an independent research project and independent study; therefore, you can expect to average between 6-9 hours of contact time spent in lectures, seminars and tutorials.

Assessment Methods

At the beginning of each module, you'll be given information on how and when you'll be assessed for that particular programme of study. You'll receive feedback on each assessment within four weeks, so that you can learn from and build on what you have done.

Studying at degree-level is likely to be very different from your previous experience of learning and teaching. You will be expected to think, discuss and engage critically with the subject and find things out for yourself. We will enable you to make this transition to a new style of learning, and the way that you are assessed during your studies will help you develop the essential skills you need to make a success of your time at Birmingham.

During your first year you will be given a formal transition review to see how you are getting on and if there are particular areas where you may need support. Your personal tutor who is based in the School can help with any academic issues you encounter.

A Planning degree from Birmingham provides a raft of opportunities in the private and public sectors, both of which demand the skills and know-how you will acquire with us, such as business acumen, groupworking abilities and technical expertise. The good news is that as our towns and cities are constantly evolving there will always be a need for planning as an activity. 

Where could a Planning degree take you?

Past experience has shown that this degree opens doors to a wide variety of lucrative careers in the built environment. Potential career opportunities in Britain and overseas include town and country planning, inner-city regeneration, sustainable development, housing and conservation, property development or estates management, planning in developing and transitional countries, management traineeships in the public or private sectors, and teaching. Other students continue in education with further postgraduate study.

You will leave with a range of skills relevant to careers beyond planning and its related fields. Our graduates are welcomed by a range of employers including central and local government; government agencies; property consultancies; planning and urban design consultancies; broader built environment consultancies; private companies and utilities; and developers. Actual recent career destinations for our students have included the Environment Agency, Homes and Community Agency, Birmingham City Council; Wyre Forest District Council; Redditch Borough Council; National Grid; King Sturge; Turley Associates; Lambert Smith Hampton; CBRE; Pegasus Planning Group to name a few.

Many of our graduates also go on to pursue postgraduate studies in planning or other subjects, including through the University of Birmingham’s RTPI accredited Master’s Course in Urban and Regional Planning.

See examples of what our graduates go on to do.

Transferable skills

Our graduates have exciting and varied career paths. Our degrees are designed with employers in mind enabling you to develop a unique blend of general, specialist and, crucially, transferable skills. From data analysis and problem solving to communication and team-working, these transferable skills are highly valued by employers and will enhance your employability in the competitive job market.

Careers network

Careers Network, our unique careers guidance service is tailored to your academic subject area. Our team source exclusive work experience opportunities to help you stand out amongst the competition, with mentoring, global internships and placements available to you.  Once you have a career in your sights, one-to-one support with CVs and job applications will help give you the edge. In addition, our employer-endorsed award-winning Personal Skills Award (PSA) recognises your extra-curricular activities, and provides an accredited employability programme designed to improve your career prospects.