Human Geography and Planning with a Professional Placement Year (Accredited) (BSc)

at Cardiff University

Course structure

This is a four-year full-time degree containing compulsory and optional modules.. Year three is spent working in professional practice. You will need to earn 120 credits a year. Modules are usually worth 20 credits with the final-year dissertation is worth 40 credits. 

The modules shown are an example of the typical curriculum and will be reviewed prior to the 2022/2023 academic year. The final modules will be published by September 2022.

Year one
You will be introduced to the core areas of geography and planning, covering issues such as the nature of geographical thinking and globalisation alongside the core elements of planning. You will also develop the essential skills for accessing and processing information which will underpin the rest of your academic journey.

Although you need to earn 120 credits, year one is an introductory year and the modules do not count towards the grade of your final degree.

Year two
The second year builds on year one, looking in more depth at the history of geographical thought, the economic and cultural sub-fields of geography, the core practical disciplines of planning, and planning’s application to a range of contemporary issues.

You are introduced to plans, policies and development management, environmental planning, planning and its operation in market contexts, the operation of local government, spatial analysis, research skills and the essential components of planning law, as well as geographical ideas and sustainable development.

In year two, you are supported with guidance and advice on the option to undertake a placement year as part of your degree, which is usually undertaken in the third year.

You can also choose to participate in an optional and subsidised field study visit.

Year three: Sandwich year
The placement year will give you valuable practical experience in professional practice and allow you to begin building your profile and network.

It is a period of supervised office training with an employing organisation which is prepared to deliver a diverse experience and a structured programme of work.

We will help you to secure a paid or unpaid placement, subject to availability. You can also explore opportunities with a wider range of employers if you have a specialist interest in a specific form of experience. Placements are offered by a variety of different employers in the private and public sectors, as well as in the third sector such as charitable trusts and campaigning organisations.

Year four
Your final year explores the broader relevance of geography to policy and society. Through the compulsory dissertation module, you will conduct your own research and produce an extended report. You will then mobilise the insights to explore how geographical knowledge can be used to change society.

A broad selection of option modules allows you to further specialise in your chosen area of Human Geography and Planning. You can also choose to participate in an optional and part-subsidised overseas field study visit.

A level
ABB-BBB. If you have grade B in the relevant language A-level you will have access to the languages advanced pathways.

Extended/International Project Qualification: Applicants with grade A in the EPQ/IPQ will typically receive an offer one grade lower than the standard A level offer. Please note that any subject specific requirements must still be met.

International Baccalaureate
32-31 overall or 665 in 3 HL subjects. If you have grade 6 in the relevant language at HL you will have access to the languages advanced pathways.

GCSE
Grade C or grade 4 in GCSE English Language.

IELTS (academic)
At least 6.5 overall with a minimum of 5.5 in each subskill.

TOEFL iBT
At least 90 overall with minimum scores of 17 for writing, 17 for listening, 18 for reading and 20 for speaking.

PTE Academic
At least 62 overall with a minimum of 59 in all communicative skills.

Trinity ISE II/III
II: at least two Distinctions and two Merits.
III: at least a Pass in all components.

Tuition fees for 2022 entry

Fees for home status

• £9,000    

Fees for overseas status

• £19,450    

We are committed to helping you achieve your professional ambitions, providing you with the skills, curiosity and confidence to make your mark in your chosen field.

There are numerous exciting and varied career opportunities open to graduates of this degree programme, and many occupy key positions in a range of public, private and third sector organisations. These include national and local governments, business consultancies, sustainable energy centres, environmental agencies, housing strategy companies, construction, and surveying.

Specific planning career pathways include surveying, design and development, as well as fields such as transport, economic development and urban regeneration. You could practise in local planning authorities, local and national government, neighbourhood planning organisations, transport organisations, private planning consultancies, private developers and environmental organisations in the United Kingdom, mainland Europe and internationally.