Newcastle University

Geography and Planning BA Honours
UCAS Code: LK74 (3 Years)

• Course Overview
• Modules
• Entry Requirements
• Careers
• Finance

This degree offers students the opportunity to combine the study of human geography with issues relating to urban planning.

You will learn about the social forces that shape our society and spaces we live in, and will discover a variety of techniques for ‘reading’ cities and spaces. You will examine the practices of public planning and design, and explore the political and democratic factors which influence it.

You will study key themes throughout your degree:

• social and cultural development – concerned with understanding the social forces that are reshaping our society
• urban and regional development – exploring the changing patterns of urban and regional activity
• planning – examining the processes and practices of public planning and control

The degree integrates core areas from our geography and urban planning degrees and is designed to develop graduates with strong analytical skills and practical implementation abilities. You study a broad range of theory and practice, including building design, mapping science, global social and economic change, and local environmental initiatives.

Students gain a wide range of knowledge and practical skills that can lead to a range of careers. Previous graduates have gone on to work as planners or surveyors, or in organisations such as Natural England or National Park authorities.

Quality and ranking

Geography at Newcastle ranks in the top 30 universities in the world in the QS World University Rankings by Subject.

Professional accreditation

Stage 1 of this degree is accredited by the Royal Town Planning Institute (RTPI). Successful completion of Stage 1 means you may be able to transfer to Stage 2 of our Master of Planning MPlan Honours or Urban Planning BA Honours degree, offering a more direct route to a career as a planner.

Teaching and assessment

All of our geography courses enjoy a high level of staff and student interaction, including tutorials, lectures, laboratory work and seminars. 

You will be assessed by a combination of examinations and course work, which may include reports, essays, presentations and data analysis. All modules also require a considerable amount of independent study, culminating in a dissertation under expert supervision in Stage 3. Teaching and assessment methods may vary from module to module; more information can be found in our individual module listings.

Geography and Planning at Newcastle

As a Geography and Planning student at Newcastle, you will be part of the University’s School of Architecture, Planning and Landscape. This is Britain’s largest and longest-established planning school, with excellence in town planning, architecture, landscape architecture, urban design and digital architecture.

You will also spend time in the School of Geography, Politics and Sociology in the Daysh Building where you’ll become part of a really lively community of staff and students. The Geography society is one of the largest in the University, and provides a wide range of activities and support that helps our students feel at home.