Bachelor of Arts (Hons) in Human Geography and Planning

at Leeds Beckett University - City Campus United Kingdom

Flexible and varied, this course will thoroughly prepare you to meet the challenges of working in today's financial and business sectors.

As part of your course you’ll:

• Study a variety of topics in your modules to develop your employability prospects alongside your technical expertise
• Learn from staff with substantial professional experience through tutorials, seminars, lectures and group project work
• Benefit from a mix of approaches to teaching and assessment, including the use of industry-standard technology to make sure you become a work-ready graduate

We will encourage you to enhance your entrepreneurial skills through active participation in a range of national student competitions such as the IBM University Business Challenge.

Our guest lecture series will help support your development. Past speakers have included Will Holman, Deputy Agent for the Bank of England in Yorkshire and the Humber and Angela Knight, chair of the Office of Tax Simplification.

This course will enhance your theoretical knowledge and will provide an opportunity to put theory into practice. Your first semester critically engages with key theories and the second focuses on developing your analytical, investigative and practical skills. During the final part of your course, you will complete a major independent project.

Your modules offer perspectives on a broad range of topics in relation to the study of media and culture, such as the effect of globalisation on media consumption, the impact new media platforms have had upon fandom, and how cultural identities are marginalised through mediatized images.

Work will be evaluated via a range of innovative assessment methods, including pitching your work to industry experts. You will learn collaboratively through seminars, guest lectures and workshops, with a wealth of opportunities to give your learning real-world context.

From landscapes and air pollution to the politics of revolution, learn about how modern history continues to shape our world.

As part of this course, you’ll:

• Learn how historians look to the future based on their understanding of the past
• Expand your knowledge of social, cultural and political development from 1700 onwards
• Analyse documents including films, official records, personal narratives and letters in the context of global events
• Work directly with communities in Leeds and help uncover the city's rich history
• Gain transferable skills in research, writing and critical analysis to become a highly employable graduate

Explore design in the intersection between art, gaming and technology.

As part of your course you’ll:

• Apply the fundamentals of design theory to game art and related visual media
• Develop practical 2D/3D visualisation and compositional skills
• Establish your practice in the form of a personal portfolio
• Understand the application of critical studies in relation to game art and what is required when working on the production of digital assets within game engine and visualisation technologies
• Undertake personal, detailed academic and practical research in relation to your specialised subject area
• Validate your creative process through your dissertation and portfolio of work

You’ll engage with a series of stimulating summer projects before your course starts, designed to prepare you for first year of study.

Informed by an intellectually stimulating and challenging academic environment and developed in consultation with industry, including game studio and Rockstar Leeds, you’ll build a strong practical skillset focused on developing your creative practice.

Your learning will be results-driven, taught by staff with a wealth of experience in the principles, theory and application of design.  Our strong links with industry will give you opportunities to start building your professional network whilst you study.

Your attendance at annual events such Games Republic, London’s Vertex 2D/3D art conference and guest lectures by leading practitioners such as Disney Animator Aaron Blaise will give access to the world's best creatives.  

Specialist facilities:-
Within specialist facilities, software such as ZBrush, 3ds Max, Maya, Substance Painter, Adobe Creative Suite and HD screen-based drawing tablets, will provide you with the opportunity to reach your creative potential.

Examine our relationship with the natural environment and learn to understand and consider responses to the challenges of climate change, globalisation, urbanisation, development and regeneration.

As part of your course, you’ll:

• Explore a range of contemporary issues within geography and environmental science such as remote sensing, natural hazard management, energy and environmental governance, climate adaptation, GIS and specialist technical field work
• Develop your understanding of the relationships between human activity and environmental change and combine theories about the physical nature, characteristics and environment of the world with human interactions

We have an excellent network of employers who will be able to offer relevant experience to help you develop employability and personal skills to help prepare you for employment. We also offer a work placement module to hone your personal, professional and employability skills.

Field trips, which include visits to sites of geographical and environmental importance, will help you gain an understanding of real-world issues and develop competence in practical research skills.

Critically explore divisive political issues such as the 2017 snap general election, Brexit and the Donald Trump US Presidency.

As part of your course, you’ll:

• Examine politics as a human activity with a local, national and global outlook
• Study the ideas, ideologies, policies and institutions that form the foundations of modern politics
• Understand complex policy issues and advocate solutions to problems
• Evaluate the nature and distribution of power systems, processes and institutions of governance
• Analyse different interpretations of political events and issues, synthesising relevant information, exercising critical judgement and constructing reasoned arguments
• Analyse pressing issues facing us today, such as climate change, human rights, migration and the crisis of capitalism
• Explore how the role of the state, international power relations, ethics, and political movements and ideologies such as Marxism have profound implications for the organisation of our society
• Undertake a volunteering placement giving you work experience in the field
• Blend critical thinking, analytical and problem-solving skills

Develop your theoretical understanding, technical skills and creative practice in the emerging field of sonic arts through a series of lectures, seminars and workshops which aim to challenge preconceptions surrounding musical composition, performance and sound art.

You will explore varied approaches to sound practice through exposure to modern ideas and techniques in the areas of electroacoustic music, spatial sound, contemporary music thinking and sound interactivity. You will have the chance to investigate new software and hardware tools, inquire into the ideas and practical work of the most influential contemporary music thinkers, such as John Cage, Pierre Schaeffer and Brian Eno, and produce a variety of creative artefacts to begin building your own music and sound repertoire.

The course is delivered by a team of practitioners, whose work at the forefront of this field enjoy critical acclaim at an international level, and who will support you in preparing for a career in sound or further study.

Urban design recognises architecture and the city as a collective form of knowledge. It brings together professionals from a range of backgrounds who share a passion for improving the design of our urban environments.

Whether you have studied urban design, architecture, interdisciplinary design or planning, this course will enable you to network with practitioners, planners, architects and landscape architects to explore the role of urban design in the city.

This course will employ a research-by-design approach to understanding national and international cities. You will study governance as a spatial design concern and will gain a deep understanding of the formation of the city within diverse political, economic, social and cultural contexts. By developing your ability to apply theory to practice, you will appreciate the complexity of creating spaces across different structural layers.

You will study the latest methods and design theories relating to urban environments, exploring the development and resolution of projects and focusing on achieving environmental sustainability. Working with landscape architecture and town planning students, you will also address briefs provided by external clients, developing your ability to work as part of a team and making a significant contribution to innovative designs.

This course will prepare you to take the next step in your career if:

• Your first degree is in biomedical sciences or a related subject, or
• You don’t have a degree in this field, but you have significant experience of working in a biomedical sciences laboratory setting

As part of this course you’ll:

• Develop expertise to inform and underpin your research activities, so you’ll be well placed to undertake specialist laboratory-based roles or PhD study
• Study wide-ranging topics, from immunology and haematology to medical genetics and physiology
• Be supported in your development through taught sessions and the guidance of your research supervisor
• Learn through a range of activities, including tutor-led lab sessions, independent research and group assignments

With the next generation of games consoles upon us, the demand for 'Hollywood' quality soundtracks to match the increasingly impressive visuals in games has never been greater. If you are a sound designer or composer, this course gives you the opportunity to explore the issues and opportunities that interactivity presents.

Your course has been designed by a teaching team who have professional experience and links to the games industry, ensuring the latest developments in games audio are reflected in your study. You will gain up-to-date skills in sound design and interactive composition, and explore the importance of music and sound in other media.

You will have access to a suite of high-quality professional music studios, and you will develop your expertise using real-world game engines, middleware and prototyping tools to implement sound and music into games.

Our close links with local and national music, arts and festival organisations provide you with opportunities to test your knowledge and skills in a variety of practical settings.