BA (Hons) Global Development with a Placement Year

Course Overview

Have you ever wondered about the biggest issues in the world today? About how we tackle the challenges we face in our local communities, our national contexts, and in global society? Questions like: Why is there so much poverty and how can we reduce it? Why do racial, ethnic, class, gender and other inequalities persist and how can we change things? How can we mitigate climate change? You’ll learn to tackle these big questions – and many more – in our BA Global Development with a Placement Year. In your third year, you’ll have the invaluable opportunity to gain hands-on experience through a real-world work placement.

We take an innovative interdisciplinary approach to the study of global development, exploring the most pressing challenges of the 21st century from a range of different perspectives. Fusing insights from anthropology, economics, environmental sciences, geography, media, and politics, you’ll explore the most urgent global challenges of our time, from poverty to inequality, pandemics to climate change, education to civil war. You’ll also obtain research skills training. This combined with the truly interdisciplinary nature of this course, will develop you into a well-rounded social researcher with a range of skills that are attractive to employers.

You’ll be given a broad grounding in the key issues, organisations and practices of development, before choosing from a range of modules that extend and deepen your understanding of the subject. You can choose to specialise in particular themes, such as gender, education, migration, or conflict. You can develop your understanding of particular regions in the world, such as sub-Saharan Africa, South Asia, or Latin America. You can obtain a stronger grounding in the practices of development, or pursue your emerging interests in a particular area. This is an extremely flexible degree programme that you can tailor to suit your own interests.

By studying with us, you’ll join our close-knit academic community, made up of experts from across multiple disciplines, all housed within the School of Global Development. As such, you’ll benefit from a truly vibrant academic environment and learn from researchers who are making a real difference in the world.

At UEA, we’re amongst the best in the world for researching, teaching, and practicing development, and our students go on to work in a variety of rewarding careers in development, and beyond. Come and study with us and help to create a fairer world.

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 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.

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): 

• 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 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.

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.

Employability

You’ll graduate with knowledge and skills valued by a vast range of organisations related to global development and many of our graduates go on to work in this sector. 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 development and humanitarian work.

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.