BA (Hons) Geography and Economics (Placement Year) Bachelor's degree at Lancaster University

Whether studying climate change, habitat loss, or sustainable development, these fields require the ability to identify relevant information, organise data, draw meaningful inferences and communicate findings effectively. This module introduces you to some of the essential skills that you will need to support your studies, including how to access and critique existing information, present findings to a variety of audiences and consider ethical issues related to research design. We introduce you to key software programs that can be used to store and process information, produce figures and summaries from datasets and map spatial data. Mastering these skills will help you to maximise your lear

You will receive a thorough introduction to macroeconomics, which is the analysis of Economics at the aggregate level. The topics you will cover include national income analysis, monetary theory, business cycles, inflation, unemployment, and the great macroeconomic debates. The module lays the groundwork for further study in Economics. In addition to developing key theoretical concepts, we illustrate how these concepts can be applied to real-world examples. The module is self-contained and can be taken by students without prior knowledge of the subject. This module provides a less mathematical treatment of Macroeconomics than Principles of Macroeconomics.

This module offers a comprehensive introduction to microeconomics, which is the analysis of Economics at the level of the individual or firm. You will study topics including the theory of demand and supply, costs and pricing under various forms of market structure, and welfare economics. The module provides the foundations for further study in Economics. In addition to developing key theoretical concepts, we will also show how these concepts apply to real-life situations. The module is self-contained and can be taken by students with no prior knowledge of microeconomics. It takes a less mathematical approach to the subject than Principles of Microeconomics.

This module provides you with the foundations in development geography, environmental geography and economic geography. You will be taught through a combination of lectures and practical workshops ensuring that alongside geographical knowledge, you are developing core qualitative field skills such as interviews and critical academic skills such as literature review and essay writing.

Roll up your sleeves and carry out your own geographical research with a residential trip to Cumbria! Together, we’ll look at how to design good research and explore different methods used in human and physical geography. You’ll investigate the controversial project of rewilding, thinking about the benefits and challenges of returning land to nature. You’ll use research methods from both human and physical geography to deepen your understanding. Back in Lancaster, you’ll learn different ways to analyse, visualise and communicate geographical data.

This module provides you with the foundations in social geography, cultural geography and political geography. You will be taught through a combination of lectures and practical workshops ensuring that alongside geographical knowledge, you are developing core qualitative research skills such as working with documents and visual data and developing critical academic skills such as presentations and exam skills.

Explore international development through critical geographical perspectives. We start by understanding development both conceptually and historically, linking it to colonial histories and their ongoing impact today. We’ll also look at how development maps onto global inequalities. We explore the evolution of mainstream development discourses, including the Sustainable Development Goals, as well as alternative approaches like postdevelopment and decolonial theories. You’ll dive into specific issues like climate change adaptation in the global South, gender equality, rural development, food sovereignty, urban transformations and politics in the Majority World. We’ll examine how development id

Explore how real-world phenomena can be understood using macroeconomic models. This module will help you understand macroeconomic data and examine the implications of economic policies in both closed and open economies. By the end of the module, you will be able to interpret macroeconomic events and tackle macroeconomic questions using the concepts and methods presented in lectures and tutorials. We will focus on major issues related to economic growth, the causes of economic fluctuations, and the effectiveness of economic policy.

You will be introduced to key concepts from microeconomic theory and their application to consumer and firm decision-making. We begin with an overview of how firms make decisions under different market structures, different pricing structures, along with the welfare implications of these choices. Next, you will learn how consumers make decisions and how they respond to price changes. Our focus then shifts to strategic behaviour, incorporating a game-theoretic approach. We will also cover the significance of hidden information and hidden action. Additionally, we will discuss issues related to the modern business organisation, such as various models of auctions. Finally, you will cover topics

The contemporary world is full of fascinating political and economic changes. Both past and present crises in capitalism - from uneven wealth distribution to the challenges of the climate emergency - show that economy and politics cannot be understood separately. This module introduces key themes in both economic and political geography. For political geography, we’ll dive into themes like geopolitics, the nation state, borders, conflict and resistance. For economic geography, we’ll look at how the economy shapes and interacts with political issues. We’ll also explore the challenges and opportunities of bringing economic and political geographies together. By the end of the module, you’ll ha

This module aims to expand your knowledge on the topic of inequality and its relationship with the macroeconomy. It will introduce you to the measurement and analysis of inequality data, along with the underlying theory. The module also gives a brief overview of potential policy solutions to these issues. The topics covered include: skill accumulation discrimination luck mobility wealth accumulation the role of bequests The goal is to stimulate critical thinking by applying theoretical concepts to real-world examples and data.

You will be introduced to the key concepts, tools, and methods in environmental economics, along with several key policy applications of these topics. This module will equip you with the skills to analyse pressing environmental issues and explore potential solutions in terms of choices, trade-offs, and scarcity. The topics covered include: property rights and externalities benefit-cost analysis pollution control climate change dynamic efficiency and sustainability resource depletion ecosystem services management of natural resources such a fisheries

The world can appear infinitely complex, but when details are represented digitally it becomes easier to draw back, take new perspectives, simplify patterns and learn more about their underlying causes. Organisations of all kinds are interested in how spatial information can drive decisions, operations and policy; and the volume and variety of information captured about people, their surroundings and the planet is increasing rapidly. Geographical Information Systems (GIS) provide us with the environment and tools to explore and interact with socioeconomic, environmental, topographic and remotely sensed data in order to generate understanding. At the end of this module, you will be able to qu

Explores environmental geographies through empirical examples of our evolving relationship with the Earth and the sea. We build upon previously studied key concepts such as The Anthropocene and the role of non-western and indigenous knowledges, encouraging a more critical approach to the governance structures and justice frameworks that shape how human societies interact with the natural world. You’ll engage with global and local examples of environmental governance, the ethical dimensions of environmental justice and the socio-political dynamics that influence issues of equity, access and environmental rights. You will also explore the connections between human and physical geography, consi

This module introduces the core concepts and methods of econometric analysis and their applications in economics. It examines different types of economic data and how to handle them, the specification of econometric models, and their estimation and testing, with a focus on the classical linear regression model. We will take an intuitive and practical approach, emphasising the application of econometric techniques to real-world data as well as the interpretation and evaluation of the results, and the ways in which they can be used to inform business and policy decisions. An important part of the module is training in the use of specialised econometrics software. This module includes a practic

Travel to the Scottish Hebrides to broaden your understanding of sustainability as a social, economic and environmental concern. We will challenge you to think about sustainability as an interdisciplinary issue and consider the future of the planet. You will deepen your understanding of what sustainability means in an island context, learning about the culture, landscape and economy of the Scottish Hebrides. There is the opportunity to travel by ferry between Hebridean islands, considering the ways in which islanders, alongside the local authority and Scottish Government, have sought to promote sustainable practice. You will see examples of progressive and alternative approaches to issues su

You will study culture from a geographical perspective and explore space and the spatial from a cultural point of view. With social geography you will explore social inequalities, identities and relations in specific places and in their spatial dimensions. The module focuses on the key geographical concepts of landscape, place, space and mobilities, together with ideas of representation, belonging, aesthetics, the arts, (collective) memory, creativity, embodiment and justice. You will also develop an understanding of theories about culture, space, identity and power and their value in both conceptual and practical terms, developing your capacity to bring issues and perspectives of cultural a

You will spend this year working in a graduate-level placement role. This is an ideal opportunity to gain experience in an industry or sector that you might be considering working in once you graduate. Although it's up to you to find your placement we'll support you all the way. Our Careers Service will provide guidance on CVs, applications, interview techniques and creating a digital profile.

This module is designed to promote independent learning and allow you to apply the knowledge and skills from your degree to understand and analyse contemporary policy issues. You will be able to independently produce both written and verbal reports on current policy topics that are accessible to policymakers and senior managers in both the private and public sectors. The content of this module will focus on contemporary issues. In the past, topics have included: Is government debt a burden for future generations? What is the value of a degree? How are interest rates set? Business support during the pandemic: Essential support or fraud? How should we pay for social care? How can we help the l

This module helps you develop your critical writing skills. You’ll be guided through the process of researching and structuring a literature review, which is a key part of writing an academic essay. You’ll also learn how to engage with non-academic reports and other types of data to create a unique piece of writing. Working one-on-one with an academic supervisor on a topic of your choice, you’ll produce an extended piece of independent writing. You’ll have the option to submit your work as either an academic paper or a professional report, depending on your interests and career goals.

Humanity now lives predominantly in urban areas, with an incredible diversity of cities shaping daily life across the globe. In the 21st century, these cities are rapidly evolving and facing a host of complex challenges, from technological change and digital infrastructures to pressing issues of social justice, sustainability and resilience. This module introduces you to cutting-edge thinking about cities and urban life, questioning long-held assumptions and encouraging you to critically explore what cities are, how they function and who shapes them. You’ll engage with big questions such as: What is a city today? What forces are shaping urban transformation? And how can we address the challe

This module takes a critical and yet hands-on approach to exploring the role of eco-innovation as a pathway towards sustainable development. Through action-learning, you will identify and address real-world sustainability challenges by developing your own eco-innovation proposals – viable ideas with the potential to reduce human impact on the environment whilst simultaneously delivering to the economic and social ambitions of global sustainable development. You will work in small teams, while being introduced to key sustainability concepts and business planning approaches that can be combined to develop effective eco-innovations. Gain valuable transferable skills including team working, prob

This module invites you to explore the economic, historical and political geography of the Global South in all its diversity. You’ll examine the region’s rich socio-economic and cultural assets, while also unpacking the complex opportunities and challenges its people face in the 21st century. Using examples from places such as Africa, Latin America, the Caribbean and Asia, you’ll track the transformations from colonial histories to contemporary realities. You’ll learn about the different development strategies adopted by postcolonial states and investigate current issues around governance, climate change adaptation, natural resources and rural-urban connections. By considering these topics i

This field module focuses on the governance of dynamic and rapidly changing socio-ecological systems in tropical South East Asia – places often conceived as utopias. You will explore the concept of ‘utopia’ and how it relates to environment and development challenges, considering why they succeed or fail. Visit a range of sites that reflect a continuum of different management trajectories. Through these cases, you will explore related trade-offs and approaches to natural resource management. Engage with different stakeholders (e.g., policy makers, tourists, local farmers) to explore their differing views of utopia and preferred development and conservation trajectories and their implications

This module tackles issues in economic growth and development, with reference to key concepts, theory and empirics. In the first half of the module, we will take a macroeconomic perspective on the key growth challenges facing developing countries. This will include competing theories of growth, industrialisation, institutions and trade policy. In the second half, the module shifts to several microeconomic topics that examine the behaviours of households and individuals. Key issues covered will include poverty, inequality and anti-poverty policies, education, health, microfinance and credit markets, and risk and insurance.

This module provides a comprehensive exploration of international trade and global business dynamics, connecting theoretical models with practical policy implications. You will examine core trade theories including the Ricardian model, Heckscher-Ohlin model, and heterogeneous firm models. The module also offers in-depth analyses of international factor mobility, trade policies, and globalisation trends. On the international business side, you will study key topics such as global value chains, multinational firm strategies, international competitive advantage, and the economic impacts of outsourcing and offshoring. The module focuses on real-world applications, exploring how theoretical frame

This module offers a comprehensive exploration of labour and health economics, examining critical microeconomic dimensions of human capital and market dynamics. You will analyse labour market fundamentals including supply, demand, market policies, and workforce challenges such as unemployment, migration, and discrimination. The curriculum extends to education economics and personnel economics, investigating principal-agent problems and incentive structures within organisations. In addition, the module provides economic tools to critically examine healthcare systems, with a focus on the UK National Health Service and international healthcare models, emphasising empirical evidence and microeco

How are we transforming the way we supply and use energy to achieve our climate targets? In this cross-disciplinary module you will look at the major changes underway within our energy system. You will examine decarbonisation pathways in electricity, transport and heat, whilst considering supply and demand dynamics and carbon removal. Investigate real-world challenges including how to govern the energy system, economics, societal engagement and energy security. Through a combination of lecture, workshop and field-based activities, you will gain a ‘whole system view’ cutting across disciplines, enabling you to refine your critical thinking skills and ability to weigh up the opportunities and

The modern world is defined by unprecedented social and ecological crises: global heating, biodiversity decline, mounting economic inequality and the wicked problem of decarbonising society justly and equitably. You will approach these challenges head-on, asking how they were produced, by who, why and with what effects. You will be introduced to the field of political ecology and to some of its most influential conceptual approaches (degrowth, feminism, anti-colonialism and more). Together, we will ask and answer questions such as: What is climate justice? Why is it so difficult to decarbonise the global economy? How do items we use every day, from mobile phones, to clothing, coffee and wat

Our planet is shaped by ongoing geological, climatic and ecological processes that are increasingly dominated by mankind. Everywhere you look you will find change, but not all changes are important. To make informed decisions, we need to know how to test ideas and identify reliable trends. This module will teach you how to overlay spatial layers to answer increasingly complex questions about when and where changes are happening, whether they are connected, what is occurring in locations with incomplete data and to predict the magnitude and distribution of impacts? As more and more data is collected and shared by networked devices, corporations and remote sensing technologies, understanding s

This module builds on the foundations of monetary and fiscal policy analysis by placing policy decisions in a global context. The first part of the module emphasises the interpretation and analysis of macroeconomic data. You will learn how to apply empirical methods to understand fluctuations in output, employment, inflation, and trade balances. The second part focuses on the design and coordination of monetary and fiscal policy in an interconnected world. Special attention will be given to the challenges that central banks and governments face in managing global shocks. The topics covered will include international policy spillovers, exchange rate regimes, capital flows, and the evolving ro

Do you want to entertain and inspire children and the public in STEM? With an introduction to teaching as well as wider engagement opportunities, learn how to understand your audience and how to engage and enliven them. You will also learn how to balance this with educating them and presenting science in a way that’s appropriate to your audience. We include an introduction to pedagogy, how to inspire school pupils and how to use traditional and new media for science communication. You will deliver an activity of your choosing to an audience. This could be a lesson at school, engaging with children at a large outreach event or delivering a public lecture. In addition, you will also reflect on

During this field trip you will actively engage with the Geography of the cities of Glasgow and Edinburgh. You will explore the contested futures of these places and how this contestation plays out in relation to topics like activism, national identity, ethnic diversity, housing and tourism. You will then be in a position to use your experience and insight to inform your reading and understanding of the extensive existing academic literature on these unique cities. You will develop an understanding of the cultural, economic, political and social processes that contribute to the formation and differentiation of places, through both conceptual analysis and experiential and empirical fieldwork.