Design and Global Sustainable Development BASc
AAA at A level; graduates earn a median £33,000 three years on.
Typical A level offer
AAA
85% of entrants came with A levels · 100% stay on after year 1 · Warwick course page, Discover Uni
Year 13 · applying
What do you need to get in?
AAAtypical A level offer; aaa you will also need grade 4/c in gcse mathematics and grade 4/c in gcse english language. we do not require applicants to have formally studied subjects in art and design prior to application, but
Typical offer — the grades most applicants are asked for. Contextual offer: AAB, for applicants from under-represented backgrounds.
Warwick course page, read 19 September 2026 · Discover Uni entry profile
Who actually got in: 85% with A levels, 5% with the IB, 10% via Access courses, 5% with other higher education. 15% arrived with 208 or more UCAS tariff points — roughly A*A*A or better. Based on 15 entrants.
UCAS tariff points — a points scale for grades: A* = 56, A = 48, so A*A*A = 160. Entrants’ totals include extra subjects.
Other qualifications4
| Qualification | Typical offer | Required subjects |
|---|---|---|
| IB | 36 points36 You will also need grade 4/C in GCSE Mathematics and grade 4/C in GCSE English Language or International Baccalaureate grade 4 in English A (Higher or Standard Level), grade 4 in Higher Level Engli | — |
| BTEC | —We welcome applications from students taking BTECs alongside one or two A levels. | — |
| Advanced Highers | AAAA in two Advanced Highers and AAB in three additional Highers subjects. | — |
| Access | 45 Credits at Level 3, including Distinction in 33 Level 3 credits and Merit in We will consider applicants returning to study who are presenting a QAA-recognised Access to Higher Education Diploma on a case-by-case basis. Typically, we require 45 Credits at Level 3, including Di | — |
Years 1–3
What do you study?
8compulsory modules in year 1
Compulsory modules this year: arts & humanities 38% · green & sustainability 20% · transversal skills 20% · social & cultural skills 12%.
Module — one course unit, usually a term or a year long; “core” means everyone takes it. One UK credit is about ten hours of study; a full year is 120 credits.
Warwick course page · optional modules vary by year
Year 1 · 8 core · 120 credits ≈ 1,200 hours
- Design in Context
What you learn (9)
- explain key definitions and principles of design and designing
- describe theories and practices underpinning design work
- apply a range of research methodologies to design questions
- evaluate the effectiveness of different research methods
- describe designs as implemented, evolved and experienced
- evaluate designs from the viewpoints of different stakeholders
- apply knowledge from other disciplines to contextualise design analysis
- deepen critical evaluations of designs using cross-disciplinary insights
- identify ethical issues arising when conducting research
- Introduction to Design Practice
What you learn (12)
- describe design as a multi-domain discipline
- select creative methods suited to specific design challenges
- apply creative methods to address stakeholder needs
- explain how creativity, curiosity and play shape design practice
- develop an adaptable design methodology for complex problems
- use collaborative approaches to resolve complex design problems
- conduct creative research to inform design thinking
- define design problems through creative exploration
- generate and develop design concepts through ideation and making
- document design research and process using appropriate design methods
- evaluate design problems across different domains
- synthesise findings to construct coherent design narratives
- UX with Service Design
What you learn (8)
- describe different design thinking approaches used in UX and service design
- compare processes applied across ux and service design projects
- identify methods for researching users with varied needs
- design solutions that address diverse user needs
- explain how social context influences the design process
- explain how bias and inequality can shape design outcomes
- describe a design from the viewpoints of multiple stakeholders
- evaluate designs critically considering multiple stakeholder interests
- Visual Practice and Curiosity
What you learn (6)
- explain how visual languages are applied in creative and professional contexts
- apply fundamental graphic design techniques to produce visual work
- combine visual elements into a cohesive composite image
- evaluate design work constructively through peer critique
- express design principles through original visual work
- explore creative ideas driven by personal curiosity
- Economic Principles of Global Sustainable Development
What you learn (11)
- apply core economic principles to analyse sustainable development issues
- describe how economic activity links to social and environmental outcomes
- identify standard indicators used to measure economic development
- critique the limitations of conventional development measurement methods
- compare alternative frameworks for assessing sustainable economic progress
- explain theories of externalities and their relevance to policy intervention
- explain ethical and efficiency arguments for sustainable development intervention
- apply game theory to explain collective decision-making outcomes
- interpret abstract economic models relevant to sustainability
- apply quantitative data on global sustainability to evaluate policy design
- conduct independent research on an economic topic
- Environmental Principles of Global Sustainable Development
What you learn (11)
- explain the causes and extent of global environmental decline
- describe how human activities have affected the planet over time
- apply scientific knowledge when researching environmental sustainability issues
- analyse and present research findings on sustainability topics
- evaluate debates on environmental decline from multiple disciplinary viewpoints
- describe key academic concepts and frameworks used in sustainability studies
- evaluate governance approaches for improving global environmental sustainability
- conduct rigorous research on environmental issues to inform policy proposals
- formulate practice-based recommendations from environmental research findings
- present evidence-based policy proposals persuasively in writing
- present evidence-based policy proposals persuasively through oral argument
- Social Principles of Global Sustainable Development
What you learn (5)
- explain key global challenges using evidence-based reasoning
- describe social problems arising from specific economic development models
- evaluate explanations for uneven economic development between nations
- evaluate proposed strategies for reducing social inequality
- critique competing concepts of sustainable development in writing
- Global Sustainable Development (GSD) Project
What you learn (3)
- formulate research questions that break down sustainable transport problems
- design a research strategy selecting suitable methods to test hypotheses
- distinguish between types of evidence and assess them against scientific criteria
Year 2 · 5 core, 3 optional · 120 credits ≈ 1,200 hours
- Social Design
What you learn (5)
- explain theories underpinning social design practice
- describe methodologies used in social design practice
- explain key principles of design ethics and sustainability
- apply ethical and sustainable principles within professional design work
- describe suitable methods for researching communities and co-design
- Future Labs
What you learn (10)
- explain how complex systems are structured and interrelated
- produce visual diagrams to represent system analysis
- describe how social, natural and built environments interconnect
- design a creative artefact expressing future sustainable systems
- narrate future scenarios through design storytelling
- collaborate across disciplines to identify system pain points
- identify leverage areas within a complex system
- construct coherent narratives describing system behaviour
- communicate system narratives effectively to an audience
- apply a range of design research methods to a project
- Systemic Design
What you learn (8)
- explain key concepts of systemic design
- describe how systems thinking applies to design problems
- construct diagrams representing complex systems
- articulate narratives that explain system behaviour
- facilitate workshops involving multiple stakeholders
- present design ideas clearly to diverse audiences
- apply standardised qualitative research methods
- devise inventive approaches to qualitative inquiry
3 optional modules
- Health and Sustainable Development
What you learn (4)
- explain intended and unintended effects of health interventions and policies
- analyse how development processes and contextual change influence population health
- apply interdisciplinary frameworks to analyse global health problems
- use theoretical and practical tools to take action on global health challenges
- Security, Sovereignty and Sustainability in the Global Food System
What you learn (9)
- apply a food systems framework to identify sustainability issues in food production chains
- research sustainability issues arising across food production, processing and consumption
- analyse broad sustainability issues within the global food system
- evaluate technical responses proposed to address global food needs
- evaluate governance responses proposed to address global food needs
- explain key concepts of food security, sovereignty and sustainability
- apply these concepts critically to analyse food systems
- evaluate personal food consumption choices against sustainable development goals
- evaluate collective food consumption choices against sustainable development goals
- Inequalities and Sustainable Development: Inclusion and Dignity for All
What you learn (9)
- identify key features of inequalities in contemporary societies
- evaluate recent trends in inequality across local and global settings
- analyse debates linking inequality to socio-economic and environmental sustainability
- explain the complexity of sustainability-related policy problems
- assess challenges faced by policymakers addressing inequality
- describe cross-disciplinary theories explaining causes of inequality
- evaluate empirical evidence on consequences of inequality
- explain public attitudes towards inequality
- conduct independent research on inequality-related issues
Year 3 · 4 core, 5 optional · 90 credits ≈ 900 hours
- Dissertation/Independent Study
What you learn (7)
- design a feasible research project
- plan a research project schedule and approach
- carry out a research project according to plan
- manage the progress and resources of a research project
- produce an original research study on a current sustainability issue
- design an event to share research findings with the public
- present research findings to a public audience
5 optional modules
- Challenges of Climate Change (Term 1)
What you learn (10)
- explain the physical mechanisms that regulate the earth's climate system
- describe the complexity and uncertainty involved in reconstructing past climate
- describe the sources of uncertainty in projecting future climate change
- identify potential environmental, social and economic impacts of climate change
- evaluate alternative strategies for achieving carbon-free living
- compare the relative costs and benefits of different decarbonisation pathways
- describe mechanisms for adapting to or mitigating climate change
- identify examples of mechanisms currently or previously applied to address climate change
- evaluate prospects for developing new economic instruments to address climate change
- critique economic methods used to evaluate the impacts of climate change
- Debt, Money, and Global Sustainable Development
What you learn (8)
- apply cross-disciplinary perspectives to analyse finance and sustainability issues
- critique theoretical perspectives on money and debt in development contexts
- analyse the social consequences of global financial systems
- analyse the economic consequences of global financial systems
- analyse the environmental consequences of global financial systems
- evaluate contemporary debates on the role of finance in sustainable development
- design an independent research project on a finance and development topic
- present research findings clearly and concisely in writing
- The Energy Trilemma
What you learn (8)
- identify key issues around energy security, equity and sustainability globally
- evaluate differing government approaches to managing energy resources
- explain the importance of energy to economic growth and social well-being
- describe the benefits of collaboration among stakeholders in energy solutions
- explain the role of technology and innovation in sustainable energy development
- apply research skills to investigate energy-related topics
- synthesise academic and industry research into coherent outputs
- adapt research outputs to suit different audiences
“What you learn” restates each module’s published learning outcomes in our own words, as short skill statements in the same form as the GCSE and A level curriculum, with the help of an AI model; fields of knowledge follow the twelve fields of the knowledge sphere. The university’s module page, linked from each title, is the authoritative description.
After graduating
Where does it lead?
£33,000median pay three years after graduating
Lower quarter£28k
Median£33k
Upper quarter£40k
Median — the middle earner: half earned more, half less. Pay is for graduates of this subject at this university who finished in 2016-18, not adjusted for inflation; based on 55 graduates.
Discover Uni dataset (HESA and Office for Students, CC BY 4.0, contains HESA data); earnings from the Longitudinal Education Outcomes data (Department for Education) · aggregation level 13, 23
Half of graduates earned between £27,500 and £40,000. Five years on, the median is £40,500. 90% were in work or further study 15 months after finishing; 90% of those in work were in professional or managerial jobs.
All outcome figures7
| Measure | Value | Based on |
|---|---|---|
| Continue after year 10% left | 100% | 20 |
| In work or study, 15 months on0% studying | 90% | 15 |
| Professional or managerial job | 90% | 10 |
| Pay 15 months on, median | £32,000 | 20 |
| Pay 3 years on, median | £33,000 | 55 |
| Pay 5 years on, median | £40,500 | 55 |
Money
What does it cost?
£10,050a year for UK students, 2027/28 entry
Tuition fee loan — paid straight to the university; repayments start the April after you leave, at 9% of income above the threshold. UK fees are capped by government and rise with inflation; placement and study-abroad years are usually charged at a lower rate.
Warwick fees page · source
About £30,150 in fees over 3 years, covered by a tuition fee loan you repay only when earning above the threshold.
National Student Survey 2025-26
What do students say?
96%agreed the course was good overall (question 26)
NSS — a yearly survey of final-year students at every UK university; 94% of this course’s final year answered. Small groups can swing a lot year to year.
National Student Survey, via Discover Uni · 30 students answered
Highest: 100% agreed on question 1; lowest: 59% on question 14.
All questions26
| Question | Agree |
|---|---|
| Question 1 | 100% |
| Question 2 | 93% |
| Question 3 | 100% |
| Question 4 | 93% |
| Question 5 | 93% |
| Question 6 | 90% |
| Question 7 | 97% |
| Question 8 | 79% |
| Question 9 | 97% |
| Question 10 | 79% |
| Question 11 | 86% |
| Question 12 | 86% |
| Question 13 | 90% |
| Question 14 | 59% |
| Question 15 | 93% |
| Question 16 | 93% |
| Question 17 | 100% |
| Question 18 | 86% |
| Question 19 | 96% |
| Question 20 | 93% |
| Question 21 | 97% |
| Question 22 | 93% |
| Question 23 | 96% |
| Question 24 | 89% |
| Question 25 | 77% |
| Question 26 | 96% |
Question texts are published by the Office for Students; the dataset carries only the question numbers.
Modules, entry requirements and fees are facts read from University of Warwick’s course page on 2026-09-19 and may change; the university’s page is authoritative. Descriptions are not reproduced. Outcome figures are from the Discover Uni dataset. University of Warwick is a trade mark of the university; sch.today is independent of it.