Block 1 modules

Climate change is one of the defining issues facing our world today, but how can it be communicated effectively?

In this module, you will explore the role of journalism and media in shaping public understanding of climate change. Using real-world case studies, you will examine how climate issues are communicated, why some messages succeed while others fail, and how communication can influence attitudes and action.

Through interactive workshops, you will develop practical journalism and communication skills while designing creative solutions to contemporary climate communication challenges

This module is new for 2027 and subject to final approval.

Intercultural skills and awareness are essential in our increasingly globalised lives. This module will introduce key issues and concepts in intercultural studies. You’ll examine these issues from cultural, historical, political and theoretical perspectives. You’ll also have the opportunity to develop your intercultural skills.

The module explores intercultural practices in digital environments. In particular, you’ll consider issues of power, creativity and manipulation.

This module usually includes a walking tour of ‘Little Germany’ in Bradford. During the field trip, you’ll examine the city’s multicultural past and present.

Read the full description of Intercultural encounters in the module catalogue.

Are you interested in digital photography and making photographic images? Do you want to develop your practical digital camera skills?

This module will give you an understanding of how a digital camera works and how to interpret and evaluate photographic images. You’ll also learn how to compose a photographic image and how to expose a photograph correctly. You’ll gain critical insight through the study of existing photographic images and the work of key photographers. As you progress your digital photography skills you’ll produce a portfolio of your own images.

Please note you’re expected to use your own digital camera for this module.

This module usually includes a field trip to Fountains Abbey.

The field trips for this module give an extra practical experience to the things that you learn in the class which is fantastic.

Read the full description of Introduction to digital photography in the module catalogue.

Are you ready to take the lead in global creative industries? This rapidly growing field is diverse and dynamic, offering more rewards than most. In this module, you will dive into the world of global creative industries: understanding what they are, how they operate, and their positive impact on the world.

You will discover the sources of social and commercial value that stem from creativity in global contexts. Additionally, you will explore business models that ensure the success and sustainability of these industries.

The module also covers essential skills needed to thrive in this complex and evolving environment, such as leadership, communication, financial management and innovation. Ultimately, this module aims to help you find your place in this exciting and expanding world of opportunities.

Read the full description of Introduction to global creative industries in the module catalogue.

Country houses (stately homes) are one of Britain’s greatest contributions to world culture, but who created them and why? Have they always functioned as ‘containers’ for art collections or have they had deeper meanings and a wider social impact?

Using Yorkshire’s world-class country houses as case studies, this course will introduce you to topics such as the builders of the country house, the rise and fall of the great estates and the ‘upstairs’ lives of the men, women and children who lived in the country house and the ‘downstairs’ world of the men and women who served them.

​​​​​​Tutor-led visits to houses such as Hardwick Hall, Harewood House and Castle Howard are an important feature of this course.

Castle Howard was unique and the story behind it was interesting. It is not a place I knew about before taking the module and would have never found out about it on my own.

Read the full description of The English country house in the module catalogue.

Imagine turning mountains of marketing data into crystal-clear insights—without needing expensive software or a team of data scientists. This module is your route to smarter decisions, sharper strategies, and stronger results. Whether you are a marketing student, a budding startup founder, or are interested in the power of analytics, this module will show you how to harness the power of AI—specifically Microsoft’s Copilot—to clean, analyse, and visualize data like a pro. You will cover the following topics:  

• Reading and manipulating data   
• Tabulation and descriptive statistics   
• Data transformation and distributions   
• Data visualisation bivariate analysis   
• Understanding new product development by using factor analysis   
• Understanding segmentation by using cluster analysis   
• Choice models using logistic regression   
• Marketing mix models using linear regression 

Read the full description of AI powered marketing analytics in the module catalogue.

This module offers you the opportunity to use the Business School’s Behaviour Lab, equipping you with the skills and knowledge to apply behavioural sciences in your studies and research. It covers essential theories and concepts to help you develop a career in behavioural sciences, whether in business, public policy, research or consultancy.

The module provides practical experience in designing interventions, analysing data and applying theories to real-world challenges through case studies and lab-based learning.

You will gain an understanding of behavioural science, enhance your practical skills, foster research competence, and develop the critical thinking and analytical skills needed to interpret behavioural data and make recommendations for changing individual and organisational behaviour. Additionally, you will understand the ethical and practical considerations involved in conducting behavioural research and interventions.

The module usually includes a field trip to Manchester United.

Read the full description of Behavioural science for business in the module catalogue.

Entrepreneurship plays an important role in society. Across the world micro, small and medium enterprises are providing livelihoods for millions. Increasingly we are seeing the emergence of new ‘for-purpose’ business forms. They seek to create social and environmental value as well as the more traditional economic benefits. 

This module explores various types of for-purpose businesses such as social enterprises, for example Certified B-Corps, Fairtrade and hybrids. You’ll also consider some of the key founders that have shaped these businesses and the emergence of new ideas as microfinance. The module also considers how traditional corporates can be more socially responsible.  

The module usually includes a field trip to places of interest related to the module such as the National Coal Mining Museum or Leeds Recycling and Energy Recovery Facility.  

The teachers encouraged interaction in the lessons, and they provided plenty of opportunities for group discussion and sharing our own opinions. It made the teaching more interesting and lively, and I enjoyed my time in class. 

Read the full description of Entrepreneurship and society: ideas, opportunities and value creation in the module catalogue. 

In today’s interconnected world, services dominate global economies, accounting for over 70% of global gross domestic product (GDP), and digital technologies are transforming how they are delivered and experienced.

This module explores how organisations design, manage and innovate services in a global and digital context. You’ll examine how businesses use digital tools, artificial intelligence and data analytics to enhance service quality and customer engagement across international markets.

Through interactive seminars and real-world case studies, you’ll learn to apply real-world marketing frameworks such as the ‘gaps’ model and explore strategies for improving customer satisfaction and loyalty. You’ll also investigate how cultural differences and emerging technologies shape service experiences globally.

The module will equip you with practical skills in service analysis, strategic thinking, and cross-cultural collaboration – essential for careers in global and digital service industries.

Read the full description of Global and digital marketing services in the module catalogue.

This module provides an introduction to the key concepts within the sports business environment. You’ll consider the wider sports industry and the Sports Business Ecosystem will be used to frame understanding.

You’ll be able to demonstrate an awareness of the extent of the contemporary sports business environment. You’ll explore challenges to organisations within the global sports business environment. You’ll examine the role of major stakeholders from a marketing perspective, particularly around sponsorship and fan engagement.

The module includes a field trip to a local sports venue.

Read the full description of Sports business and marketing in the module catalogue.

Fluid dynamics lies at the heart of many societal and industrial challenges. It has practical application in the engineering and physical sciences. Fluid dynamics also has applications in geophysical, astrophysical, environmental and biomedical regimes.

This module will pair lectures with hands-on experiments and workshops. You’ll explore many different aspects of fluid behaviour. This will include laminar flow, vortices and turbulence. You’ll also examine a variety of fluid states, such as droplets, non-Newtonian fluids and creeping flows.

You’ll have the opportunity to learn from experts in the Leeds Institute for Fluid Dynamics. This module will encourage you to think about the many ways in which fluids affect our lives. The module usually includes a field trip to the Tees Barrage.

Read the full description of Fluid dynamics in theory and practice in the module catalogue.

This module offers a hands-on, project-based introduction to computer architecture and low-level programming. Using simulation tools, you’ll design and simulate a working microprocessor from the ground up, starting with basic logic gates and building up to a fully functional Central Processing Unit (CPU) capable of running programs. 

Topics include: 

• digital logic and architecture: constructing core components like logic gates, ALUs, registers, and memory

• microprocessor design and simulation: developing and testing a custom CPU architecture

• machine-level programming: writing and executing programs in assembly language

• system integration: exploring how hardware and software interact at the lowest level. 

By the end of the module, you’ll have practical experience in both processor design and assembly programming, gaining a deep understanding of how computers work, from silicon to software. 

Read the full description of Microprocessor Fundamentals: from silicon to code in the module catalogue.

This module delves into the essential concepts and processes of Earth Science, which are fundamental to human life and technological advancement. It covers the theory of plate tectonics, the structure of the Earth, and the impact of geological events like volcanic eruptions and earthquakes.

You will learn to identify geological materials, and understand their formation and their modern-day applications. The course also explores Earth history, palaeoecology, and evolution, providing insights into past environments and ecosystems.

Key topics include the principles of stratigraphy, the concept of geological or “deep” time, and major events in the development of life on Earth. Practical training in palaeontology will enable you to identify and describe major fossil groups, enhancing your understanding of the geological record and global changes.  

Read the full description of Earthquakes, volcanoes and dinosaurs: an introduction to earth science in the module catalogue.

All supermarket foods, whether plant or animal-based, come from farms and undergo processing before reaching the shelves. Food processing experts use various techniques to ensure these foods are safe and desirable for consumers. In this module, you will learn how raw ingredients are transformed into everyday products. 

You will study different food processing methods, their impact on nutritional value, and the rise of ultra-processed foods. The module also examines how media and social media shape public perceptions and behaviours towards these foods. 

The module includes immersive digital resources, a laboratory session and a factory tour to provide hands-on experience and real-time understanding of food manufacturing processes.   

Read the full description of Food processing and ultra-processed foods in the module catalogue. 

This module uses the backdrop of Leeds to introduce students to scientific approaches to the city. Specifically, it explores the city as a social institution that can be understood sociologically. Leeds grew from a small 17th Century settlement to become a quintessential modern industrial city. While this growth was traditionally attributed to the industrial revolution, it cannot be separated from colonisation and Empire. Like other cities the development of Leeds has given rise to a diverse city – a place of great wealth and pronounced social inequalities. You will learn about cities through a mixture of workshops, guided walks of the city and self-directed learning. Topics covered include historical development of Leeds, migration and the urban policy, the post-industrial cultural city, inequalities in the city and the gendered city.

Read the full description on Social science and the city in the module catalogue.

What is the relationship between wealth and poverty? How did the current global hierarchy of wealth and power come about? Are countries in the Global North powerful because they dominated, plundered and exploited the Global South? The module analyses the profound socio-economic and political effects of European colonialism.

You’ll explore the impact of these factors on the making of the modern world, study key drivers and repercussions of colonialism in the Americas, Asia and Africa and develop an understanding of related features of the global political economy. 

The module usually includes a field trip to the People’s History Museum in Manchester and a walking tour.

This module gave me the chance to learn about British history and culture, understand different teaching models and make some good friends around the world! Moreover, it also enabled me to improve my independence and creativity.

Read the full description on Wealth and poverty in the module catalogue.

In the next 50 years, we will have to produce more food than we have produced so far in all human history to feed a global population of more than 10 billion. This is against the background of climate change and reduced land for arable cultivation. We also have increasingly limited resources. Plant biotechnology has an important role in meeting these challenges. This module will discuss these challenges to global food security and the potential solutions. This will include the role of genetically modified (GM) plants.

You’ll develop practical skills in the synthesis of a recombinant DNA and insertion into a plant cell. You’ll gain first-hand experience of developing a GM plant and you’ll assess current projects to engineer enhanced crops. You’ll consider their potential to provide greater food security in the decades to come. The module usually includes a field trip to Yara Pocklington or Stockbridge Technology Centre.

Read the full description of Genetic engineering and genetically modified plants in the module catalogue.

Explore the world of medical imaging and discover how cutting-edge technology supports the diagnosis, treatment and monitoring of disease in modern healthcare.

This module offers an introduction to the science behind medical imaging and its clinical applications, including the growing role of artificial intelligence in hospitals. You’ll learn about a range of imaging techniques, from how X-rays and ultrasound images are produced to the differences between magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and computed tomography (CT) scans. Through interactive sessions and hands-on activities, you’ll gain insight into the physics and technology that underpin these essential tools in medicine. The module also includes a field trip to a state-of-the-art research facility. 

Read the full description of Medical imaging: an introduction in the module catalogue.

The leadership and management of sport and physical activity has never been more important. With growing levels of inactivity and the impact of COVID-19 on activity behaviours, the ability to develop and lead effective interventions is crucial. This module considers how leadership is a critical element to developing projects and working in teams.

You’ll reflect on and understand your own leadership skills and how they are transferable to a real-life project situation. The module will also focus the issues facing sport, physical activity and outdoor education and provide you with the opportunity to develop a researched intervention to tackle a specific issue.

You’ll work in collaboration with peers to develop intervention ideas and to test your leadership skills in a range of engaging team-based challenges and activities. The module usually includes a field trip to the Yorkshire Dales.

Through this module, I had the opportunity not only to experience British culture and the British way of life, but also to explore my potential and try new things.

Read the full description of Developing leadership through sport in the module catalogue.