University of the Highlands and Islands
BA (Hons) Adventure Education and Outdoor Learning
Fort William, United Kingdom
BA
DURATION
8 years
LANGUAGES
English
PACE
Full time, Part time
APPLICATION DEADLINE
EARLIEST START DATE
Sep 2026
TUITION FEES
GBP 15,870 / per year *
STUDY FORMAT
On-Campus
* Scotland or EEA (outside of the UK): £1,820 per year | UK: £9,250 per year (Years 1, 2 and 3) | International: £15,870 per year
Fast-track counseling
By contacting the school, you'll get access to free priority counselling for any study and application questions.
Key Summary
What is special about this course?
Are you passionate about educating others while sharing your experience of the great outdoors? Join this incredible programme and work closely with Adventure Education and Outdoor Learning providers, including the Outward Bound Trust®, to pursue a satisfying career as a professional adventure practitioner.
Provide safe experiences, promoting learning to help others to discover, reflect, and develop. Use your knowledge, understanding, and skills to plan, prepare, and lead activities in potentially challenging and wild locations, while maintaining strong links to all levels of the education curriculum. Learn how to create experiences that will last a lifetime, as part of the vibrant community of outdoor enthusiasts at Fort William, the Outdoor Capital of the UK.
Special features
- Access to outstanding adventure facilities set amongst some of the most beautiful scenery in the UK
- Receive tailored outdoor-activity skill development and professional NGB training and assessment with the School of Adventure Studies' 'practical credits system': continuous professional skills development throughout your degree and beyond
- Be part of a vibrant and active diverse student community of outdoor enthusiasts, based at the School of Adventure Studies in Fort William, the hub of the Outdoor Capital of the UK
- Live and work at the foot of Ben Nevis, in a region that is unique for its rich variety of outdoor opportunities
- Easily transfer between other programmes within the School of Adventure Studies: BSc (Hons) Adventure Performance and Coaching and BA (Hons) Adventure Tourism Management
- Excellent links and work-placement opportunities with many adventure-based businesses and institutions in Scotland, the UK and internationally
- Residential field trips, clubs, international expeditions and many other opportunities to enhance your skills and experience in adventure activities
Accommodation
We offer modern student accommodation in Fort William ideally suited to students on this course.
Year 1 - CertHE
Core modules are:
- Foundations of outdoor learning (S1)
- Adventure Geography: the Scottish perspective (S1)
- Introduction to professional adventure practice (S1)
- Introduction to sports coaching and leadership (S2)
- Adventure education journeys (S2)
You will also choose one further option module:
- Ecological principles, biodiversity and identification skills (S1 or S2)
- Activity performance and skill acquisition (S1 or S2)
- Adventure markets: products and services (S2)
Year 2 - DipHE
Core modules are:
- Nature and learning (S1)
- Social theory for adventure education (S1)
- Adventure operations and risk management (S1)
- Outdoor learning and teaching practice (S1 + S2)
- Understanding adventure (S2)
You will also choose one option module which may include:
- Work placement: team working and communication (S1 + S2)
- Facilitation and reviewing in outdoor education (S2)
- Technology and social media in adventure practice (S2)
Year 3 - BA
Core modules are:
- Planning international expeditions (S1)
- Investigation: personal and social development in adventure education (S1)
- An anthropology of place: adventure education and cultural perspectives on nature (S2)
- Research skills (S2)
You will also choose two option modules which may include:
- Adventure therapy (S1)
- Geomorphology: reading the landscapes of outdoor practice (S1)
- Climate change (S1)
- Work placement: industry specific skills (S1 + S2)
- International expedition leadership (S2)
Year 4 - BA (Hons)
Core modules are:
- Critical perspectives of adventure education (S1)
- Perceptions of risk and decision making (S1)
- Inclusive adventure (S2)
- Applied adventure education practice (S2)
You will also choose one of the following double-credit research project modules to follow through the year:
- Dissertation
- Professional adventure project (legacy project or major expedition venture)
How will I study my course?
- Full-time
You will learn through a combination of face-to-face lectures and tutorials in the classroom, with some study via the university's virtual learning environment (VLE).
You will also spend a significant amount of time increasing your skills through practical, experiential learning. The main disciplines included are mountaineering and climbing, paddle sports and mountain biking, with a wide scope for progression and application of theories throughout the four years of study, through field work and industry activity.
How long will my course last?
- Full-time: 4 years
Where can I study my course?
- Fort William
Start date
- August/September
EU scholarship
EEA/EU/Swiss nationals living in this region for the past 3 years will receive an automatic scholarship of £4,000 - with the fourth year of study free!
United States - Federal Aid (FAFSA)
Federal Aid can be used to cover tuition fees for American students studying on-campus in Scotland.
Canada - Federal Aid
Federal Aid can be used to cover tuition fees for Canadian students studying on-campus in Scotland, as well as the majority of the Canadian provinces' student aid programmes.
What can I do on completion of my course?
With a degree in Adventure Education and Outdoor Learning you will hold a valuable array of knowledge and skills that are transferable to any of the various aspects of the UK or international adventure sector. The specific pathway you take will be vital in helping you shape your own chosen career. Adventure Education and Outdoor Learning covers a wide range of career pathways and specialist fields, including:
- Outdoor centres; schools; educational expedition operators; adventure therapy; criminal justice rehabilitation
- Countryside ranger and environmental interpretation
- International expeditions
- Working in adult education
- Management and business development training
- Leadership and management roles in activity organisations
- Postgraduate teaching qualifications
Your career will grow and change as the years go on, and you may progress into any one of a range of exciting areas, so you may also find yourself involved in:
- Guiding, coaching and instructing in adventurous activities
- Adventure tourism
- Marine wildlife tourism
- Military or emergency services
- Higher level adventure sector leadership - shaping future policy and practice
On-campus study - live and learn in Scotland
Courses in health, sustainability, engineering, history, outdoors and more with the University of the Highlands and Islands:
- #3 in the UK and #1 in Scotland for postgraduate student satisfaction
- Top 10 most affordable UK universities
- Specialist subjects with links to industry
Browse all of the on-campus undergraduate and postgraduate programmes that we offer for international students.
Online study - achieve a UK degree without moving abroad
Courses in health, sustainability, engineering, history, outdoors and more with the University of the Highlands and Islands:
- Flexible study options to fit with your life
- Top 10 most affordable UK universities
- Decades of online teaching experience
Browse all of the online undergraduate and postgraduate programmes that we offer for international students.