This distinctive course concentrates on the biological principles underlying biodiversity, its assessment and management. You’ll understand the ecological factors behind biodiversity and conservation, learn key field skills for assessing and managing biodiversity, and gain key analytical skills for a range of academic and professional careers. You’ll also acquire valuable experience in biodiversity and conservation-related research.

Understanding how to conserve biodiversity has never been more important. We believe biodiversity can only be effectively managed and conserved when it can be assessed and interpreted properly. Our leading researchers are making an impact through their dedicated research within the field of ecology and conservation. Your learning will be heavily influenced by their world-leading research, which drives national and international policy agendas around environmental change and global sustainability.

This course is designed to prepare you for a career in ecology or conservation, or for further research at PhD level. If you’re already an established conservation professional, our modules provide additional skills to support you to progress in your employment.

Career opportunities

We take both your personal and your career development very seriously. We have a proactive Industrial Advisory Board who advise us on what they look for in graduates and on employability related skills within our courses.

Our graduates have gone on to a very varied range of biodiversity and conservation jobs and careers around the world. We know that the subject knowledge and training we provide is excellent, but we’re also trying to produce well-rounded graduates who have the skills, experience and confidence to succeed in a challenging job market.

The balance we create between theoretical and practical components in conservation offer you the opportunity to develop specialist and transferable skills on our degrees that go beyond a Masters and open up diverse opportunities when you graduate. As with many of our MSc graduates, you could go on to study for a PhD and enter a research career. You could also go on to a career in an applied ecology or conservation-related area. Potential employers look for academic qualifications in combination with practical skills and experience, and a relevant Masters course can give you the edge in a highly competitive field.