Biodiversity, Conservation and Management

The conservation of the Earth's remaining biodiversity is one of the most important challenges facing humanity. However, there are no easy solutions because biodiversity conservation has to operate in complex socio-economic, political, cultural and institutional environments.

Successful conservation practitioners must span academic disciplines and combine advanced social skills with intellectual rigour. They also need to work effectively in both a conventional office environment and some of the most inhospitable places on the planet.

Our one-year full-time MSc course develops knowledge and critical understanding of conservation and biodiversity science and practice, and the socio-economic, political, cultural and institutional environments within which policy and management decisions are made.

The course equips students with the skills and knowledge to become leaders in biodiversity, conservation and management across government, business and academia.

Candidates from a range of disciplinary backgrounds are encouraged to apply provided that they can demonstrate academic excellence and a passion for biodiversity conservation issues.

The course design is informed by the recognition that biodiversity conservation, as a domain of science and policy, needs to become more contextual and multi-level in its conception. The course content is rooted in our established strengths in conservation biogeography, strategy and governance and in research design. The course design also responds to the rise of market-based conservation including engagements with enterprise and the transformative potential of new technologies.

The specific course objectives are to develop your abilities to:

• critically engage with concepts and theory in biodiversity science and management from interdisciplinary perspectives and at an advanced level
• describe by whom and by what space and territory is produced and governed in conservation over time
• critically assess the modes through which conservation builds and extends power and describe in detail the factors that explain the emergence and performance of different governance modes;
• appreciate the role of ethics, values and norms in producing culturally attuned and effective conservation interventions
• embrace the implications of new technological forces for the future of biodiversity science and management
• link theory, hypothesis, methods, data and field work so as to identify and develop advanced research questions and design.

The objectives are delivered through nine core modules, covering conservation landscapes, conservation biogeography, conservation governance, ecosystems, biodiversity informatics, conservation and society, environmental economics and policy, and research design and research methods.

The core modules are assessed by written examination. You will also study two electives which are each assessed through a 4,000-word essay. You will also write a dissertation of 15,000 words.

Elective modules

These offer a tutorial-style teaching and discussion environment within smaller groups, based on a suite of contemporary research themes that reflect the specific interests of core faculty and visiting research associates. The teaching aim is to foster discussion and debate between academic staff and students to identify and explore theory, methods and practice in an academic space that encourages a critical dialogue.

Dissertation

An independent and original dissertation is an integral component of the course. In order to equip you with the necessary skills to undertake high quality research, course modules in research design and research methods teach skills and competences in a suite of common and emerging research practices and methods employed in biodiversity science, policy and management research.

1. Academic ability

Proven and potential academic excellence

Applicants are normally expected to be predicted or have achieved a first-class or strong upper second-class undergraduate degree with honours (or equivalent international qualifications), as a minimum, in any discipline.

For applicants with a degree from the USA, the minimum GPA sought is 3.7 out of 4.0.

No Graduate Record Examination (GRE) or GMAT scores are sought.

2. English language requirement

Higher level

3. SUPPORTING DOCUMENTS

• Three references (letters of recommendation)
• Official transcript(s) of previous university-level degrees
• CV/résumé
• Written work: One essay of 2,000 words
• Personal statement: Up to two pages

Want to improve your English level for admission?

Prepare for the program requirements with English Online by the British Council.

• ✔️ Flexible study schedule
• ✔️ Experienced teachers
• ✔️ Certificate upon completion

📘 Recommended for students with an IELTS level of 6.0 or below.

Enroll in the course

• Clarendon Scholarships. This unique scheme offers around 140 new, fully-funded scholarships each year to academically outstanding graduate students, as well as providing a lively and stimulating community of scholars.
• Hill Foundation Scholarships. The Hill Foundation Scholarships fund Russian students to study for full-time graduate courses in any subject at Oxford. The Hill Foundation is a charity which aims to create a community of Oxford scholars and alumni who will work to improve Russian life and culture.The scholarship will cover 100% of University and college fees and a grant for living costs (of at least £14,296). Awards are made for the full duration of your fee liability for the agreed course.