Conservation and Management of Protected Areas

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This course has been designed to help you pursue a career as a professional wildlife manager.

You'll gain a detailed critical knowledge of theory required to conserve natural areas as well as the opportunity to study techniques used to monitor, control and/or encourage population growth of native species. This knowledge and the related skills will enable you to provide innovative leadership through an awareness of the greater picture as well as the specific aspects of animal and habitat management.

You will be able to critically appraise information as it is acquired, assess its relevance and use it to make informed decisions at both a local and strategic level. You'll also undertake a research project of your choosing which could be conducted in association with research institutions or field stations in the UK, Europe or further afield.

This course will advance your knowledge of specialist areas and develop new professional skills to a high level. You'll be able to deal with complex issues in wildlife management, make informed judgements and communicate your conclusions clearly to professional audiences. You will also gain transferable skills in problem solving, planning, leadership, team work and time management.

Relevant employment opportunities include:

* Working for conservation organisations (at regional, national and international levels)
* Managing reserves
* Consultancy

What's involved
This course is studied on a full-time basis over 1 year which is split into 3 trimesters. You'll learn through a combination of lectures, tutorials, field work and independent study.

During Trimester 1 (Oct Jan) you will study 3 taught modules:

Humans and Wildlife, Scientific Methods, Wildlife Management.

During Trimester 2 (Feb early May) you will study a further 3 taught modules:

Evolution & Taxonomy, Management of Aquatic Protected Areas, Field and Laboratory Skills.

Each of these taught modules is worth 20 credits. Gaining 60 and 120 credits will make you eligible for a Postgraduate Certificate and a Postgraduate Diploma respectively.

DuringTrimester 3 (~May Aug) you will undertake an independent research project worth 60 credits. On successful completion of this you will be awarded your MSc.

Note that those choosing a January start will study tri 2 modules, have the summer (tri 3) free, study tri 1 modules and then undertake their project during tri 2 of the following year so you should be aware that the course takes longer to complete.

You'll need an honours degree or equivalent in ecology, wildlife biology, geography, acquatic or terrestrial biology, zoology, conservation management, agriculture or land management.Alternatively, you may have a degree equivalent qualification or a degree without Honours plus appropriate experience. English Language Requirements IELTS band: 6 TOEFL iBT® test: 80 IMPORTANT NOTE: Since April 2014 the ETS tests (including TOEFL and TOEIC) are no longer accepted for Tier 4 visa applications to the United Kingdom. The university might still accept these tests to admit you to the university, but if you require a Tier 4 visa to enter the UK and begin your degree programme, these tests will not be sufficient to obtain your Visa. The IELTS test is most widely accepted by universities and is also accepted for Tier 4 visas to the UK- learn more.

We have a selection of funding opportunities available such as the UK postgraduate tuition fee loan (Scottish & EU) and specific scholarships aimed at student from India and across Africa