Taught course

Conservation and Biodiversity

Institution
Lancaster University · Lancaster Environment Centre
Qualifications
MSc

Entry requirements

2:1 Hons degree (UK or equivalent) in Ecology, Conservation, Biodiversity, Biology, Environmental Science, Geography, Biological Sciences, Earth Sciences, Water Management etc.

We may also consider non-standard applicants, please contact us for information.

If you have studied outside of the UK, we would advise you to check our list of international qualifications before submitting your application.

Months of entry

October

Course content

Our Conservation and Biodiversity master's offers great flexibility, with a wide choice of topics from across disciplines, enabling you to construct a programme that suits your individual interests and career ambitions in this increasingly important field.

You will have the opportunity to gain a solid foundation in the key theoretical issues, such as wildlife population dynamics and conservation biology, and learn how these are applied to real-world problems, such as managing habitats or dealing with wildlife-human conflicts. Additionally, you will gain and develop the key skills that are valued by employers, such as field skills on species identification, sampling and monitoring, and more generic skills in problem solving, report writing, data analysis and presentation.

You will complete six taught modules delivered by world-leading researchers from our three internationally-renowned partner organisations: Lancaster Environment Centre, Rothamsted Research and the Centre for Ecology & Hydrology. This gives you the opportunity to interact with a wide range of expert specialists, including conservation biologists, terrestrial, marine and lake ecologists, food security biologists, and earth observation geographers.

Several modules include field trips to the beautiful and topographically varied countryside around Lancaster, and beyond. If you want to travel further afield, we have research projects and partners across the globe that provide exiting opportunities when it comes to selecting your dissertation project.

This project forms a substantial part of your master's degree. It will enhance your practical and analytical skills and give you the opportunity to apply your learning to a real-world challenge. This may involve doing a project with a government agency or conservation organisation through our award winning Centre for Global Eco-innovation, which uses our excellent links with the environmental and conservation sectors. Examples of previous dissertation projects are:

  • Effectiveness of habitat management for fritillary butterflies (with Butterfly Conservation)
  • Impact of tourist disturbance on breeding seabirds on the Isle of May (with CEH)
  • Predation impacts on breeding success of black-tailed godwits (with RSPB)
  • Habitat selection by sand lizards in coastal dunes
  • Impact of urbanization on blue tit song behaviour
  • Biodiversity in reed fringes on Lake Windermere (with Freshwater Biological Association)

Graduates have gone on to successful careers in the environmental and conservation sectors, as well as further study for a PhD.

Information for international students

We may ask you to provide a recognised English language qualification, dependent upon your nationality and where you have studied previously.

We normally require an IELTS (Academic) Test with an overall score of at least 6.5, and a minimum of 6.0 in each element of the test. We also consider other English language qualifications.

If your score is below our requirements, you may be eligible for one of our pre-sessional English language programmes.

Contact: Admissions Team +44 (0) 1524 592032 or email pgadmissions@lancaster.ac.uk

Fees and funding

Learn more on our fees and funding page.

Qualification, course duration and attendance options

  • MSc
    part time
    24 months
    • Campus-based learningis available for this qualification
    full time
    12 months
    • Campus-based learningis available for this qualification

Course contact details

Name
Postgraduate Coordinator
Email
pgadmissions@lancaster.ac.uk
Phone
+44 (0)1524 592032