Conservation Management in Freshwater Environments MSc

Entry requirements

• 2:2 Undergraduate Honours Degree in a related subject OR
• 2:2 Undergraduate Degree in a non-related subject PLUS a minimum of 2 years relevant work experience in the conservation sector OR
• Postgraduate Diploma or professional qualification in a related subject

Months of entry

January, September

Course content

If you’re looking for a master’s programme that takes you beyond the classroom and into the heart of real-world conservation, this is it. Our MSc in Conservation Management in Freshwater Environments is designed to immerse you in the practical skills, scientific knowledge, and field experience needed to make a tangible impact on freshwater ecosystems.

You’ll be based in the stunning Scottish Highlands, where your learning will culminate in a professional placement with a conservation-active organisation. This is your chance to get directly involved in applied conservation, whether that’s collecting environmental data in the field, analysing samples in a cutting-edge eDNA lab, or using programming and GIS to explore patterns in biodiversity. Alongside your placement, you’ll deepen your expertise through focused study in topics like applied genetics, freshwater conservation science, and data visualisation in R.

Throughout the course, you’ll be guided by leading experts and supported to develop the skills that conservation employers need, from hands-on fieldwork to critical analysis and effective communication. You'll leave the programme not just with a degree, but with real experience that sets you apart.

Graduates from this programme go on to careers as wildlife biologists, environmental consultants, policy advisors, and GIS specialists, as well as into roles in conservation education and ecotourism. Whether you want to work in the field, in the lab, or at the interface between science and policy, this MSc gives you the tools, and the experience, to make it happen.

Special features

• Placement with a conservation active organisation in the Scottish Highlands
• Fieldwork in the Scottish Highlands
• Lab work in a state-of-the-art environmental DNA lab
• Lectures from experts in their fields

Fees and funding

UHI offers assistance in the form of bursaries, such as the Reid Endowment Fund, for students who need to travel to attend mandatory academic activities. Please visit our funding pages for more information.