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The world is changing, and we are in a race against time to conserve what remains of the world’s wildlife. As climate and nature emergencies lead us deeper into an existential crisis, our own species faces challenges and opportunities. Our MSc Wildlife Conservation will help you develop tools and knowledge to design and implement effective, evidence-based, and crucially equitable, conservation projects. These skills are needed more than ever by industry, government, and society. The programme assimilates a wide range of subjects to explore the most important drivers of biodiversity loss, including natural resource use, land-use change, over exploitation, invasive species, climate change, and pollution.

You will explore how technology, research, behavioural change, economic policies, government regulations, and a robust scientific approach can be combined into a unified approach to tackle the world’s greatest threats to wildlife. Prifysgol ÑÇÖÞÉ«°É has a strong focus on conservation research and enjoys close links with local, national, and international organisations that employ conservation scientists, helping us to ensure that the MSc Wildlife Conservation is relevant and up to date. ÑÇÖÞÉ«°É is surely one of the most ideally located universities for you to study wildlife conservation - with access to a wide range of natural environments ranging from the coast to the varied landscape of Parc Cenedlaethol Eryri (Snowdonia National Park).

What will you study on this course?

This course not only covers wildlife biology, giving you an understanding of organisms, their biology and behaviour, the structure of ecological communities, and the consequences of habitat fragmentation, but also how understanding people, societies, and our relationship with nature is critical to tackling conservation problems. Crucially, the course will help you understand how conservation science, policy and practice is a truly interdisciplinary endeavour involving theories and methods from the natural, social, and applied sciences. You will learn why society needs to conserve biodiversity, critique different approaches, and how to measure the effectiveness of conservation. This unique combination of subjects, combined with many practical sessions and field trips, will provide you with an educational experience that you will find both fascinating and rewarding. Field trips are central to this degree, from the mountains of mid-Wales to the tropical rainforests and oil palm plantations of Borneo.

Modules for the current academic year

Module listings are for guide purposes only and are subject to change. Find out what our students are currently studying on the Wildlife Conservation MSc Modules page.

Course content is for guidance purposes only and may be subject to change.

At least a 2:1 undergraduate degree in a relevant subject e.g., biology, zoology, natural sciences, environmental studies, geography etc. Applications from mature applicants who have relevant professional experience in wildlife conservation are actively encouraged. Applications from people with other backgrounds wishing to develop an understanding of wildlife conservation issues are welcomed and will be considered on an individual basis.

IELTS: 6.0 (with no element below 5.5) is required.

Graduates form this course will possess valuable transferable skills as well as subject-specific knowledge. During the course you will have given assessed presentations, designed podcasts, been interviewed, submitted written work on a variety of topics and in different formats, worked to achieve targets within agreed deadlines both on your own and as part of larger teams, conducted literature and web-based information searches, conducted quantitative analyses, and will have engaged in practical work and research relevant to your discipline.

The MSc Wildlife Conservation includes training in the use of geographical information systems, data handling and analysis to understand patterns and differences, and a whole range of practical skills in the field and in the lab, from population genetics practicals to observing wild animals in the field. Filed visits and study tours provide opportunities to engage with professionals working on the front line of conservation, which will allow you to specifically relate classroom teaching to commercial practice. You will also have access to specific careers guidance from the University’s Employability Service.