Overview
The MSc Applied Ecology and Conservation provides a flexible course structure suitable for students who wish to acquire the skills necessary for a range of careers in conservation and applied ecology. The programme aims to provide you with interdisciplinary training forming an ideal platform either for continuation to doctoral research or for direct access into conservation related employment.
The course runs over a full calendar year starting with a field course. You will take a combination of taught modules during the first half of the year with the second half spent on an individual research project, often overseas. In addition to core modules in ecological survey methods, current issues in conservation, research skills for ecologists and statistics, you will be able to choose from a broad range of optional modules, including Geographical Information Systems (GIS), practical conservation and work placement, restoration ecology, conservation genetics, biodiversity conservation and human society and ecological modelling.
Conservation biologists and ecologists in the Schools of Biological and Environmental Sciences and leading conservation organisations conduct most of the teaching.
In addition to in-depth exposure to global conservation issues the course provides training in a range of transferable skills and will provide you with an opportunity to establish valuable contacts with potential employers through short and long term work experience and research interaction with a range of national and international conservation organisations.
Examples of some recent research projects conducted by students on this MSc course include:
- The vulnerability of birds to climate change (with Birdlife International)
- Mandrills in Gabon: current status and threats (with the Wildlife Conservation Society)
- Microhabitat and dietary preferences of Telfair’s skink on Round Island: implications for translocation (with the Mauritian Wildlife Foundation)
- Nest-site selection and poaching in Yellow-headed Amazon parrots (with the World Land Trust)
- Crab as indicators of habitat quality (with Nature Seychelles)
“I found the MSc in Applied Ecology and Conservation to be an excellent course to help develop my career. The diverse range of modules allows anyone to mould the course to their interests, while the core classes ensure a sound grounding in the whole process of planning, fundraising for, and running a research project.”
Joe Hawes Former student
Course Organiser
Dr Diana Bell
Why Choose Us?
- 90% of research activity classified as internationally leading, excellent, or recognised in the 2008 Research Assessment Exercise.
- Teaching of the highest quality; rated “Excellent” in the most recent Teaching Quality Assessment.
- Consistently ranked in the top five for overall student satisfaction amongst mainstream English universities (UK National Student Survey).
- Research and teaching supported by an impressive array of cutting edge in house facilities and a range of well equipped modern laboratories.
- Part of the Norwich Research Park, a major international centre for plant, microbial, food and health science.
- Close collaboration with scientists from the Sainsbury Laboratory.
Come and Visit Us
Our
Open Days will give you the opportunity to experience the University of East Anglia's unique campus atmosphere.
Entry Requirements
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Good first degree (minimum of a 2.1 or equivalent) in a biology-related subject plus evidence of additional conservation experience. First degrees in geography or environmental management are also accepted if these contain a strong ecological component.
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Non-scientists wanting to retrain may take the one year Diploma in Ecology and enter the MSc Applied Ecology & Conservation the following year.
Students for whom English is a foreign language
International applicants are required to provide evidence of proficiency in the English language (if English is not their first language).
Preferred qualifications are:
- IELTS Minimum score of 6.5 with a minimum of 6.0 in each component
- TOEFL Minimum score of 92 (internet based test)
- Pearsons Test of English (PTE) Minimum score of 62 with no less than 55 in each component
Applicants who have previously studied in the English language may not be required to provide evidence of English language ability.
Year 1
Compulsory Study (150 credits)
Students will select 150 credits from the following module(s).
| Code |
Credits |
Period |
A full-time research project that runs from mid March to early August. This entails an extensive, original and quantitative investigation on a conservation or applied ecology topic carried out in the field or laboratory, or may involve analysis of existing data. The project may be undertaken in the Schools of BIO or ENV, or with an international, national or local conservation agency. Projects are supervised by faculty. The research project is written up as a dissertation with a submission deadline in early August.
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|
BIO-M60X |
80 |
Semester 2 |
This is a practical module spanning the autumn semester and half of the spring semester. It covers a wide variety of methods for surveying and censussing plants, animals, and habitats. It includes a comparison of methods and use of statistics. This is a compulsory module of the MSc in Applied Ecology and Conservation. The lectures and workshops will cover: reasons for censussing, assumptions of sampling techniques, mark-release-recapture, distance sampling and other techniques for monitoring different taxa and habitats, diagnosing declines, and project planning.
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|
BIO-M55Y |
20 |
Year Period |
The aim is to give students an in-depth knowledge of current topics in conservation biology. Students will learn to critically examine hot issues in conservation biology, develop an in-depth understanding of a range of techniques and approaches employed in the study of conservation and understand, assess and report on scientific presentations given by high-profile scientists. Each week there is a 3 hour seminar. Some will be led by faculty, others by outside speakers who are experts in their fields, others will be student-led. At the end of the course students will attend the "Rebellion" - 2 days of talks on ecology and conservation. This is a compulsory module of the MSc in AEC.
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|
BIO-M68Y |
20 |
Year Period |
This is a compulsory module of the MSc in Applied Ecology and Conservation. Multivariate statistics used in advanced ecological analyses are covered in this module. These include General Linear Models, Analysis of Variance, Logistic Regression, and Principal Components Analysis. Students will learn how to run these tests using the statistical package SPSS and how to critique, interpret, and present the results. Previous knowledge of basic statistics is necessary (e.g. BIO M519 or equivalent).
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BIO-M517 |
10 |
Semester 1 |
The aim of this module is to provide training in research skills relevant to ecologists and conservation biologists as well as providing a range of general transferable skills. Skills taught include presentation skills, information gathering and writing research papers and grants, interview techniques and writing a C.V. This is a compulsory module of the MSc in Applied Ecology and Conservation.
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|
BIO-M64Y |
10 |
Year Period |
This is an introduction for some students and a refresher for others. Simple tests for trends (correlation, regression) and for differences (Chi-square, t-tests, ANOVAs) are introduced using a friendly statistical package (SPSSx for Windows). The link between statistics and experimental design is stressed. Students studying on the Master of Science degree programme in Applied Ecology and Conservation MUST undertake this module if they have no previous statistical experience.
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BIO-M519 |
10 |
Semester 1 |
Option A Study (30 credits)
Students will select 30 credits from the following module(s).
| Code |
Credits |
Period |
This is an inter-disciplinary module focusing on the inter-relationship between biodiversity and human societies. It examines the human drivers of biodiversity loss, the importance of biodiversity to human society, conflicts between human society and conservation and how these can be resolved, and institutions for biodiversity conservation and environmental management. It is designed for Masters students on programmes in Applied Ecology and Conversation, Environmental Science, and Development Studies. The module does not require previous detailed knowledge of ecological mechanisms: where some understanding of key ecological processes is important, this will be reviewed and taught in class. Assessed coursework has been designed to develop transferable skills of critical evidence-based scientific appraisal, and the presentation of research results in poster form.
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ENV-MA17 |
20 |
Semester 1 |
This module covers current knowledge of molecular technology as applied to ecological, evolutionary and conservation studies, and the principles and procedures underlying current molecular and analytical tools. It will also address how to determine the most suitable molecular tool to use when answering a given question in ecology and/or evolution, and how to read and interpret molecular data in ecological or evolutionary terms.
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BIO-M522 |
10 |
Semester 2 |
Modelling is a crucial methodology for answering many kinds of ecological questions and complement experimentation and field observations. The aim of this module is to introduce the use of modelling techniques to answer ecological questions. This module will provide an introduction to building ecological models using a combination of taught classes and project work. After completion of this module students will: understand the basic principles and approaches to ecological modelling and its potential applications; acquire the numerical skills required to develop quantitative ecological models; be able to develop basic quantitative models to answer ecological questions; learn to formulate hypotheses, write a project proposal and develop verbal and written communication and team working skills. This module is primarily reserved for those students studying on the European MSc in Applied Ecology but can also accommodate limited number of students from other programmes.
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ENV-MA72 |
10 |
Semester 2 |
Geographical Information Systems (GIS) are computer programs for the capture, management, analysis and display of spatially referenced data. They are now increasingly widely used in ecology and environmental management, both in the organisation and analysis of pre-existing data sets and for analysis of data collected during fieldwork. This module aims to introduce their basic principles, capabilities, applications and limitations. Only basic familiarity with a PC is required and there will be weekly practical classes using the ArcGIS software. The main emphasis will be on imparting an understanding of what a GIS is, the strengths and weaknesses of such systems, and their practical use in research contexts (including MSc dissertations).
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ENV-MA94 |
10 |
Semester 2 |
This module entails 5 days of unpaid work placement in various international, national or local conservation organisations and ecological consultancies. The days may be carried out with more than one organisation, need not be consecutive and may be spread across both semesters. Students can receive help from faculty in setting up placements but will be responsible for their transportation to and from the workplace.
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BIO-M56Y |
10 |
Year Period |
An introduction to the principles and practice of ecological restoration. The causes of ecosystem degradation and practical measures for enhancement, restoration and creation are examined using actual case studies. We review methods and outcomes of restoration in a wide diversity of ecosystems to illustrate contrasting problems and approaches to solving them. Aquatic systems include shallow eutrophic lakes and rivers, coral reefs and intertidal habitats; consideration of terrestial systems emphasizes lowland heathland, coastal beaches and dunes, woodland and forest, and remote tropical islands. Three field trips to contrasting projects based in East Anglia will give first-hand experience of restoration in action, as well as illustrating work at different stages and in different habitats.
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BIO-M512 |
10 |
Semester 2 |
Disclaimer
Whilst the University will make every effort to offer the modules listed, changes may sometimes be made arising from the annual monitoring, review and update of modules and regular (five-yearly) review of course programmes. Where this activity leads to significant (but not minor) changes to programmes and their constituent modules, there will normally be prior consultation of students and others. It is also possible that the University may not be able to offer a module for reasons outside of its control, such as the illness of a member of staff or sabbatical leave. Where this is the case, the University will endeavour to inform students.
How To Apply
Applications for Postgraduate Taught programmes at the University of East Anglia should be made directly to the University.
You can
apply online, or by downloading the
hard copy application form, or by using the application form in the University’s Postgraduate Prospectus.
Further Information
To request further information & to be kept up to date with news & events please use our
online enquiry form.
If you would like to discuss your individual circumstances prior to applying please do contact us:
Postgraduate Admissions Office
Tel: +44 (0)1603 591515
Email:
admissions@uea.ac.uk
International candidates are also encouraged to access the
International Students section of our website.
