MSc Applied Ecology and Conservation

Key details

MSC APPLIED ECOLOGY AND CONSERVATION

Start Year

2023

Attendance

Full Time

Award

Degree of Master of Science

Duration (years)

Specialise in conservation ecology on our established MSc course, which provides you with tuition from world-leading experts from across our Schools of Biological Sciences and Environmental Sciences and external organisations. You’ll benefit from our strong academic expertise in Ecology and Conservation, based around UEA’s Centre for Ecology, Evolution and Conservation (CEEC) – one of the largest groups of its kind in Europe with strong links to major conservation organisations and institutions such as the RSPB, CEFAS and the Cambridge Conservation Initiative (CCI).

Our MSc Applied Ecology and Conservation offers a flexible course structure that will equip you with the skills necessary for a range of careers in conservation and applied ecology. The interdisciplinary training forms an ideal platform for continuing to doctoral research, for direct access into conservation-related employment or for pursuing careers in a field such as science communication, education or policy development.

About

You’ll benefit from our strong academic expertise in conservation and ecology, based around UEA’s Centre for Ecology, Evolution and Conservation (CEEC) – one of the largest groups of its kind in Europe with strong links to major conservation organisations and institutions such as the BTO, RSPB, CEFAS and the Cambridge Conservation Initiative.

In the first half of the year, you’ll study core taught modules in ecological survey methods, evidence-based global conservation and statistics, complemented by a broad range of optional modules. These cover topics including Geographical Information Systems (GIS), practical conservation and work experience, evolutionary biology and conservation genetics, conservation policy and statistical modelling using R.

In the second part of your MSc, you’ll conduct a five-month research project exploring some of the most pressing biodiversity issues within an area of your interest – often in collaboration with an external conservation organisation in the UK or abroad. Examples of recent projects include:

Interspecific competition between translocated species: The case of two island endemic passerines (with Nature Seychelles)
Exploring the unprecedented recovery of passerines within Rodrigues (with the Mauritius Wildlife Foundation)
Exploring the distribution and inter-specific interactions of the newly discovered Cambodian Tailorbird (with the Wildlife Conservation Society)
Differences between fallow plots and wet grassland during lapwing chick rearing (with the RSPB)

Many of our research dissertations are subsequently published in peer-reviewed journals (> 60 publications to date), and this CV-boosting feature of this UEA Master's is a major feature of the success of our alumni in gaining PhD places to continue research. We also greatly encourage presentation of MSc research at conferences.

In addition to in-depth exposure to global conservation issues, you’ll develop transferable skills and establish valuable contacts with potential employers through work experience and research interactions with international and national conservation organisations.

During your first week here at UEA, you'll be able to get your boots muddy while exploring some of the unique and biodiverse habitats across East Anglia. You will learn about the threats facing some of these habitats and, weather permitting, you'll also be able to join in with trips to catch small mammals and birds. For many students, one of the most enjoyable and rewarding aspects of their MSc experience is conducting their research project. You are encouraged to develop your own research ideas, with support from faculty, and most of our research projects are conducted in collaboration with conservation organisations around the world. Research projects often make use of the extensive network of MSc alumni, to address some of the most pressing issues facing biodiversity conservation. In addition, up to £1000 of the course fees are used to support your dissertation research costs. Recent project topics have explored competition between translocated bird species in the Seychelles, the effects of agri-environment schemes on hoverflies in the UK, the effects of heathland management on predation of snakes and many, many more topics.

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Important Information

Whilst the University will make every effort to offer the courses listed, changes may sometimes be made arising from the regular review of course programmes. Where this activity leads to significant (but not minor) changes to programmes, there will normally be prior consultation of students and others. Changes may for example consist of variations to the content and method of delivery of programmes, courses and other services, to discontinue programmes, courses and other services and to merge or combine programmes or courses. The University will endeavour to keep such changes to a minimum, and will inform students.

Assessment for Year 1

How you will be assessed will vary depending on the modules that you choose but may include a combination of written assignments evaluating a recent research article, research posters, presentations and reports incorporating statistical analysis.

Structure

The course runs over a full calendar year starting with a series of field trips. You'll take a combination of taught modules between October and March before starting on an individual research project, often overseas.

Your compulsory modules will give you a strong grounding in both practical and theoretical skills and knowledge. The Ecological Survey Methods module is designed to train you to carry out ecological research and interpret and evaluate the results of ecological surveys carried out by a third party. It’s ideal vocational training and gives you first-hand experience in a variety of methods for surveying plants, animals and habitats, including the use of remote census techniques such as radio-tracking and trail cameras.

In Evidence-Based Global Conservation you’ll critically evaluate scientific evidence as a basis for effective biodiversity conservation policy, strategy and interventions, in a world challenged by climate change, population growth and the need for socio-economic development and environmental justice.

You’ll cover statistical concepts and practice, and the links between statistics and experimental design, in the modules Multivariate Statistics and Univariate Statistics. You’ll learn simple tests for trends, associations and differences and how multivariate statistics are used in advanced ecological analyses – including General Linear Models, Mixed models, Logistic Regression and Principal Components Analysis.

Alongside these core modules, you’ll also be able to select from a range of optional modules covering topics such as Conservation Genetics, GIS and its Applications for Modelling Ecological and Environmental Change, Practical Conservation and Work Experience, Statistics and Modelling for Scientists using R and Conservation Policy, Communication and Knowledge Exchange.

After the taught component of the course, you’ll apply your learning in a real environment through your dissertation study – conducting a research project in an area of your choice.

Teaching and Learning

Teaching

All our teaching in the Schools of Biological and Ecological Sciences is research-led. This means that you benefit from the teaching expertise of a large group of enthusiastic, friendly academic staff with world-leading research reputations in ecology, evolution and conservation, along with input from staff in leading conservation organisations who ensure that the most recent conservation issues and ideas are incorporated into all our courses. It makes for engaging programmes that our students love.

You'll learn through lectures, seminars, workshops, and fieldwork, where you’ll perfect your practical field skills.

Independent study

You’ll conduct your own unique research project for your dissertation – and you’re in the ideal place to do so.

You’ll also get the chance to attend regular seminars and workshops conducted by world-leading scientists to keep up with the latest research in Conservation and Ecology. These are organised by The Centre for Ecology, Evolution and Conservation (CEEC) and you can follow some of their activities here.

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Assessment for Year 1

Compulsory Modules

ECOLOGICAL SURVEY METHODS

Code BIO-7028Y

Credits 20

This is a practical module that provides training for anyone who intends to carry out ecological research or who needs to interpret and evaluate the results of ecological surveys carried out by a third party. It offers vocational training for work with conservation agencies and ecological consultancies. It also gives preparatory training for students who will do ecological fieldwork for their MSc dissertation, or subsequent PhD. The module includes lectures, workshops, practical classes and field trips. It covers the key considerations underpinning effective ecological survey design and implementation. Following initial lectures on research planning and study design, you will explore and gain first-hand experience in a variety of methods for surveying plants, animals and habitats. This also includes the use of remote census techniques such as radio-tracking and trail cameras.

UNIVARIATE STATISTICS

Code BIO-7026A

Credits 10

Whether this is an introduction or a refresher, you will study simple tests for trends (correlation, regression) and for differences (Chi-square, t-tests, ANOVAs). You will be introduced to these using a friendly statistical package (SPSSx for Windows). The link between statistics and experimental design is stressed.

MULTIVARIATE STATISTICS

Code BIO-7025A

Credits 10

You will cover multivariate statistics used in advanced ecological analyses in this module. These include General Linear Models, Generalised Linear Models, Logistic Regression, Principal Components Analysis and Multivariate Community Analyses. You will learn how to run these tests using the statistical package SPSS and how to critique, interpret, and present the results.

EVIDENCE-BASED GLOBAL CONSERVATION

Code ENV-7041A

Credits 20

This interdisciplinary module focuses on the critical evaluation of scientific evidence as a basis for effective biodiversity conservation policy, strategy and interventions, in a world challenged by climate change, population growth and the need for socio-economic development and environmental justice. You will attend an initial block of lectures examining socio-economic drivers of biodiversity loss and motivations for conservation, challenging common assumptions and outlining conceptual frameworks for conservation interventions. A series of seminars by global conservation practitioners provide insights to implementation and employability. Coursework assessments designed to develop skills of evaluating, synthesising and communicating scientific evidence, are supported by feed-forward formative exercises.

DISSERTATION

Code BIO-7030X

Credits 80

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 c.10,000 word dissertation with a submission deadline in early August. This is a compulsory module.

Optional A Modules

(40 credits)

EVOLUTIONARY BIOLOGY AND CONSERVATION GENETICS

Code BIO-7027B

Credits 10

The aim of this module is to give you a deep understanding about conservation genetics, genomics based on an evolutionary and population-genetic framework. We will cover contemporary issues in conservation biology, evolution, population biology, genetics, organismal phylogeny, Next Generation Sequencing, and molecular ecology. A background in evolution, genetics, and molecular biology is recommended. This is an advanced course in evolutionary biology and conservation genetics that will benefit you if you plan to continue with a PhD in ecology, genetics, conservation, or evolution. If you wish to deepen your knowledge in conservation, evolution or genetics then you will also benefit from this module.

PRACTICAL CONSERVATION AND WORK EXPERIENCE

Code BIO-7029Y

Credits 10

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 or Christmas vacation. Students can receive help from module organiser in setting up placements but will be responsible for their transportation to and from the workplace

STATISTICS AND MODELLING FOR SCIENTISTS USING R

Code ENV-7033B

Credits 20

How do you test a hypothesis? How do you compare biological traits between wild populations? And how do you best test and visualise differences between samples? Scientists use a wide array of methods for statistical analysis and plotting data, and increasingly, these tasks are carried out using R. R is a free programming language for statistical computing and graphics, including general and generalised linear models, time-series analysis, and community analysis, and also specialised analyses in many scientific subfields. Learning R will equip you with a flexible statistical, modelling, and graphics tool. Learning the basics of running R in the RStudio programming environment, you’ll spend most of your time on general and generalised linear models, which unify the range of statistical tests that are classically taught separately: t-test, ANOVA, regression, logistic regression, and chi-square, plus residuals analysis. Additionally, you’ll learn how to use R to write simple programs and carry out community analyses such as principal components analysis. Finally, throughout the class, you’ll learn R methods for data formatting, graphics, and documentation. On successful completion of this module you’ll be able to use R to carry out and present results from the most widely used statistical tests in current scientific practice, giving you sufficient knowledge to continue learning statistical analysis on your own. A pre-requisite of first and/or second year statistical modules is required.

GIS AND ITS APPLICATIONS FOR MODELLING ECOLOGICAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL CHANGE

Code ENV-7034A

Credits 20

This module will provide essential GIS tools and principles that will be applied to modelling ecological and environmental change. This module includes two parts, the first part delivers core GIS skills. The second part examines recent ecological and environmental changes with particular emphasis to climate change. Students will learn to identify, extract and analyse data from national and global databases. GIS analyses will include the manipulation of such files. Particular attention will be paid to using the data to understand and model the consequences of environmental change. These skills are important in many areas of ecological and environmental research. This module is suitable for students with no or little previous knowledge of GIS and will be relevant to students from across the sciences.

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Important Information

Whilst the University will make every effort to offer the modules listed, changes may sometimes be made arising from the annual monitoring and review of modules. Where this activity leads to significant change to a programme and modules, the University will endeavour to consult with affected students. 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. Availability of optional modules may be restricted owing to timetabling, lack of demand, or limited places. Where this is the case, you will be asked to make alternative module choices and you will be supported during this process.

MSc APPLIED ECOLOGY AND CONSERVATION

MSC APPLIED ECOLOGY AND CONSERVATION