MSc Global Ecology and Conservation
Cardiff, United Kingdom
DURATION
1 Years
LANGUAGES
English
PACE
Full time
APPLICATION DEADLINE
Request application deadline
EARLIEST START DATE
Sep 2025
TUITION FEES
GBP 27,450 / per year *
STUDY FORMAT
On-Campus
* for overseas | for home: £11,450
Introduction
With a changing climate, an increasing human population, and growing rates of extinction and habitat loss, the world is facing unprecedented challenges. To meet these challenges and preserve our wildlife and ecosystems, we need innovative and adaptable scientists who can develop conservation strategies with real impact.
Our MSc in Global Ecology and Conservation aims to train the ecologists and conservationists of the future. Covering the complete span from ecological theory and pioneering research, through to practical site assessments and conservation interventions, we will equip you with the skills and knowledge required to tackle major global challenges and make a ‘real world’ difference.
From the rivers of South Wales to the Bornean rainforest, our MSc covers the major conservation issues affecting habitats across the globe. With training in core areas, such as wildlife surveys, biodiversity assessments and species management, you will learn how to identify current and emerging threats to species and ecosystems and develop the necessary skills to tackle these threats with effective and scalable solutions.
These core topics are combined with a free choice of optional modules, including Science Communication, Water and Life on Earth, and Frontiers in Biosciences, and wide-ranging options for the research project and many coursework topics, giving you the freedom to tailor your studies to your interests and career aspirations. Several of our core modules include a fieldwork element, whilst our optional Field Research and Placement module comprises an extended field course in the UK or overseas, along with a professional work placement.
The course is delivered by leading academics who work across the world conducting cutting-edge research and addressing key global challenges – from pioneering climate change research to developing action plans to preserve native species. As well as offering you the excitement of learning in an active research environment, this approach will also demonstrate how your work can be translated into practical conservation measures.
We know that ecology and conservation are constantly evolving, and, in response, we have developed an MSc that is explicitly forward-looking, covering new technology and ‘horizon scanning’ for future conservation issues. With a flexible and interdisciplinary approach, we aim to train postgraduates who can take on roles in research, practice, policy, consultancy and more, and who have the skills, confidence and knowledge base to adapt to a global job market and changing environment.
Why Study this Course
Our MSc in Global Ecology and Conservation aims to train the ecologists and conservationists of the future.
Latest Conservation Trends
Learn the concepts and challenges in conservation, including in legislative and NGO contexts, and ‘horizon-scanning’ for future threats.
Practical Training
Use the latest survey technologies such as drones and eDNA for monitoring ecosystems, detecting species declines and diagnosing their causes.
Fieldwork in the UK or Abroad
An optional Field Course and Placement module extends the field-based teaching by 10-15 days in a choice of UK and international destinations.
Public Outreach
Reach out to scientific colleagues, stakeholders and the wider public through our dedicated science communication module.
Expert Contributors
We invite leading external experts and thinkers in conservation to contribute regularly to our course.
Admissions
Scholarships and Funding
We are committed to investing up to a total of £500,000 in this high-value competitive scholarship scheme to support UK students who are planning to start an eligible Master’s programme in 2024/25.
Each Scholarship is worth £3,000 and will be awarded a tuition fee discount.
Eligibility
UK students are eligible to apply for the Scholarship. You normally need to have achieved at least a 2.1 or equivalent in your first degree to be eligible. You need to submit an application to study at Cardiff University and be made an offer to study before your fee status can be confirmed.
Curriculum
The course runs for 12 months full-time. Students undertake modules to the value of 180 credits.
The programme consists of four core modules (80 credits), two optional modules (40 credits) and a research project (60 credits). It comprises two stages:
- Stage 1: taught modules. There is an exit point at the end of Stage 1 (120 credits), leading to a Postgraduate Diploma. The timing of this point is dependent on the specific modules that the student has selected
- Stage 2: Research Project
Core Modules for Year One
- Field Skills for Ecology and Conservation
- Assessing Biodiversity and Ecosystems
- Principles and Practice of Conservation Biology
- Data Science
- Research Project
Optional Modules for Year One
- Advanced Research Methods
- Field Research and Placement
- Science Communication: from peer-review to public outreach
- Frontiers in Water
How Will I be Assessed?
You will be assessed through a combination of assessment of practical skills, coursework, essays, presentations and a research project (= dissertation; 8,000–10,000 words). Some optional modules may also include exams as part of the assessment.
Program Outcome
What Skills Will I Practise and Develop?
Knowledge & Understanding
On successful completion of the Programme you will be able to:
- Discuss key principles underlying ecology and conservation, especially as they relate to environmental and global change
- Distinguish different facets of biodiversity (e.g. functional, taxonomic) at scales ranging from genes to ecosystems, and explain how to quantify them and their changes through space and/or time
- Describe different field survey techniques, with accompanying safe working practices and relevant legislation
- Assess current and emerging threats to biodiversity, alongside relevant policy and legislation
- Review traditional and innovative conservation strategies, such as re-introduction, re-wilding and creating conservation corridors
Intellectual Skills
On successful completion of the Programme, you will be able to
- Devise management strategies, underpinned by ecological principles and evidence, to conserve species and/or manage nature conservation sites
- Select suitable methods for analysing data and visualising the results
- Diagnose the drivers of biodiversity/ecosystem change from data
- Critically evaluate: i) ecological survey methods and data collected using those methods, ii) environmental impact assessments; iii) the results of data analyses; and iv) published research from the scientific literature
Professional Practical Skills
On successful completion of the Programme you will be able to:
- Design field surveys and research projects to address specific aims or hypotheses
- Collect data for different taxa and environments, using established and cutting-edge methods relevant to both research and applied contexts (e.g. ecological consultancy)
- Select, and justify the choice of, suitable approaches for measuring different aspects of biodiversity when presented with ecological and conservation scenarios or research questions
- Critically evaluate different statistical methods and select appropriate ones when presented with scenarios and associated data sets
- Use industry-standard software (R and geographic information systems (GIS)) to design and construct digital maps, and analyse data
- Synthesise, critique and communicate research outputs (e.g. scientific papers, data analyses) to scientific peers in written and oral formats
Transferable/Key Skills
On successful completion of the Programme you will be able to:
- Synthesise complex scientific outputs (e.g. scientific papers, data analyses, environmental impact assessments) into written and oral formats tailored to a non-specialist audience (e.g. policymakers, the general public)
- Prepare written reports, with clear structures and organising information in a logical manner, using correct grammar/spelling
- Format data sets to facilitate collaboration and long-term archiving
- Analyse, visualise and interpret complex data
- Design and manage research projects
- Evaluate, prioritise and apply complex information and data to devise strategies and plans
- Apply safe working practices when carrying out fieldwork
- Work individually or collaboratively to solve problems
- Interpret and apply legal guidelines to project proposals or survey designs
Program Tuition Fee
Career Opportunities
Our MSc offers excellent training for future ecologists and conservationists. Its blend of theory and practical research skills, conservation management and legislation, and identifying emerging threats, will furnish you with the scientific knowledge, hands-on experience and adaptability that are highly valued by employers in today’s global job market.
In particular, we expect many of our graduates to enjoy successful careers in research, ecological consultancy, and conservation policy and practice. With its focus on practical training in both subject-specific and generic research skills, our MSc provides the ideal platform for further study and a career in academia. Students who choose the optional Science Communication module will learn how to translate science for a variety of audiences, opening up other exciting avenues, such as journalism, broadcasting and public engagement.
Alongside sound scientific training, this course will enable you to develop transferable skills that are in high demand beyond ecology and conservation. In particular, skills such as data management, analysis and literacy; making complex research accessible to a wide audience; appraising alternative management proposals and policies; and devising evidence-based solutions to problems, are vital in a range of roles across the public, private and third sectors.
We provide a supportive environment in which research can flourish and we are committed to helping you prepare for your post-university career. Throughout the course, you will have a wide range of opportunities to establish contacts with potential employers, whether that’s through a work experience placement, collaborations developed during the research project, or guest lectures by leading external experts.
Program delivery
How will I be Taught?
The taught component of the programme is delivered through a blend of lectures, seminars, tutorials, computer practicals and field-based teaching, as well as innovative ‘virtual’ lectures and a virtual field trip to the Bornean rainforest. An optional Field Course and Placement module extends the field-based teaching with a c. 10–15 day field course in a choice of UK and international destinations.
Program Admission Requirements
Show your commitment and readiness for Grad school by taking the GRE - the most broadly accepted exam for graduate programs internationally.