MSc Applied Ecology and Conservation

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

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Entry Requirements Degree Subject: 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. Degree Classification: Good first degree (minimum 2.1 or equivalent) Alternative Qualifications: 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

We welcome applications from students whose first language is not English. To ensure such students benefit from postgraduate study, we require evidence of proficiency in English. Our usual entry requirements are as follows:

• IELTS: 6.5 (minimum 6.0 in all components)
• TOEFL: Internet-based score of 88 (minimum 18 in listening, 21 speaking, 19 writing and 20 reading)
• PTE (Pearson): 62 (minimum 55 in all components)

Test dates should be within two years of the course start date.

Other tests such as TOEIC and the Cambridge Certificate of Advanced English are also accepted by the university. Please check with the Admissions Office for further details including the scores or grades required.

INTO UEA and INTO UEA London run pre-sessional courses which can be taken prior to the start of your course. For further information and to see if you qualify please contact intopre-sessional@uea.ac.uk (INTO UEA Norwich) or pseuealondon@into.uk.com (INTO UEA London).

• 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.

Fees and Funding Tuition Fees 2013/14

• UK/EU £7,000
• International £15,400

Funding

• International applicants applying to this course can be considered for one Faculty of Science half fees scholarship or up to four £1000 scholarships. The scholarship deadline is 1st April 2013.

Faculty of Science Scholarships
Students wishing to apply should submit an essay. You may choose a Biologist of your choice and answer the following question in 1000 words: 'What are the major contributions of (your chosen Biologist) to biology'? Essays should be emailed to the Admissions Office. Please ensure you include your full name, the course you have applied to, and your applicant number in your email.

For more information please contact the Biology Postgraduate Admissions Office (bio.pgt.admiss@uea.ac.uk).