Postgraduate Taught

Wildlife Conservation

South-African-elephants
student taking photo of giraffe
A conservation presentation
Tree at dusk
As part of this course you will embark on field trips, including a two week trip to Kruger National Park in South Africa.
You'll explore the national and international legal and policy frameworks that shape and regulate conservation efforts globally, making you stand out to employers.
You'll use our industry standard software such as R-Studio and GIS, prepping you for your future career.
you'll explore the national and international legal and policy frameworks that shape and regulate conservation efforts globally.
South-African-elephants
student taking photo of giraffe
A conservation presentation
Tree at dusk

Where Science Meets Conservation: Protecting Species, Restoring Ecosystems at the University of Hull.

The demand for change has never been greater. Join a programme designed to equip you with the skills needed to tackle today's urgent conservation challenges. Stand out to future employers by mastering not only ecological principles but also the socio-political dynamics shaping global conservation efforts, and gain hands-on experience with a two-week international field trip to Kruger National Park, South Africa.

On this course, you’ll learn cutting-edge conservation theory, data analysis, biodiversity monitoring, and the socio-political frameworks crucial to tackling global issues like poaching, human-wildlife conflict, and conservation economics.

  • Global field trips

    to South Africa

  • Industry-standard software

    such as RStudio and GIS

  • Develop

    industry-level skills through hands on practice

  • Make a change

    to the future of wildlife

  • Learn social and legal

    aspects alongside biological and ecological issues

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Course overview
Module options

About this course

In this programme, you'll not only develop essential wildlife conservation skills like designing biodiversity monitoring schemes, study design, and understanding environmental threats, but also address the critical socio-political aspects of conservation that employers are urgently seeking.

You’ll gain a deeper understanding of how wildlife conservation operates within human communities, the challenges this creates, and the impact of these social dynamics. Additionally, you'll explore the national and international legal and policy frameworks that shape and regulate conservation efforts globally.

You'll gain deep insight into many areas, with modules on global conservation, biodiversity and assessment, ecological monitoring and more. You'll also increase both your quantitative and qualitative research skills using industry standard software and techniques to prepare you for the life of work, and get hands on experience with field trips to South Africa.

Using these enhanced knowledge and research skills, you'll undertake the wildlife conservation project. With assistance you will conduct an individual research project or dissertation on a subject of your choosing, with the option to participate in existing real-life research projects or industry placements. This may include developing a detailed conservation plan for a particular species or habitat, a report on public opinion of a controversial conservation topic, developing a population viability model, or many other ideas. This project will tailor your degree to your passion, sending you into your career prepared to take on anything.

Choose your modules

For a full Masters degree, you'll study 180 credits over the duration of your course. Some programmes offer a Postgraduate Diploma (PGDip) qualification or a Postgraduate Certificate (PGCert) qualification. For a PGDip, you'll study 120 credits, and for a PGCert, you'll study 60 credits.

Wildlife Conservation Project

The project involves a desk/archive-based, data analysis, lab or field project and written project report on a subject agreed between the student and staff in a field relevant to wildlife conservation. Each student conducts, with assistance, an individual research project or dissertation, which is supervised for the duration of the project by an expert or experts in their respective field(s). The subject will be chosen in T2 and students will submit an initial literature review which will go on to form part of the dissertation at the beginning of T3. There may be opportunities to participate in existing research projects and/or have a placement with an external organisation. Some projects may consist of a series of related studies using different techniques that form chapters in a dissertation.

Core60 credits

Global Conservation

This module will give students an understanding of how conservation operates from a global to a national scale, including the roles of international bodies, legal and advisory frameworks and NGOs. Students will learn how these cascade into national level frameworks and legislation, and the benefits and drawbacks of these approaches.

Compulsory20 credits

Research Skills in Environmental Sciences

It is more important than ever that future environmental scientists are well-equipped with the skills needed to critically assess environmental research. This module will provide you with the key skills required to assess and integrate contemporary literature and to analyse and interpret complex data to become an independent researcher.

Compulsory20 credits

Biodiversity and assessment

This module will address the various methods used for making assessments of populations and communities of organisms and of habitats for conservation work. Students will also learn the important data analysis techniques necessary to draw inference from such data, and how this can lead into evidence-based conservation planning and monitoring. 

Compulsory20 credits

Ecology for Conservation

This module will deal with ecological principles at both the population and community level. The important theoretical foundations of the subject will be covered, allowing further exploration of how these lead into practical conservation issues and will deal with ecological principles at both population and community level. The important theoretical foundations of the subject will be covered, allowing further exploration of how these lead into practical conservation issues.

Compulsory20 credits

People and Conservation

Wild animals often live in close proximity to people, and conservation of those animals has important impacts on those people. This module will introduce a series of important topics associated with conservation and society, including a consideration of how successful conservation programmes can be designed in collaboration with local people rather than in conflict with them. 

Compulsory20 credits

Biodiversity and conservation field course: South Africa

This module will be taught as a two-week field course based in the Kruger National Park in South Africa and taught with researchers from South African National Parks (SANParks) and allied organisations. Content will include:

  • Field exercises learning biodiversity and behavioural monitoring techniques in the KNP
  • Assisting researchers with biodiversity assessments for existing long-term monitoring projects in the KNP and the surrounding area (e.g. the SAEON Ndlovu node)
  • The history of colonialism and Apartheid in South Africa and how this has created the current conservation landscape
  • Inclusive community solutions to local conservation problems
Compulsory20 credits

 

 

7 Modules

Entry requirements

What do I need?

Typical offer
2:1 in relevant subject area

At Hull, we request an entry grade tariff of 2:1 in a related field, or 2:2 with relevant experience reflecting the nature of the program. Conservation is a multidisciplinary field and a wide range of undergraduate degrees will be considered, including biology, zoology, ecology, environmental science and geography.

Well-qualified graduates from other programs such as politics, sociology or law with relevant experience in the field would also be considered. 

If you’re an undergraduate student at Hull, you’re guaranteed a fast-track route to this postgraduate degree, as long as you meet the entry requirements.

In order to ensure our students have a rich learning and student experience, most of our programmes have a mix of domestic and international students. We reserve the right to close applications early to either group if application volumes suggest that this blend cannot be achieved.

What do I need?

Typical offer
2:1 in relevant subject area

At Hull, we request an entry grade tariff of 2:1 in a related field, or 2:2 with relevant experience reflecting the nature of the program. Conservation is a multidisciplinary field and a wide range of undergraduate degrees will be considered, including biology, zoology, ecology, environmental science and geography.

Well-qualified graduates from other programs such as politics, sociology or law with relevant experience in the field would also be considered. 

If you require a student visa to study or if your first language is not English you will be required to provide acceptable evidence of your English language proficiency level.

This course requires academic IELTS 6.5 overall, with no less than 6.0 in each skill. See other English language proficiency qualifications accepted by the University of Hull.

If your English currently does not reach the University’s required standard for this programme, you may be interested in one of our English language courses.

Visit your country page to find out more about our entry requirements.

Fees & funding

How much is it?

Additional costs you may have to pay

A supplementary fee will be charged for participation in the international field course. Students attending the international field course will need anti-malarial prophylaxis and might require vaccinations, plus sundry other expenses associate with travel such as internet access. Any additional costs associated with visas and vaccinations, or other personal equipment required for the field course will be the responsibility of the student.

There are some extra costs that you might have to pay, or choose to pay:

  • Books (you can borrow books on your reading lists from the library, but you may buy your own)
  • Student visas (international students)
  • Laptop (you’ll have access to laptops and computers on campus, but you may want your own)
  • Printing and photocopying
  • Professional-body membership
  • Graduation (gown hire and photography)

Remember, you’ll still need to take into account your living costs. This could include accommodation, travel, food and more.

How do I pay for it?

How much is it?

Additional costs you may have to pay

A supplementary fee will be charged for participation in the international field course. Students attending the international field course will need anti-malarial prophylaxis and might require vaccinations, plus sundry other expenses associate with travel such as internet access. Any additional costs associated with visas and vaccinations, or other personal equipment required for the field course will be the responsibility of the student.

There are some extra costs that you might have to pay, or choose to pay:

  • Books (you can borrow books on your reading lists from the library, but you may buy your own)
  • Student visas (international students)
  • Laptop (you’ll have access to laptops and computers on campus, but you may want your own)
  • Printing and photocopying
  • Professional-body membership
  • Graduation (gown hire and photography)

Remember, you’ll still need to take into account your living costs. This could include accommodation, travel, food and more.

How do I pay for it?

Our scholarships

We offer a number of awards, bursaries and scholarships for eligible students. They’re awarded for a variety of reasons including academic achievement and/or to help those on lower incomes.

Scholarships and bursaries are separate to student loans. And the best bit is, you don’t pay a penny back.

Find out more about our scholarships

International Scholarships and Bursaries

We offer a range of scholarships and bursaries for international students.

To find out more and see if you're eligible, please visit the International Scholarships and Bursaries page.

See more Scholarships

We offer a range of scholarships and awards to students at the university to help with their financial load.

To view all of our scholarships and determine whether you're eligible, please visit our Scholarships and Awards page

Take a look at our facilities

Brynmor Jones Library

Our 7-storey library is home to 1 million+ books, extensive digital resources drawn from libraries and archives across the world, and stunning panoramic views of the city from the 7th floor.

Teaching Labs

You’ll have access to a GIS suite and teaching labs where you can develop your experimental skills.

Hardy Aquarium

Home to a vast range of tropical fish and marine species, our on-campus aquarium allows teaching and research to take place side by side.

Hardy Molecular Lab

Explore the molecular world of animals in our laboratory, equipped for cutting-edge genetics and biodiversity research to support teaching and conservation studies.

See more in our virtual tour

Look around

Look around

Look around

Look around

Brynmor Jones Library Observation Deck
Cohen Building Marine Biology Lab
Tropical Aquarium
Molecular Laboratory
Moth Specimens incl Tiger Moths

Future prospects

There is a global need for well-trained conservation professionals who are able not only to understand the underlying ecological and management principles of conservation but also to work in the socio-political environment that all conservation work is embedded in. Graduates from this programme could work in a range of careers such as as a:

Conservation Scientist, Ecologist, Wildlife Biologist, Environmental Consultant, Habitat Restoration Specialist, Academic Researcher and, moving beyond the sector, in many business, governmental or NGO roles. 

University of Hull Open Day

Your next steps

Like what you’ve seen? Then it’s time to apply.

Make your application online now, and our admissions team will get back to you as soon as possible to make you an offer.

Not ready to apply?

We regularly deliver virtual and on-campus events to help you discover your perfect postgraduate course, whether it’s a subject you already love or something completely different. Our events are an opportunity for you to chat to tutors and current students and find out about the career options a postgraduate degree could lead to.

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