Masters Degrees (Birds)

Designed in conjunction with employers, this practical course will provide you with the skills and knowledge to help manage and conserve biodiversity.

The greatest challenge facing conservation biologists today is the preservation of the world’s biodiversity in the face of considerable human demands on space and resources.

By combining the disciplines of wildlife biology and conservation biology, experienced staff will help you develop and apply both the theoretical knowledge and practical skills required to address this challenge.

Our graduates have gone on to work for government agencies and independent wildlife organisations nationally and internationally.

This can be a part-time course, starting in September or January, however, the development of theory and practice are best facilitated with a September start.

This can be a distance learning course, offering you the flexibility to learn at your own pace and place, possibly alongside work in the conservation industry.

See the website http://www.napier.ac.uk/en/Courses/MSc-Wildlife-Biology-and-Conservation-Postgraduate-FullTime

What you'll learn

This course has been designed in conjunction with employers and professional bodies. The main focus is on the development of practical employability skills.

In addition to studying relevant theory, you’ll have the opportunity to develop:
• advanced analytical skills for population investigation and management
• practical skills used in identifying, quantifying and assessing biodiversity
• transferable skills including communication, IT (GIS, R, Mark, Estimate S), problem solving, research and team working

You’ll need to be available to participate in a three-week intensive field course based in Scotland to help embed practical skills in sampling, identification (plants, aquatic and terrestrial invertebrates, small mammals, birds) and data analysis.

In addition, guided visits to several sites and talks from managers will highlight how conservation and management are informed by the aims and objectives of the site owners. This usually takes place in early May.

Our staff have years of experience working worldwide in wildlife conservation and consultancy and are keen to help you develop your potential. In addition, external speakers from a range of government agencies, charities and consultancies share their experiences and give insights into career options.

This is a one year full-time course split into three trimesters. You can choose to start in either September or January. However, the development of theory and practice are best facilitated with a September start.

You'll learn by a variety of teaching methods including lectures, tutorials, laboratory sessions, field trips and independent study, supported with information on the virtual learning environment.

As your interests develop through the taught course you'll be able to design a final research project to suit your individual goals.

Modules

• Principles of wildlife management
• Scientific methods
• Humans and wildlife
• Biodiversity and conservation
• Management of aquatic protected areas
• Field and laboratory skills
• Modelling wildlife populations or case studies in applied ecology

Study modules mentioned above are indicative only. Some changes may occur between now and the time that you study.

Careers

Returning graduates, who share their experience of the work environment each year, have emphasised the importance of the skills gained from the course in their subsequent success.

You could develop a career with government agencies such as Scottish Natural Heritage and Natural England, non-governmental agencies and charities such as the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds, Wildlife Trusts or private consultancies.

How to apply

http://www.napier.ac.uk/study-with-us/postgraduate/how-to-apply

SAAS Funding

Nothing should get in the way of furthering your education. Student Awards Agency Scotland (SAAS) awards funding for postgraduate courses, and could provide the help you need to continue your studies. Find out more: http://www.napier.ac.uk/study-with-us/postgraduate/fees-and-funding/saas-funded-courses

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Our MSc Animal Behaviour is unusual in that it is offered within a Psychology department. This benefits you by providing a strong background in a broad cross-section of research methods used by researchers studying human and animal behaviour, a strong training in statistical methods and multidisciplinary study environment. You will learn how to formulate and test relevant research questions, and critically evaluate the research carried out by others in the field.

The programme will give you an insight into the varied means of performing animal behaviour research in a wide array of locations with wild and (semi-)captive animals – in the wild, laboratory, zoo or under human management. As part of the taught component you will be exposed to lectures and seminar discussions, research talks and discussions with speakers, boost and consolidate your knowledge and skills in statistical data analysis, participate in a one-week residential field course (during the Easter break) and in research skill training sessions. During the course you will continuously develop your abilities in critical analysis of the literature and of scientific evidence, project development, communication and scientific writing.

You will be part of the lively, internationally-recognised Centre for Research in Animal Behaviour (http://psychology.exeter.ac.uk/research/centres/crab/) and will have the opportunity to work alongside our experienced researchers on a research apprenticeship which is a central component of the course. The apprenticeship enables you to develop your research skills further and write up the research in the form of a journal article for potential publication. Apprenticeships can also be undertaken under the supervision of researchers at various institutions with whom we have developed long-term relationships.

On successful completion of the MSc you will have the skills to pursue a PhD, work as a research assistant and project manager or follow a career working in zoos, research centres, nature reserves, wildlife and other animal-related offices, education, scientific media and the expanding field of eco-tourism.

Research Apprenticeship

A distinctive feature of all our taught Masters programmes is the Research Apprenticeship. The Apprenticeship enables you to develop your research skills by working alongside experienced researchers or practitioners. You will also gain experience of writing up your research in the form of a dissertation.

Many students undertake their apprenticeship with researchers in the Centre for Research in Animal Behaviour in our School, both in the labs and in the field around the campus, Devon and abroad. Students work on a wide range of topics and with different animals, for example:
• Social behaviour, animal welfare and enrichment, zoo research, animal cognition, navigation, sensory ecology, behavioural ecology, ecotoxicology
• Fish (guppies, sticklebacks, killifish), mammals (primates, squirrels, whales, donkeys, dogs, meerkats, coyotes), birds (pigeons, chickens, pheasants, magpies, flamingoes, wood and sea birds), invertebrates (crabs, honeybees, bumblebees, desert ants, wood ants)

Programme structure

The programme is made up of compulsory modules. Constituent modules may be updated, deleted or replaced as a consequence of the annual programme review of this programme.

Compulsory modules

The compulsory modules can include; Advanced Statistics; Behavioural Science Research Skills; Advances and Methods in Animal Behaviour; Research Apprenticeship; Current Research Issues in Animal Behaviour;

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This MSc is taught by the Centre for Ecology and Conservation (CEC http://biosciences.exeter.ac.uk/cec/), whose evolutionary and behaviour research groups are amongst the most dynamic in the UK. As an MSc student you will be integrated into these groups and conduct cutting-edge research projects that aim to make genuine contributions to the field of evolutionary and behavioural ecology. The goal is to prepare you for a future research career.

The Centre is the fastest growing institute of its kind in the UK and an integral part of the School of Biosciences at the Penryn Campus. Research is almost exclusively organismal, with particular emphasis on social mammals, birds, turtles and insects. We also specialise in modelling animal behaviour and species interactions and see this as essential and complementary to our whole approach. The other area of emphasis which underpins much of our work is quantitative and molecular genetics; fundamental to the evolutionary process and to conservation biology and policy issues.

Programme overview

- Delivered by leading international researchers in the Centre for Ecology and Conservation, who regularly publish in peer-reviewed journals;
- Designed to prepare you for a future research career with excellent graduate employment opportunities. In the first year of operation, 78 per cent of our students had secured a PhD position before finishing the programme;
- Provides extensive training in current research techniques;
- Develops knowledge and critical awareness of current problems and new insights in evolutionary and behavioural ecology, much of which is at, or informed by, study at the forefront of the field;
- Offers access to excellent facilities including state-of-the-art molecular and genetics labs with a full range of microscopy equipment, greenhouses, aviary and controlled environment rooms. (http://biosciences.exeter.ac.uk/facilities/cornwall/)

Fieldwork

The census research projects will see you spending a considerable amount of time in the field collecting data at several key research sites in West Cornwall and interacting with local NGOs (Cornwall Wildlife Trust, South West Lakes Trust).

This programme includes a two week field course in Kenya and will include visits to some of Africa’s largest and most important game reserves, as well as an introduction to some of the day-to-day problems faced by conservation biologists in developing nations. You will study the behaviour of animals in a natural ecological setting with a focus on large mammals, birds and insects.

Find out more about our field course modules at http://www.exeter.ac.uk/postgraduate/taught/biosciences/fieldwork/. You can also keep up to date and share the experiences of our students in the field on our Field Course Fortnight website at http://blogs.exeter.ac.uk/fieldcourses/ .

Learning and teaching

The taught component of this programme is delivered in the first five months, during which time you will be encouraged to develop your census research projects. The rest of the academic year is dedicated to these projects.

Teaching and learning methods

All material is designed for Masters level and will involve fieldwork, seminars and group discussion. Within modules there is considerable scope for you to direct your learning towards fields of particular interest, especially through your choice of research project. Students are located in the Centre for Ecology and Conservation laboratories, where close working relationships are fostered. Every student has the personal and academic support of the programme director, as well as their academic tutor, module leaders and project supervisors. Because of the layout of our research laboratory, postdoctoral researchers and PhD students interact closely with postgraduates to provide more personal support during the research phase of the programme.

Programme structure

The programme is made up of compulsory modules. Constituent modules may be updated, deleted or replaced as a consequence of the annual programme review of this programme.

Compulsory modules

The compulsory modules can include; Research Project; Evolutionary and Behavioural Ecology; Approaches in Evolutionary and Behavioural Ecology; African Behavioural Ecology Field Course; Statistical Modelling and Key Skills

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This one-year full-time Masters programme is taught at our Cornwall Campus by the Centre for Ecology and Conservation (http://biosciences.exeter.ac.uk/cec/) ; the fastest growing institute of its kind in the UK. The course boasts a significant research component, with substantial fieldwork opportunities in the UK as well as a field course in Africa. A distinctive and integral feature of our MSc is the high degree of input from conservationists in collaborating governmental and non-governmental organisations. This participation takes a variety of forms, including guest lectures, field visits and specific training courses, but may also include providing research projects in their organisations. Collaborating organisations include: Cornwall Wildlife Trust, Butterfly Conservation, Marine Conservation Society, Natural England, Royal Botanic Gardens Kew and the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (links open in new windows).

The course provides excellent employability, with our alumni moving into careers such as: ecological consultancy, government conservation in UK and overseas, NGO conservation in the UK (Bat Conservation Trust, RSPB, Wildlife Trusts) and overseas and fully funded PhD positions in ecology and conservation.

Programme overview

- Designed in consultation with multiple external agencies to ensure relevant training that maximises graduate employability;
- Substantial field work opportunities in the UK and overseas;
- Provides opportunities to connect with external agencies and organisations to further enhance your training;
- Delivered by leading international researchers in the Centre for Ecology and Conservation;
- Offers access to excellent facilities including state-of-the-art research laboratories, greenhouses, aviary and controlled environment rooms;
- Modules target both research and practical conservation skills.

Fieldwork

The census research projects will see you spending a considerable amount of time in the field collecting data at several key research sites in West Cornwall and interacting with local NGOs (Cornwall Wildlife Trust, South West Lakes Trust).

This programme includes a two week field course in Kenya and will include visits to some of Africa’s largest and most important game reserves, as well as an introduction to some of the day-to-day problems faced by conservation biologists in developing nations. You will study the behaviour of animals in a natural ecological setting with a focus on large mammals, birds and insects. Travel and subsistence costs for this part of the programme are included in the programme fee.

Find out more about our field course modules at http://www.exeter.ac.uk/postgraduate/taught/biosciences/fieldwork/.
You can also keep up to date and share the experiences of our students in the field on our Field Course Fortnight website at http://blogs.exeter.ac.uk/fieldcourses/.

Learning and teaching

The taught component of this programme is delivered in the first five months, during which time you will be encouraged to develop your census research projects. The rest of the academic year is dedicated to these projects.

Programme structure

This Programme is modular and consists of three compulsory modules and 2-4 optional modules.

Compulsory modules

The compulsory modules can include; Research Project; Statistical Modelling and Key Skills

Optional modules

Examples of the optional modules can include; Terrestrial Biodiversity and Conservation; ; Marine Biodiversity and Conservation; Preparing for Ecological Consultancy; Approaches in Evolutionary and Behavioural Ecology; Ecological Census; African Biodiversity and Conservation Field Course; African Behavioural Ecology Field Course and African Conservation Science and Policy Field Course

The modules listed here provide examples of what you can expect to learn on this degree course based on recent academic teaching. The precise modules available to you in future years may vary depending on staff availability and research interests, new topics of study, timetabling and student demand.

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This taught Masters degree is designed for those wishing to pursue a career in conservation management or ecological consultancy, professions which increasingly require postgraduate qualification for establishment and progression. The course puts a high emphasis on practical field experience for managing habitats, monitoring species and developing biological identification skills for plants, invertebrates and vertebrates. These activities are allied to a clear theoretical framework underpinning ecology and conservation practice. We welcome applications from recent graduates, experienced consultants, conservation workers or those seeking a career change.

What will I study?

This Conservation Management course combines the expertise of the field biologist with practical experience of managing habitats. A firm emphasis is placed on fieldwork, biological identification skills and experience of a broad range of management issues.

You will develop laboratory skills including microscopy for bryophyte and invertebrate identification and soil analysis techniques. Identification skills gained will range from plants to invertebrates, mammals, amphibians and birds.

You will learn to write in a concise scientific style, construct arguments, consider ethical issues of ecological work, analyse and interpret data and synthesise scientific literature. These skills are highly desirable in ecological consultancy and conservation research.

Ethics is also an important feature of conservation management, for instance in the collection of voucher specimens. Consideration of ethical issues is given in each module, where appropriate, alongside legal issues.

How will I study?

Fieldwork is an integral part of many modules and is used to provide a multitude of experiences across species, habitats and conservation issues. A variety of local sites are used including dunes, meadows and forests. The programme includes a residential field course. Field trip costs are included within course fees.

In small classes, lecture-style sessions and practical work are designed to develop subject-specific skills, clarify concepts, raise questions and collect data. Follow-up seminars may consider analysis, data presentation, qualitative observations, elucidation of trends, and integration with theoretical ideas.

How will I be assessed?

The course has a variety of assessment methods which are designed to develop the full range of skills and expertise relevant to the subject. These include a research thesis, scientific reports, voucher specimen collections, vegetation portfolios, field-based management plans and examinations.

Who will be teaching me?

The course is taught by a small friendly team who have considerable teaching and research experience in the area. All staff are research active which means that they keep up-to-date with current developments in their areas of interest and pass this knowledge onto their students. Staff expertise includes forest and grassland conservation, habitat restoration, sustainable management of ecosystems, remote sensing in ecology and conservation genetics.

What are my career prospects?

This MSc will equip you with the knowledge and skills required for a successful career in conservation or ecological consultancy. To date, graduates of the course have been employed by a range of non-governmental organisations (for example, Wildlife Trusts, Wildfowl and Wetlands Trust, Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB), and National Trust), governmental organisations (Natural England) and consultancies (including Atkins UK, Jacob’s Ecology, and Avian Ecology). Graduates have also progressed into conservation research, working for the Centre for Ecology and Hydrology and at various universities.

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This one-year full-time Masters programme is taught by the Centre for Ecology and Conservation (http://biosciences.exeter.ac.uk/cec/) ; the fastest growing institute of its kind in the UK.

The course boasts a significant research component, with substantial fieldwork opportunities in the UK as well as a fieldcourse in Africa. Through taught modules and practical application, you will develop advanced skills in scientific method, ecological census and quantitative biology.

A distinctive and integral feature of our MSc is the high degree of input from ecologists in collaborating governmental and non-governmental organisations. This participation takes a variety of forms, including guest lectures, field visits and specific training courses, but may also include providing research projects in their organisations. Collaborating organisations include: Cornwall Wildlife Trust, Butterfly Conservation, Marine Conservation Society, Natural England, Royal Botanic Gardens Kew, Food and Environment Research Agency and the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds.

Professional field biology and career development skills are embedded in the programme to enhance your employability. You will learn wildlife photography, geographic information systems, first aid for expeditions and field work, plus how to publish your own website, secure funding and communicate science to the general public.

Programme overview

- Designed in consultation with multiple external agencies to ensure relevant training that maximises graduate employability
- Substantial field work opportunities in the UK and Africa
- Provide opportunities to connect with external agencies and organisations throughout the programme to further enhance your training
- Delivered by leading international researchers in the Centre for Ecology and Conservation, who regularly publish in peer-reviewed journals
- Offers access to excellent facilities including state-of-the-art research laboratories, greenhouses, aviary and controlled environment rooms (http://biosciences.exeter.ac.uk/facilities/cornwall/)
- Ideal for individuals wishing to work in related consultancy and non-governmental organisations
- Includes modules that target both research and practical applied ecology skills

Fieldwork

The census research projects will see you spending a considerable amount of time in the field collecting data at several key research sites in West Cornwall and interacting with local NGOs (Cornwall Wildlife Trust, South West Lakes Trust).

This programme includes a two week field course in Kenya and will include visits to some of Africa’s largest and most important game reserves, as well as an introduction to some of the day-to-day problems faced by conservation biologists in developing nations. You will study the behaviour of animals in a natural ecological setting with a focus on large mammals, birds and insects. Travel and subsistence costs for this part of the programme are included in the programme fee.

Find out more about our field course modules at http://www.exeter.ac.uk/postgraduate/taught/biosciences/fieldwork/. You can also keep up to date and share the experiences of our students in the field on our Field Course Fortnight website at http://blogs.exeter.ac.uk/fieldcourses/.

Learning and teaching

The taught component of this programme is delivered in the first five months, during which time you will be encouraged to develop your census research projects. The rest of the academic year is dedicated to these projects.

Programme structure

This Programme is modular and consists of five compulsory modules and one optional module.

Compulsory modules

The compulsory modules can include; Research Project; African Biodiversity and Conservation Field or African Behavioural Ecology Field Course; Ecological Census; Statistical Modelling and Key Skills

Optional modules

Examples of the optional modules can include; Terrestrial Biodiversity and Conservation and Preparing for Ecological Consultancy.
The modules listed here provide examples of what you can expect to learn on this degree course based on recent academic teaching. The precise modules available to you in future years may vary depending on staff availability and research interests, new topics of study, timetabling and student demand

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In the absence of subsidy, the EU poultry sector relies on highly efficient production systems, with successful companies often using sophisticated technologies. This is reflected in the integrated structure of most poultry companies and the number of graduates and postgraduates employed by them.

Many companies have responded to the pressure on financial margins by setting up operations world wide. There continues to be a good demand for suitably trained graduate and postgraduate level entrants into the sector.

The skills and knowledge delivered by the Applied Poultry Science programme are highly relevant to companies using intensive methods of production and those responding to retailer demand for extensive systems. This enables both new entrants and existing employees wishing to build on their expertise and aspirations, to enhance their career opportunities within the poultry sector.

The Applied Poultry Science course is offered on a part-time distance learning basis.

It is designed to suit those in continuing employment or with other commitments. Participants come from a wide range of backgrounds, including nutritionists, breeders, vets and other poultry sector workers, all of whom wish to develop their career and businesses.

Specific course objectives are to provide graduates with:
- A sound knowledge of the underlying science of poultry production.
- A good understanding of the issues underpinning poultry production systems.
- A wide range of specialist skills appropriate to poultry science professionals.
- The ability to critically evaluate developments in poultry science, including nutritional, genetic,
- Welfare, quality assurance and environmental issues.
- The ability to produce professional level recommendations and reports.
- Research skills.

The MSc Applied Poultry Science degree is awarded by the University of Glasgow.

Course Content

The programme is a mix of technical, scientific, environmental and management skills development modules. It is taught largely by staff from the SRUC Avian Science Research Centre who are involved in poultry research studies on a daily basis and who aim to provide up to the minute, highly relevant knowledge transfer into the Applied Poultry Science programme.

The Avian Science Research Centre has a full range of facilities for those wishing to study or carry out research with SRUC ranging from a hatchery to a processing plant and a good range of different poultry production systems.

Poultry Production Systems

This module studies the poultry meat and poultry egg industry in terms of its structure and sectors including intensive and non-intensive systems. It includes global export and import markets for the major poultry meat and egg products and evaluates their quality assurance systems. It will examine the requirements for optimal performance within the various systems and investigate factors affecting performance.

Poultry Nutrition and Growth

Poultry nutrition and growth examines the principles of poultry nutrition, particularly the importance of different nutrients in terms of growth and production and how they are processed in the avian body. It includes a study of the major anatomical and physiological systems in poultry and describes the role of nutrition in poultry health in different production environments, with particular regard to nutrient deficiencies. The partitioning of energy and nutrients into the growth and development of the whole body and different components of the body will also be examined, as will methods of describing different growth patterns.

Incubation and Hatchery Practice

This module develops knowledge and an understanding of the science and technology that underpins the production of day-old stock. Students study embryo-genesis in poultry and how this is exploited by the poultry sector to maximise the production of viable hatchlings. At the conclusion of the module students will be able to critically evaluate poultry hatchery practices, where appropriate, from an international prospective.

Housing and the Environment

Large scale poultry production seeks to manage the birds’ environment to optimise the competing demands of welfare, productivity, quality and environmental protection in an economically viable way. Recognising the impacts of different housing alternatives, the relationship to environmental emissions, and the sustainability of systems are therefore essential skills for those engaged in the industry that this module addresses. The approach will initially be one of directed study in order that the full range of issues are covered; but later in the module, students will be asked to do a case study on a real poultry enterprise with the coursework being centred on the completion of the IPPC application form for an intensive poultry enterprise. Even though some students may not be familiar with large scale poultry enterprises, the structured approach required to carry out the IPPC assessment process, and the wealth of information available in the relevant technical document will give a sound basis for understanding the range of housing and environmental issues involved.

Poultry Behaviour and Welfare

This module explains the general principles of poultry behaviour and welfare and studies sensory perception, motivation and learning in poultry. It evaluates the behavioural and physiological indicators that are used to assess welfare in given circumstances. It examines current practice with respect to welfare and current welfare legislation.

Poultry Health and Hygiene

A range of different infectious and non-infectious diseases will be covered in depth, mostly affecting chickens and turkeys but with specific sessions on diseases of game birds and diseases of pigeons. The importance of notifiable diseases such as Newcastle Disease and highly pathogenic avian influenza will be emphasised, and the significance of other potentially zoonotic organisms such as Salmonella, Campylobacter, Chlamydophila Psittaci and West Nile Virus will be discussed.

Advanced Poultry Nutrition

Advanced poultry nutrition builds on the poultry nutrition and growth module and examines theoretical and practical poultry nutrition in greater depth. It links current nutritional theories, (eg. amino acid balance and requirements or the anti-nutrient and toxic properties of feedstuffs) with methods of alleviation. These are integrated with classical nutrition-balance studies and proximate analyses, exposing students to all aspects of a nutritional study. It also involves a detailed study of nutrition with respect to bird growth and health and the environmental constraints imposed on the system.

Experimental Design

This module aims to develop statistical skills to aid the technical, scientific and management decisions. It explores a range of statistical processes from the collection of data and its interpretation to the production of information charts, diagrams and tables and the analysis of data looking at differences, significance and trends.

Management Skills

With the labour market becoming more competitive there is a real need for today's graduates to develop skills beyond academic knowledge in order to thrive. This module introduces various management skills which include communication, teamworking, leadership, time management, decision-making, empowerment and motivation. It aims therefore to improve the student’s knowledge and ability to manage. A range of practical methods and approaches will be used to enable the students to better organise and motivate themselves and others.

The study weekends and short study tour are an integral part of teaching delivery and students are strongly recommended to attend these if they are to succeed in this course.

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Taught at our Parkgate Road Campus in Chester, this is a research-focused Master's training course in Wildlife Behaviour and Conservation.

Robust scientific evidence is a critical tool for conservation scientists responding to the challenges of mitigating biodiversity loss. This course focuses on developing investigative research skills while addressing applied questions in wildlife behaviour and conservation.

The course provides a strong foundation, giving you the opportunity to develop a career in academic or applied wildlife science. Our lecturers work with a diverse range of study species, including mammals, birds, fish, amphibians and invertebrates, both in the wild and ex situ. Members of the team are recognised as conservation specialists by the International Union for Conservation of Nature, and manage two European Endangered Species Programmes.

Why Study Biological Sciences: Wildlife Behaviour and Conservation with us?

Our lecturers work with a diverse range of study species, including mammals, birds, fish, amphibians and invertebrates, both in the wild and ex situ. Members of the team are recognised as conservation specialists by the International Union for Conservation of Nature, and manage two European Endangered Species Programmes.

Your project will contribute directly to one of our partnerships with national and international in situ and ex situ conservation programmes.

Your individual supervisor will guide your acquisition of professional skills and facilitate networking and engagement in your specialist field. Our proactive, diverse and expanding research community provides extensive opportunities for peer-learning and collaboration in conservation research.

What will I learn?

A compulsory wildlife research methods taught module provides advanced training in core specialisations, including project design, field techniques, statistical analysis and geographical information systems.

You will select a further taught specialist module relevant to your research project, which may include conservation genetics, wildlife behaviour or wildlife health.

The individual research project is undertaken throughout the year and is the primary focus of this course.

How will I be taught?

Teaching is delivered through lecturers, laboratory practicals, field trips and seminars supplemented by online materials such as discussion boards and analytical exercises.

You will contribute to research seminars, a journal club and tutorials.
Modules consist of 32 hours of taught activities and 168 hours of self study.

How will I be assessed?

Taught modules are assessed through coursework assignments.

The dissertation projects consists of at least 1,400 hours' study to produce a paper suitable for peer review publication.

Study Abroad Opportunities

Students apply to specific projects which change on an annual basis, but in recent years studies have studied in Ghana, Cambodia, the Philippines, across Europe and in the UK.

Postgraduate Visit Opportunities

If you are interested in this courses we have a number of opportunities to visit us and our campuses. To find out more about these options and to book a visit, please go to: https://www1.chester.ac.uk/study/postgraduate/postgraduate-visit-opportunities

Request a Prospectus

If you would like to know more about the University please request a prospectus at: http://prospectus.chester.ac.uk/form.php

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Are you passionate about animal welfare and keen to shape the management of the zoos of the future? Students from over 20 nationalities have chosen our unique programme, the first of its kind in the world. Study factors affecting animal behaviour, conservation, welfare and their interactions, as well as international zoo management and collaboration. Our partnership with Paignton Zoo gives you regular access to their connections, research and expertise – so you’re primed to make a difference.

Key features

-Delivered in conjunction with the staff at Paignton Zoo and its parent body, the Whitley Wildlife Conservation Trust which also owns Newquay Zoo and Living Coasts.
-Develop your scientific knowledge, professional and technical skills as a conservation biologist. Learn how to manage animal collections for the purpose of education, conservation and wildlife research.
-Study aspects of animal behaviour and ecology, as well as how welfare, housing, nutrition and health all have a part to play in species management.
-Learn to troubleshoot problems at the level of a social group within a particular zoological collection, right up to the level of a species globally. Explore how breeding programmes for endangered species are international in scope.
-Benefit from the knowledge and guidance of Plymouth University’s expert staff with specialisms including the behaviour of captive animals, animal nutrition, the welfare of captive birds and the application of population genetics to captive and natural fish populations.
-Find out how the science of zoos is used to inform government policy. Two of our teaching team are the only academic representatives on the government’s Zoos Expert Committee.
-Get behind-the-scenes insight with a day of study each week with our partners at Paignton Zoo Environmental Park. Deepen your understanding of the business and conservation work of zoos, and how networks and collaborations work between them.
-Access the latest research and information from the Whitley Wildlife Conservation Trust, including information on their co-ordinated breeding programmes for endangered species.
-Be inspired by opportunities to visit a range of zoos in the region – including Dartmoor, Bristol and Newquay – and to travel abroad for research projects. A recent student travelled to Louisiana Zoo for her research project on golden tamarin monkeys.
-Graduates work in zoos as educators, researchers, managers and keepers. Many go on to PhD study or work in further education. Other employers include the European Association for Zoos and Aquaria; the Natural History Unit (BBC); national and international conservation organisations.

Course details

As a full-time student, you’ll study seven modules taking in everything from genetics to environmental enrichment, preventative health to budgeting. We update modules to reflect current thinking and you can specialise within them. If you’re interested in working with tigers, for example, this can be reflected across your work. You’ll be assessed through coursework with practical tasks focused on your future career. Core modules include introduction to zoo organisation, animal conservation, applied animal behaviour and management, animal metabolism and nutrition, animal health and welfare and business management. You’ll then do a final three-month research project of your choice. Previous investigations have included everything from female mate choice in white faced saki monkeys to how peripheral and/or invasive activity affects the behaviour and enclosure use of captive sand tiger sharks.

Core modules
-BIO505 Research Project
-ANIM5006 Contemporary Zoo Management
-BIO5131 Postgraduate Research Skills & Methods
-ANIM5005 Zoo Animal Behaviour and Welfare
-ANIM5007 Small Population Conservation
-ANIM5008 Conservation Ecology and Society
-ANIM5009 Zoo Animal Health, Nutrition and Management

Every postgraduate taught course has a detailed programme specification document describing the programme aims, the programme structure, the teaching and learning methods, the learning outcomes and the rules of assessment.

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The Institute for Neuroscience has clinicians and scientists working together to understand the brain and behaviour. From the basic biology of neurons through to complex processes of perception and decision-making behaviour, we address how the mind, brain, and body work together and translate this knowledge into clinical applications for patient benefit.

We offer MPhil supervision in the following research areas:

Motor systems development, plasticity and function

We conduct clinical and preclinical studies of normal and abnormal development and plasticity of the motor system. We run functional studies and computer modelling of motor system activity throughout the neuraxis. We also research the development and assessment of novel therapies for motor disorders/lesions including stem cell and brain-machine interface.

Visual system development, plasticity and repair]]
We research the development and assessment of novel neuro-technological approaches to retinal dystrophy repair including brain-machine interface and stem cells. We use in vitro approaches to look at retinal development and visual system wiring.

[[Neural computation and network systems
We conduct experimental and theoretical (computational) studies aimed at understanding how neurones throughout the brain interact in localised networks to compute complex tasks. Our research looks at the role of network activity in a wide range of neurological, neurodegenerative and psychiatric disorders.

Auditory neuroscience

We conduct clinical and preclinical studies aimed at understanding the brain mechanisms involved in detection, discrimination and perception of sound. We are interested in how these mechanisms are affected in individuals with brain disorders, including dementia, autism and stroke.

Pain

Our research focuses on:
-Understanding mechanisms underlying pain, analgesia, and anaesthesia
-The development of methods to assess pain and to alleviate pain in animals and humans

Psychobiology

We conduct studies in laboratory animals, healthy volunteers and patient populations investigating the mechanisms underlying mood, anxiety and addiction disorders and their treatment. Allied research looks at normal neuropsychology, and the physiology and pharmacology of neurotransmitter and endocrine systems implicated in psychiatric disorders.

Neurotoxicology

Our research focuses on delineating the effects and understanding the mechanisms of action of established and putative neurotoxins, including environmental and endogenous chemicals, and naturally occurring toxins.

Forensic psychiatry and clinical psychology

Our research covers:
-The assessment, treatment and management of sex offender risk
-Development and assessment of cognitive models
-Cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) treatment for bipolar disorder, psychosis, anxiety and developmental disorders
-Developmental disorders of perception and cognition

Systems and computational neuroscience

We conduct theoretical (computational) and experimental studies aimed at understanding the neuroanatomy, neuropharmacology of vision, visual attention and episodic memory.

Behaviour and evolution

Many research groups take an evolutionary and comparative approach to the study of brain and/or behaviour, comparing brain function and behaviour among such disparate groups as insects, birds and mammals, and studying the ecological and evolutionary functions of behaviour. Much of our work is at the forefront of the fields of neuroethology, behavioural ecology and comparative cognition, and has important implications for the study and practice of animal welfare.

Visual perception and human cognition

We research:
-Colour and depth perception - perception of natural scenes
-Psychophysics and attention - memory
-Word learning in children
-Body image dysfunction
-Visual social cognition and face processing
-Advertising and consumer behaviour

Pharmacy

Our new School of Pharmacy has scientists and clinicians working together on all aspects of pharmaceutical sciences and clinical pharmacy.

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The Conservation MSc at UCL is widely recognised as the leading programme for aspiring nature conservation professionals. This highly successful degree programme saw its first students graduate in 1960, and nearly 80% of its graduates have gone on to secure posts related to conservation.

Degree information

The programme is strongly interdisciplinary and engages with environmental, social and policy dimensions. It has a vocational orientation, with residential field classes providing first-hand experience of practical conservation challenges. At the same time, the programme provides the scientific rigour needed for evidence-based analysis and understanding of the natural environment, which also forms a sound foundation for a career in academia.

Students undertake modules to the value of 180 credits.

The programme consists of four core modules (60 credits), four optional modules (60 credits) and a research dissertation (60 credits).

A Postgraduate Diploma - four core modules (60 credits) and four optional modules (60 credits) full-time nine months, part-time two years is offered. A Postgraduate Certificate - four core modules (60 credits) full-time 12 weeks, part-time two years is offered.

Core modules
-Scientific Basis for Freshwater and Coastal Conservation
-The Rural Matrix
-Environmental Data Acquisition and Analysis
-Conservation and Environmental Management

Optional modules (indicative list)
-Wetlands
-Lakes
-Marine Conservation
-Coastal Change
-Environmental GIS
-Changing Landscapes - Nature, Culture, Politics
-Changing Landscapes - Nature Conservation
-Aquatic Macrophytes
-Politics of Climate Change
-Biological Indicators of Environmental Change
-Non-biological Indicators of Environmental Change

Dissertation/report
All MSc students undertake an independent research project which culminates in a dissertation of approximately 12,000 words.

Teaching and learning
The programme is delivered through a combination of lectures, seminars and field studies, including a residential field study to a coastal site in Norfolk and a residential field study in Snowdonia, as well as the option to join a two-week field-class to an overseas destination. Assessment is through coursework, essays and the dissertation, which includes a presentation of dissertation results.

Fieldwork
Fieldwork includes a residential field study to a coastal site in Norfolk and a residential field study in Snowdonia, as well as the option to join a two-week field-class to an overseas destination. Fieldwork costs may be incurred but these are dependent on module selection; please contact the department for further information on individual modules.

Careers

The MSc provides an excellent preparation for employment with the full range of public sector and voluntary conservation organisations, environmental consultancies, or in academia.

Top career destinations for this degree:
-Marine Advisor, Natural England
-PhD in Biology, University of York
-People Engagement Officer, Royal Society for the Protection of Birds
-DPhil in Geography and the Environment, University of Oxford
-Freshwater Ecologist, Ensis

Employability
Not least due to the programme's vocational orientation, Conservation MSc graduates have been very successful in securing employment with government organisations (for example DEFRA, Natural England, local councils), conservation NGOs (for example RSPB, Butterfly Conservation, IUCN, WCMC) and environmental consultancies. Equally, the Conservation MSc has provided a very good basis for future academic careers, while some graduates also found employment at zoos and botanical gardens.

Why study this degree at UCL?

The Conservation MSc is run by UCL Geography, which enjoys an outstanding international reputation for its research and teaching.

The programme is unique not only on account of its long history and extensive alumni network, but also due to its vocational orientation and the active involvement of nature conservation professionals in the delivery of degree material.

Research groups contributing to this MSc include those concerned with environmental change; environmental modelling; and environment, science and society. The programme also benefits from the participation of staff from a variety of external conservation and environmental organisations.

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Course Description

The Aircraft Design option of the MSc in Aerospace Vehicle Design (AVD) aims to provide a comprehensive overview of aircraft performance, structures and systems. A holistic teaching approach is taken to explore how the individual elements of an aircraft can be designed and integrated using up-to-date methods and techniques. You will learn to understand how to select specific systems such as fuel systems, and their effect on the aircraft as a whole.
This course is suitable for students with a background in aeronautical or mechanical engineering or those with relevant industrial experience.

Overview

Modern aircraft design focuses on the integration of new technologies and systems, with current and advanced configurations to lead us towards environmentally friendly and cost effective aviation in the civil arena and high performance and effective aviation in the military arena. This includes new structures, materials and manufacturing processes. New aircraft design is essential to address issues such as carbon footprint reduction, lower noise pollution and improved passenger comfort as well as contributing to national security.

Our work in this field covers all flying vehicles including civil and military aircraft, helicopters, Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Systems (UAVS), ultra-high capacity airlines and space vehicles. Current research being undertaken includes:

Advanced Configurations – such as blended wing and morphing wing aircraft design. This includes both fixed wing and rotorcraft vehicles.

Advanced Systems Integration – such as Distributed Propulsion using hydrogen or alternative fuels for power and high temperature superconducting materials technology.

Advanced Materials and Manufacturing Processes – exploring the benefits achieved through the application of advanced composite materials.

Advanced Design Methodologies – developing techniques to ensure that optimum designs are achieved.

Airworthiness Compliance – ensuring new designs demonstrate the same safety requirements as traditional aircraft.

Operational Aspects – cost, performance, reliability and maintainability are important features of aircraft design as well as advanced techniques such as Integrated Vehicle Health Management (IVHM). Vulnerability and susceptibility also have a major impact.

Biomimetics – taking lessons from nature for example insects and birds, and their application in aviation such as launch, recovery and flight.

English Language Requirements

If you are an international student you will need to provide evidence that you have achieved a satisfactory test result in an English qualification. The minimum standard expected from a number of accepted courses are as follows:

IELTS - 6.5
TOEFL - 92
Pearson PTE Academic - 65
Cambridge English Scale - 180
Cambridge English: Advanced - C
Cambridge English: Proficiency - C

In addition to these minimum scores you are also expected to achieve a balanced score across all elements of the test. We reserve the right to reject any test score if any one element of the test score is too low.

Structure

The Aircraft Design option consists of a taught component, a group design project and an individual research project.

Individual Project

The individual research project aims to provide the training necessary for you to apply knowledge from the taught element to research, and takes place from March to September. The project may be theoretical and/or experimental and drawn from a range of topics related to the course and suggested by teaching staff, your employer or focused on your own area of interest.

Group Project

The extensive group design project is a distinctive and unique feature of this course. This teamwork project takes place from October to March, and recreates a virtual industrial environment bringing together students with various experience levels and different nationalities into one integrated design team.

Each team member is given responsibility for the detailed design of a significant part of the aircraft, for example, forward fuselage, fuel system, or navigation system. The project will progress from the conceptual phase through to the preliminary and detail design phases. You will be required to run project meetings, produce engineering drawings and detailed analyses of your design. Problem solving and project coordination must be undertaken on a team and individual basis. At the end of the project, groups are required to report and present findings to a panel of 200 senior engineers from industry.

This element of the course is both realistic and engaging, and places the student group in a professional role as aerospace design engineers. Students testify that working as an integrated team on real problems is invaluable and prepares them well for careers in a highly competitive industry.

Assessment

The taught modules (10%) are assessed by an examination and/or assignment. The Group Project (50%) is assessed by a written technical report and oral presentations. The Individual Research Project (40%) forms the remainder of the course.

Career opportunities

The MSc in Aircraft Design is valued and respected by employers worldwide. The applied nature of this course ensures that our graduates are ready to be of immediate use to their future employer and has provided sufficient breadth of understanding of multi-discipline design to position them for accelerated career progression.

This course prepares graduates for careers as project design engineers, systems design, structural design or avionic engineers in aerospace or related industries, with the aim of progressing to technical management/chief engineer. Graduates from the MSc in Aircraft Design can therefore look forward to a varied choice of challenging career opportunities in the above disciplines.

Many of our graduates occupy very senior positions in their organisations, making valuable contributions to the international aerospace industry. Typical student destinations include BAE Systems, Airbus, Dassault and Rolls-Royce.

For further information

on this course, please visit our course webpage http://www.cranfield.ac.uk/Courses/Masters/AVD-Option-Aircraft-Design

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DICE’s research degree programmes all carry the generic title of Biodiversity Management. We welcome students with the appropriate background for research.

Because of the diversity and international nature of many field-orientated projects, the amount of time that individual research students spend at DICE varies. However local supervision is usually organised for those students spending considerable time overseas.

Overseas students who wish to spend most of their time in their home country while undertaking research may register as an external student or for a split PhD.

Visit the website https://www.kent.ac.uk/courses/postgraduate/276/biodiversity-management

About The Durrell Institute of Conservation and Ecology (DICE)

DICE is Britain’s leading research and postgraduate training centre dedicated to conserving biodiversity, as well as the ecological processes that support ecosystems and people.

We focus on combining natural and social sciences to understand complex conservation issues and design effective interventions to conserve biodiversity. Our staff have outstanding international research profiles, yet integrate this with considerable on-the-ground experience working in collaboration with conservation agencies around the world. This blend of expertise ensures that our programmes deliver the skills and knowledge that are essential components of conservation implementation.

Our taught Master’s programmes cover topics in conservation management, policy, ecotourism and sustainable natural resource use. The research degree programmes (MSc by Research and PhD) encourage you to undertake original, high-quality research, which culminates in the submission of a thesis. Please visit our website (http://www.kent.ac.uk/sac/) for new programmes that may be under development that further integrate conservation policy and practice.

Research areas

Worldwide research
Recent or current projects cover topics such as:

- understanding adaptation to climate change; ringneck parakeets in the UK

- improved management of socio-ecological landscapes in Western Ghats

- cost, benefits and trade-offs in creating large conservation areas

- monitoring population trends in tigers and their prey in Kirinci Seblat National Park, Sumatra

- chameleon trade and conservation in Madagascar

- conservation genetics of the critically endangered Seychelles paradise flycatcher

- traditional knowledge, intellectual property rights and protected area management

- the economic value of mammals in Britain

- estimating extinction dates of plants, birds and mammals.

Careers

DICE programmes combine academic theory with practical field experience to develop graduates who are highly employable within government, NGOs and the private sector.

Our alumni progress into a wide range of organisations across the world. Examples include: consultancy for a Darwin Initiative project in West Sumatra; Wildlife Management Officer in Kenya; Chief of the Biodiversity Unit – UN Environment Programme; Research and Analysis Programme Leader for TRAFFIC; Freshwater Programme Officer, International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN); Head of the Ecosystem Assessment Programme, United Nations Environment Programme-World Conservation Monitoring Centre (UNEP-WCMC); Community Based Natural Resource Manager, WWF; Managing Partner, Althelia Climate Fund; and Programme Officer, Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation.

Find out how to apply here - https://www.kent.ac.uk/courses/postgraduate/apply/

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Programme overview

The programme involves a ten week intensive training, focusing on fundamental ecological concepts and theory in the aquatic realm set against the contemporary scenario of global ecological change. Essential theoretical, field and laboratory research skills will be developed and honed via comprehensive modules and seminars: state-of-the-art techniques for whole organism and environmental process research; converting science to policy or management and consultancy via stakeholder engagement; and scientific reporting. Two separate week-long residential field-courses will allow students to put theory into practice: one with our River Communities Group in Dorset on the R Frome, learning about and actually testing some of the ecological tools developed for bio-assessment; and one practicing skills such as hydroacoustics, netting & electric fishing, and observational census methods for cetaceans, fishes, and birds. Students will spend time shadowing the internationally renowned researchers within the Aquatic Ecology Group of SBCS before developing a research proposal and conducting a six-month project. These may be jointly supervised by colleagues at related institutes and agencies such as the Institute of Zoology, the Natural History Museum, NERC Centre for Ecology and Hydrology, and the Environment Agency, or indeed in industry. We will equip science graduates with the essential skills to proceed to further research via PhD or careers in the applied sector.

• Delivered by leading international researchers in the Aquatic Ecology Group, with input from the School of Geography, and in conjunction with multiple external institutes and agencies.
• Designed to ensure contemporary training in practical research skills to promote graduate employability
• Modules developed spanning the aquatic spectrum, accommodating pure theory and applied practical skills in the field
• Access to state-of-the-art analytical facilities from investment by the Science Research Infrastructure Fund.
• Considerable opportunity for projects in the UK and overseas, both in house, and with collaborating institutions across London

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Taught by internationally recognised experts active at the science/policy interface, this interdisciplinary programme examines both scientific and policy-oriented aspects of conservation. Teaching covers the breadth of this field, examining how conservation goals may be achieved under climate change scenarios, in combination with food security requirements, and taking account of social justice. The breadth of the degree gives flexibility to pursue those areas most relevant to your professional development and contains a significant research component supported by leading researchers.

The degree is designed to offer you considerable scope to tailor your studies to focus on the topics you wish to pursue. Integral to the whole programme is extensive liaison with conservation practitioners from a wide range of collaborating governmental and non-governmental organisations such as Butterfly Conservation, Marine Conservation Society and Natural England; and a broad suite of organisations in Africa including Kenya Wildlife Service, Solio Ranch and Wildlife Direct. Key individuals from some of these organisations contribute to classes and field visits and a number of our project students will be placed with such organisations.

A special feature of the programme is the Kenya field trip, which includes visits to some of East Africa’s most famous conservation areas, as well as in-depth discussions with a wide range of stakeholders about synergies and trade-offs between conservation and development. The trip provides you with opportunities to see firsthand how conservation science operates within particular policy contexts.

Perfect environment to study conservation science and policy

This Masters is based at the University of Exeter's Penryn Campus in Cornwall in new buildings with state-of-the-art facilities, in a region facing key challenges in balancing conservation with other goals. Cornwall is an exceptional place in which to study issues related to the environment and sustainability. The county is a perfect living laboratory which offers a diverse range of marine and terrestrial habitats, a wealth of natural resources and creative and resilient communities.

The Penryn Campus is home to the University's Environment and Sustainability Institute (ESI http://www.exeter.ac.uk/esi/) – a £30 million centre leading cutting-edge, interdisciplinary research into solutions to problems of environmental change and enhancing people’s lives by improving their relationship with the environment. As a student on the MSc Conservation Science and Policy you will benefit from the ESI’s interdisciplinary approach to conservation science and policy and will have the unique opportunity to work on real world scenarios and problem solving in this area. You will be able to take advantage of a wide range of opportunities to engage with local, national and international experts through ESI events, guest lectures and research projects.

Fieldwork

The census research projects will see you spending a considerable amount of time in the field collecting data at several key research sites in West Cornwall and interacting with local NGOs (Cornwall Wildlife Trust, South West Lakes Trust).

This programme includes a two week field course in Kenya and will include visits to some of Africa’s largest and most important game reserves, as well as an introduction to some of the day-to-day problems faced by conservation biologists in developing nations. You will study the behaviour of animals in a natural ecological setting with a focus on large mammals, birds and insects. Travel and subsistence costs for this part of the programme are included in the programme fee.

Find out more about our field course modules at http://www.exeter.ac.uk/postgraduate/taught/biosciences/fieldwork/. You can also keep up to date and share the experiences of our students in the field on our Field Course Fortnight website at http://blogs.exeter.ac.uk/fieldcourses/.

Learning and teaching

The taught component of this programme is delivered in the first five months, during which time you will be encouraged to develop your census research projects. The rest of the academic year is dedicated to these projects.

Programme structure

This Programme is modular and consists of four compulsory modules and 2-3 optional modules.

Compulsory modules

The compulsory modules can include; Dissertation; Understanding Environmental Change; Environmental Sustainability in Practice; Key Skills

Optional modules

Examples of the optional modules can include; Terrestrial Biodiversity and Conservation; ; Marine Biodiversity and Conservation; Preparing for Ecological Consultancy; Statistical Modelling; Governing Sustainability and African Conservation Science and Policy Field Course

The modules listed here provide examples of what you can expect to learn on this degree course based on recent academic teaching. The precise modules available to you in future years may vary depending on staff availability and research interests, new topics of study, timetabling and student demand.

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