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Ecology and Conservation with a Year in Industry

Entry requirements


A level

B,B,B-B,B,C

Where an applicant is taking the EPQ alongside A-levels, the EPQ will be taken into consideration and result in lower A-level grades being required. Socio-economics factors which may have impacted an applicant's education will be taken into consideration and alternative offers may be made to these applicants. Required subject: Either Biology, Geography or Environmental Science; plus 1 other science (Chemistry, Physics, Maths, Further Maths, Statistics, Psychology, Geography, Environmental Studies, Applied Science, Geology). A Pass is required in the practical element of all Science A-levels taken.

Access to HE Diploma

D:24,M:21

Including all Biology units at Distinction. Please note that the Access to Higher Education Diploma will only be acceptable if the applicant has had a considerable break from education

Applicants with the Cambridge Pre-U are strongly encouraged to apply to Royal Holloway. Offers will be made on the basis of equivalent A-Level grades as can be found on the Royal Holloway website.

GCSE/National 4/National 5

We require at least five GCSEs at grade A*-C or 9 - 4 including English and Mathematics.

International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme

30

5,5,5 at Higher Level including either Biology, Geography or Environmental Systems and Societies; plus 1 other science (Chemistry, Physics, Maths, Further Maths, Psychology, Geography, Environmental Systems and Societies), with a minimum of 32 points overall.

Leaving Certificate - Higher Level (Ireland) (first awarded in 2017)

H3,H3,H3,H3,H3

Including either Biology, Geography or Environmental Science; plus 1 other science (Chemistry, Physics, Maths, Further Maths, Statistics, Psychology, Geography, Environmental Studies, Applied Science, Geology).

Pearson BTEC Level 3 National Diploma (first teaching from September 2016)

DM

In Applied Science plus grade B in either A-level Biology, Geography or Environmental Science. A Pass is required in the practical element of all Science A-levels taken.

Pearson BTEC Level 3 National Extended Certificate (first teaching from September 2016)

D

Plus A-levels grade BB in either A-level Biology, Geography or Environmental Science; plus 1 other science (Chemistry, Physics, Maths, Further Maths, Statistics, Psychology, Geography, Environmental Studies, Applied Science, Geology). A Pass is required in the practical element of all Science A-levels taken.

Scottish Advanced Higher

B,B,B-B,B,C

Including either Biology, Geography or Environmental Science; plus 1 other science (Chemistry, Physics, Maths, Further Maths, Statistics, Psychology, Geography, Environmental Studies, Applied Science, Geology).

Scottish Higher

B,B,B,B,B

Including either Biology, Geography or Environmental Science; plus 1 other science (Chemistry, Physics, Maths, Further Maths, Statistics, Psychology, Geography, Environmental Studies, Applied Science, Geology).

T Level

M

T-Level should be in a Science Pathway with Merit achieved overall, Merit in the occupation specialism and B in the Core Component.

Requirements are as for A-levels where one non-subject-specified A-level can be replaced by the same grade in the Welsh Baccalaureate - Advanced Skills Challenge Certificate.

UCAS Tariff

112-144

We've calculated how many Ucas points you'll need for this course.

About this course


Course option

4years

Full-time | 2024

Subject

Environmental biology

Ecological considerations factor among the key concerns facing our planet today. The decline of bee populations, for example, poses a real threat to agricultural crop yields and the health of flowering plants, and groundbreaking research at Royal Holloway, University of London is helping to uncover the reasons behind this crisis.

Studying Ecology and Conservation at Royal Holloway will teach you the fundamental principles of how plants and animals interact with each other and the wider environment, applying both theoretical and practical tools to understand diverse aspects of ecology including both terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems, behavioural ecology and conservation.

The first year of Ecology and Conservation provides a strong foundation in plant, animal and ecosystem topics, including vertebrate evolution and diversity, plant evolution, form and function, cell biology, genetics and biomes and ecosystems. Acquiring skills in biological data analysis and practical field ecology form a key part of the second year, alongside studies in evolution, invertebrate biology, and insects, plants and fungi. You can also choose to study animal behaviour, microbiology, or to attend the residential field course on marine biology. The final year includes the study of population and community ecology, and marine ecology and biodiversity. There are options to study conservation biology, evolutionary ecology, entomology, extreme animal physiology, circadian biology, as well as to take part in the overseas field course that examines Mediterranean conservation and ecology. This flexible programme allows you to tailor your learning in years 2 and 4, to suit your own interests.

Our biodiverse campus is in easy reach of sites of special scientific interest including Windsor Great Park, Box Hill and Chobham Common, providing the opportunity for rewarding field work and independent study. You will gain practical experience across all four years of the degree, with many laboratory-based or field-based practicals in years 1 and 2, and an individual research project in year 4. The project can involve laboratory, field, or computer-based approaches, but whichever project you choose, you will join our renowned research culture.

Our year in industry degrees are highly valued by employers and they give you the chance to gain first-hand experience of the world of work and to apply your learning to real-world scenarios. Your year in industry will start at the end of year 2.

- Understand how ecological principles can be used to tackle conservation challenges.

- Learn the principles of how plants and animals interact with each other and the wider environment.

- Take part in an overseas field course that examines Mediterranean conservation and ecology.

Modules

Please refer to our website for information: https://www.royalholloway.ac.uk/courses/undergraduate/biological-sciences/ecology-and-conservation.aspx

Assessment methods

Your course will be assessed by a combination of examinations and in-course assignments in the form of essays or presentations.

Tuition fees

Select where you currently live to see what you'll pay:

Channel Islands
£9,250
per year
England
£9,250
per year
EU
£26,500
per year
International
£26,500
per year
Northern Ireland
£9,250
per year
Republic of Ireland
£9,250
per year
Scotland
£9,250
per year
Wales
£9,250
per year

The Uni


Course location:

Royal Holloway, University of London

Department:

Biological Sciences

Read full university profile

What students say


How do students rate their degree experience?

The stats below relate to the general subject area/s at this university, not this specific course. We show this where there isn’t enough data about the course, or where this is the most detailed info available to us.

Ecology and environmental biology

Sorry, no information to show

This is usually because there were too few respondents in the data we receive to be able to provide results about the subject at this university.


Who studies this subject and how do they get on?

87%
UK students
13%
International students
33%
Male students
67%
Female students
84%
2:1 or above
4%
First year drop out rate

Most popular A-Levels studied (and grade achieved)

A*
A*
B

After graduation


The stats in this section relate to the general subject area/s at this university – not this specific course. We show this where there isn't enough data about the course, or where this is the most detailed info available to us.

Ecology and environmental biology

What are graduates doing after six months?

This is what graduates told us they were doing (and earning), shortly after completing their course. We've crunched the numbers to show you if these immediate prospects are high, medium or low, compared to those studying this subject/s at other universities.

£21,000
high
Average annual salary
98%
high
Employed or in further education

Top job areas of graduates

17%
Sales, marketing and related associate professionals
11%
Sales assistants and retail cashiers
9%
Natural and social science professionals

What about your long term prospects?

Looking further ahead, below is a rough guide for what graduates went on to earn.

Ecology and environmental biology

The graph shows median earnings of graduates who achieved a degree in this subject area one, three and five years after graduating from here.

£21k

£21k

£27k

£27k

£31k

£31k

Note: this data only looks at employees (and not those who are self-employed or also studying) and covers a broad sample of graduates and the various paths they've taken, which might not always be a direct result of their degree.

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This information comes from the National Student Survey, an annual student survey of final-year students. You can use this to see how satisfied students studying this subject area at this university, are (not the individual course).

This is the percentage of final-year students at this university who were "definitely" or "mostly" satisfied with their course. We've analysed this figure against other universities so you can see whether this is high, medium or low.

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This information is from the Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA), for undergraduate students only.

You can use this to get an idea of who you might share a lecture with and how they progressed in this subject, here. It's also worth comparing typical A-level subjects and grades students achieved with the current course entry requirements; similarities or differences here could indicate how flexible (or not) a university might be.

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Post-six month graduation stats:

This is from the Destinations of Leavers from Higher Education Survey, based on responses from graduates who studied the same subject area here.

It offers a snapshot of what grads went on to do six months later, what they were earning on average, and whether they felt their degree helped them obtain a 'graduate role'. We calculate a mean rating to indicate if this is high, medium or low compared to other universities.

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Graduate field commentary:

The Higher Education Careers Services Unit have provided some further context for all graduates in this subject area, including details that numbers alone might not show

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The Longitudinal Educational Outcomes dataset combines HRMC earnings data with student records from the Higher Education Statistics Agency.

While there are lots of factors at play when it comes to your future earnings, use this as a rough timeline of what graduates in this subject area were earning on average one, three and five years later. Can you see a steady increase in salary, or did grads need some experience under their belt before seeing a nice bump up in their pay packet?

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