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Wildlife Ecology and Conservation

University Centre Sparsholt

UCAS Code: C18M | Foundation Degree in Science - FdSc

Entry requirements


A level

C,E,E

Including a relevant subject/science @ C or above (64 UCAS tariff points)

Access to HE Diploma

M:24,P:21

Pass in a relevant subject/science, with science units at Merit (74 UCAS tariff points)

International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme

24

Including a relevant subject/science at H4 or above with Maths and English at S3 if no GCSE or equivalent (74 UCAS tariff points)

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

H4,H4

Including one in a relevant subject/science (72 UCAS tariff points)

OCR Cambridge Technical Diploma

MM

In a relevant subject/science (64 UCAS tariff points)

OCR Cambridge Technical Extended Diploma

MMP

In a relevant subject/science (80 UCAS tariff points)

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

MM

In a relevant subject/science (64 UCAS tariff points)

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

MMP

In a relevant subject/science (80 UCAS tariff points)

Scottish Advanced Higher

C

In a relevant subject/science (74 UCAS tariff points)

T Level

Pass (C and above)


In a relevant subject/science (96 UCAS tariff points)

UCAS Tariff

64-80

Dependent on qualifications

About this course


Course option

2years

Full-time | 2024

Subjects

Ecology

Biodiversity conservation

Countryside management

**Why choose this degree?**
We are living in a period of unprecedented planetary change in terms of climate and biodiversity. Would you like to understand the current and emerging science in the fields of sustainability, conservation and ecology that can make a positive difference and develop the knowledge, skills and networks for employment? Join us to:

- Gain the skills the industry needs (both academic and practical) through work-related learning.

- Work with a team of passionate, multidisciplinary, experienced lecturers with local and national links, and current industry contacts.

- Choose to progress on to a **BSc Top-up** course to continue your studies after successful completion.

**What makes UCS special?**
We have an enviable reputation for our work as we have run specialist Wildlife Ecology and Conservation courses since 1973. Our tutors are **industry experts** with practical experience and qualifications relevant to their particular specialism, as well as staying actively involved in the study and management of ecology, the environment, wildlife, conservation, game and the countryside. Their contacts and experience will open the doors to your career in the ecology industry.

We have also **established close links** with a range of landowners and conservation organisations throughout the country, including **The Wildlife Trusts** and have unprecedented access to a wide variety of sites, so that students can experience a diversity of wildlife, habitats and their management first hand. Site visits and presentations given by visiting speakers with specific expertise are integrated into our courses, giving you a valuable insight into the industry before you join it.

Students benefit from our own **183-hectare estate** that provides a managed rural environment. This includes an ancient semi-natural woodland designated as a **Site of Importance for Nature Conservation**, a lake with reed-bed, a woodland shelterbelt with newly established woodland, recreated semi-natural grassland and a **Game and Wildlife Centre** that gives students practical industry skills alongside academic knowledge.

**What will I learn?**
You will develop the expertise to understand and evaluate the current and emerging science in global planetary change, natural resource management, ecosystem services, wildlife conservation and sustainability, all embedded within the theme of **applied ecological science**. You will develop the skills to analyse and monitor diverse ecosystems in the field and design and effectively implement management plans for wildlife conservation. You will also develop **skills for employment** as well as numerical, digital, qualitative and quantitative techniques to understand the planetary changes and contribute positively to conservation and sustainability.

Our **strong links** with external experts, research groups and landowners mean you will enjoy access to a wide range of interdisciplinary expertise and appropriate field sites as well as University Centre Sparsholt’s own excellent resources. You will gain practical experience and contacts with a variety of organisations through visits, guest speakers and work placements to build networks for future employment.

**How will I be assessed?**
Final and in-session assessment will allow you to develop research and study skills as well as technical and expert knowledge. Assessments include written assignments, presentations, project and lab reports, practical based and online portfolios and examinations.

**Where can I go from here?**
You can continue your studies with our **BSc (Hons) Top-up** programme, or enter industry. Many of our graduates use their skills to start a business or to work in wildlife conservation or consultancy with NGOs (Non-Government Organisations) such as **The Wildlife Trusts** or government bodies such as **Natural England**.

Modules

• LEVEL 4
• Global Ecosystems
• Fundamentals in Science
• Industrial Experience
• Habitat and Species Identification
• Academic Skills
• Introductory Ecology
• LEVEL 5
• Conservation Legislation and Policy
• Applied Industrial Research
• Conservation Land Management
• Applied Ecology
• Field Ecology Techniques
• Industrial Development
• Statistics and Research Methods

Assessment methods

Final and in-session assessment will allow you to develop research and study skills as well as technical and expert knowledge. Assessments include written assignments, presentations, project and lab reports, practical based and online portfolios and examinations.

Tuition fees

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

Channel Islands
£9,800
per year
England
£9,250
per year
EU
£9,800
per year
International
£9,800
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

Extra funding

If your household income is under £32,960 you could receive a bursary of up to £750 per annum. This can be used to help towards travel costs, books and equipment or anything else that will help you during your course.

Depending on the financial information disclosed in your Student Loan application, UCS may make an automatic bursary award based on specific criteria as set out in our Access and Participation Plan. If this is not the case you may still be able to apply for financial support to the UCS HE Hardship fund by completing a Bursary Application Form (available from end of |Term 1).

For more information please [email protected].

The Uni


Course location:

University Centre Sparsholt

Department:

Wildlife Ecology and Conservation

Read full university profile

What students say


We've crunched the numbers to see if overall student satisfaction here is high, medium or low compared to students studying this subject(s) at other universities.

61%
Ecology
61%
Biodiversity conservation

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

Teaching and learning

71%
Staff make the subject interesting
86%
Staff are good at explaining things
37%
Ideas and concepts are explored in-depth
71%
Opportunities to apply what I've learned

Assessment and feedback

Feedback on work has been timely
Feedback on work has been helpful
Staff are contactable when needed
Good advice available when making study choices

Resources and organisation

59%
Library resources
80%
IT resources
86%
Course specific equipment and facilities
40%
Course is well organised and has run smoothly

Student voice

Staff value students' opinions
Feel part of a community on my course

Countryside management

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.

After graduation


We don't have more detailed stats to show you in relation to this subject area at this university but read about typical employment outcomes and prospects for graduates of this subject below.

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.

£19k

£19k

£19k

£19k

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.

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.

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This is what the university has told Ucas about the course. Use it to get a quick idea about what makes it unique compared to similar courses, elsewhere.

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Course location and department:

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Teaching Excellence Framework (TEF):

We've received this information from the Department for Education, via Ucas. This is how the university as a whole has been rated for its quality of teaching: gold silver or bronze. Note, not all universities have taken part in the TEF.

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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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