Biodiversity, Conservation and Nature Recovery | MSc

Dr Graziella Iossa - Programme Leader

Dr Iossa's research is at the interplay between ecology, evolution, and behaviour and focuses on the role of the ecosystems and the environment, and climate change effects on insect declines.

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Welcome to MSc Biodiversity, Conservation and Nature Recovery

The next decades will be pivotal in reversing the current trend of biodiversity loss and expanding and restoring degraded ecosystems, while ensuring people and nature are resilient and able to adapt to a changing climate.

The aim of MSc Biodiversity, Conservation and Nature Recovery is to develop advanced interdisciplinary understanding of the interconnections between the natural environment, ecosystems, human health, and wellbeing. On completion of this MSc programme, graduates should be equipped with the necessary conservation skills, interdisciplinary outlook, and in-depth subject knowledge for employment in conservation-related subjects.

The programme offers evidence-based, practice-based, and interdisciplinary modules to prepare you for careers in the public, private, and third sector, in ecology and conservation. Knowledge is drawn from a number of disciplines including ecology, conservation, environmental, and social sciences. The major focus will be assessing the impact of human-induced ecosystem degradation and biodiversity loss from local to global scales, while exploring nature recovery and nature-based solutions as new and potentially transformative approaches to restore biodiversity. Particular emphasis will be put on understanding the interconnections underpinning these complex challenges and identifying solutions.

How You Study

Programme modules combine knowledge from all relevant disciplines, including ecology, conservation, physical, and human geography, environmental sciences, and human health to address the key themes of nature recovery, including climate change, urbanisation, contaminants, disease, food production, biodiversity, and ecosystem services.

Students undertake an overseas field course which offers the opportunity to investigate biological phenomena in the field. You can investigate ecosystems, and the wider context of the anthropogenic impacts affecting them. Guided by staff, you will work to identify the key threats, challenges, and opportunities of a study area to develop evidence-based and practical knowledge.

Current potential visit sites include Ardeche in southern France, Oostvaardersplassen in the Netherlands, or the Central Appenines in Italy (a UN World Restoration Flagship site). The course fees include the costs of the overseas residential field course including transport, accommodation, and meals. Students may be required to pay for overnight stays, local travel, and food close to the destination outside of scheduled travel.

Students may bring personal items of clothing and travel equipment. These costs will depend on what students choose to bring.

An Introduction to Your Modules

† Some courses may offer optional modules. The availability of optional modules may vary from year to year and will be subject to minimum student numbers being achieved. This means that the availability of specific optional modules cannot be guaranteed. Optional module selection may also be affected by staff availability.

Biodiversity Loss Challenges and Solutions 2023-24ECL9006Level 72023-24Biodiversity is vital to the continued health of the planet and human existence. Yet, we are in the midst of the sixth global mass extinction event, this time caused by humans. Key drivers such as climate and land use change are causing present-day biodiversity loss at all levels, from genetic diversity through species loss to ecosystem collapse. This module will encourage combining knowledge of past biodiversity loss with that of the present, with a view to designing plans to bend the curve in the future, despite the challenges posed by political, social and economic contexts.CoreCurrent Issues in Planetary Health and the Biosphere 2023-24GEO9005Level 72023-24Planetary Health is an emergent and critical concept that examines the interconnections between human and environmental health. The concept draws attention to the multifaceted instances of earths destruction as principal barriers to human progress, sustainability and wellbeing, and is gaining increasing traction in international policy-making. To overcome such barriers at the planetary scale, scholarship and activism emphasizes the need for collaborative and shared approaches that are co-produced and recognize the cultural diversity, economic and political conditions and environmental pressures working across geographical scales. Following, the Current Issues in Planetary Health and the Biosphere module will facilitate student-led co-produced learning around key topics of planetary health, enabling students to engage in collaborative peer-to-peer learning and enhancing their skills in communication, co-working, collaboration, organization and leadership. The module is 15 credits of the academic work during the MSc degree.CoreData in Ecology and the Environment 2023-24ECL9002Level 72023-24We are living in the information age, through which ecological and environmental sciences are being transformed. First, by the rise in available data from genes to ecosystems, driven by technologies from eDNA to remote sensing. Second, by computational developments for understanding such data. With this transformation comes unique challenges in data storage and processing, so associated skills are becoming increasingly desirable. This module provides valuable skills in understanding and working with ecological and environmental data, providing a foundation upon which to build careers across associated sectors.CoreField Skills in the Life and Environmental Sciences 2023-24ECL9003Level 72023-24We are living in the UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration. Reversing the degradation of our landscapes, helping biodiversity to recover, and importantly, developing ways where humans can continue enjoying high-quality living alongside nature in a sustainable manner all require not only science but also a range of technical and practical skills. This module takes an interdisciplinary and problem-driven approach to equipping students with ecological and geophysical skills, including surveying, mapping, designing and managing landscapes of different scales. It builds on knowledge acquired in the previous semester, in Advanced Data Skills, where the students will learn fundamentals of Geographic Information Systems. Emphasis will be placed on field-based learning including day trips and short-stay trips to real-world restoration/rewilding projects within the UK. Students will have opportunities to learn directly from practitioners in ecological and environmental management, and to build research/employability skills by working on practical projects.CoreIndependent Research Project 2023-24ECL9007Level 72023-24The project is 60 credits of the academic work during the MSc degree. The aim is to produce a dissertation in the form of a journal article fit for publication. The research project is an independent piece of work developed by the student. They are expected to (i) choose their own research topic; (ii) develop the research design, (iii) perform the data collection, analysis and interpretation, and (iv) write up their results in the form of a research paper.CoreNature Recovery and Sustainability 2023-24ECL9004Level 72023-24The aim of Nature Recovery and Sustainability is to equip the students with knowledge and understanding of the global challenges currently affecting the natural environment, and of the road to the recovery of nature in a sustainable way. The module will be structured around reversing current ecosystem degradation and biodiversity loss by restoring natural processes, as well as how these processes can deliver benefits to the local communities for societal impact. The module will deal with principles of restoration ecology, rewilding and other conservation and management approaches.CoreOverseas Field Course 2023-24ECL9005Level 72023-24The aim of the Overseas Field Course is to give students the opportunity to investigate biological phenomena in the field. Students will investigate ecosystems, and the wider context of the anthropogenic impacts affecting them. They will work in groups, guided by staff, to identify the key threats, challenges and opportunities of a region/study area to develop information material for the lay public and local stakeholders. Potential sites include: Ardèche, southern France, Oostvaardersplassen, The Netherlands, or Central Appenines, Italy (a UN World Restoration Flagship site). Other sites will be considered. In keeping with the sustainability theme of the programme, low-carbon forms of transport will be preferred over air-travel. Low-carbon transport, accommodation and meals at the field sites are fully funded by the University. Students may be required to pay for overnight stays, local travel, and food close to the destination outside of scheduled travel. Students may bring personal items of clothing and travel equipment, some of which may be specialised for the environment they are travelling to, and recommended medicines and travel toiletries such as vaccinations, insect repellent, and sunscreen. These costs will depend on what students choose to bring.CoreProfessional and Research Skills in the Life and Environmental Sciences 2023-24BIO9029MLevel 72023-24The module focuses on the development of transferable skills that are applicable both professionally and to research projects, within the programme of study and beyond. The skills will be relevant to the broad life and environmental sciences and will allow students to strengthen their proficiency primarily in these areas: scientific writing and communication skills, research data analysis and presentation, professional and career skills.Core

How you are assessed

The programme may use a range of assessment types, ranging from exams, essays, group and individual presentations, field reports, projects, data modelling, and computational analysis of geographic and spatial data.

Entry Requirements 2023-24

Students should hold a second class honours degree or higher in ecology and conservation, zoology, biology, geography, environmental sciences, earth sciences, life sciences, or social sciences, or a related discipline.

Fees and Funding

For eligible students, there are more ways than ever before to fund your postgraduate study, whether you want to do a taught or research course. For those wishing to undertake a Master's course, UK students can apply for a loan as a contribution towards the course and living costs. Loans are also available to those who wish to undertake doctoral study. The University offers a number of scholarships and funded studentships for those interested in postgraduate study. Learn how Master's and PhD loans, scholarships, and studentships can help you fund your studies on our Postgraduate Fees and Funding pages.

Programme Fees

Postgraduate Events

Find out more about how postgraduate study can help further your career, develop your knowledge, or even prepare you to start your own business at one of our postgraduate events.

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Key Information

MSc Biodiversity, Conservation and Nature Recovery