This unique postgraduate diploma will equip you with the practical skills and theoretical understanding to enable you to contribute effectively to conservation research and action around the world. You will study five modules under two principles, cover three universal themes and also undertake two projects in the field of conservation research and action.
Principle 1:
Ecology, population biology and habitats
Wildlife Ecology and Behaviour
Species and Biodiversity Monitoring
Population Management
Habitat Assessment
Principle 2:
Conservation as an interdisciplinary field
Human Populations, Actions and Conservation
Transferable, professional and operational skills
Universal themes:
Use of the scientific method, quantitative analysis and hypothesis testing
Statistics and computer-based modelling
Critical appraisal of science and conservation action
The course is aimed at early career researchers, and focuses on a range of topics, techniques and methods commonly used in wildlife conservation, with a focus on the conservation of large terrestrial mammals. The course is divided into several modules, each lasting about 3 to 4 weeks.
Apart from the Research and Operational Skills module, each module is concluded with an assignment of 2,000 words, with the first assignment being formative. In addition to the 5 assignments the students have to complete a project in two phases, with the final product of the second phase of the project being a 7,000 word thesis in the form of a scientific paper.
Discover the Diploma modules
Wildlife Ecology and Behaviour
Focuses on the link between behavioural ecology and conservation, paying attention to spatial ecology, activity patterns, and diets.
Species and Biodiversity Monitoring
Focuses on monitoring techniques, covering both methods of collecting and analyses. Methods covered include distance sampling, camera trapping, (spatial) capture-mark-recapture, occupancy modelling, species distribution modelling, acoustic monitoring.
Population Management
Covers population viability analyses, conservation translocations, disease management, the impact and management of invasive species and conservation genetics
Habitat Assessment
Focuses on the collection, management, analysis and presentation of spatial and environmental data, including remote sensing data.
Human Dimensions of Conservation
Focuses on human wildlife conflict study techniques, human behavioural change studies, wildlife trade and quantitative conservation social studies.
Research and Operational Skills
A module which is covered part-time throughout the course, and covers study skills, the scientific method, statistics, project management, communication skills to different audiences, and first aid.