Wildlife Conservation and Ecology

Wildlife conservation and ecology addresses one of the most urgent environmental challenges of our time. The world is losing species at a rate that scientists estimate is tens to hundreds of times greater than the background extinction rate, and the degradation of habitats and ecosystems is reducing the biodiversity that underpins the health of the planet and the ecosystem services on which human society depends. Graduates with the scientific knowledge and practical skills to understand, monitor and protect wildlife and their habitats are needed in every country, in every ecosystem type and at every level of conservation governance from local landowner advice to international policy.

At Harper Adams University this programme runs full time over four years, within the UK's specialist land-based university, which provides a context of unusual practical relevance. You will study ecology, species conservation, habitat management, population biology, conservation genetics, environmental policy and the methods of wildlife survey and monitoring that are the foundation of evidence-based conservation practice. Harper Adams' farm and land resources give you access to real landscapes and wildlife populations for field-based learning that is central to the programme.

You will develop strong field skills in ecological survey, habitat assessment and wildlife monitoring alongside the biological knowledge needed to understand population dynamics, species requirements and the drivers of biodiversity loss. The programme also develops your ability to communicate conservation science to diverse audiences, which is essential for practitioners who work at the interface of science, policy and public engagement.

Graduates from wildlife conservation and ecology programmes pursue careers in nature conservation organisations, national parks and wildlife trusts, government environmental agencies, environmental consultancy, zoological collections, international conservation NGOs and research. Postgraduate study in conservation biology, ecology, environmental management or wildlife management is also a natural route for those seeking specialist expertise or research careers.