Wildlife Conservation

Wildlife conservation is a discipline born of urgent necessity. Biodiversity across the world is under pressure from habitat loss, climate change, overexploitation and invasive species, and the scientific and practical knowledge needed to respond to these threats has never been more important. Wildlife conservation draws on ecology, animal behaviour, population biology, conservation genetics and environmental science to understand why species and habitats are under threat and what can be done about it.

It is a field that requires both rigorous scientific training and the practical skills to work in sometimes challenging field environments.

At Salford this three-year full-time programme focuses on the ecology and behaviour of animals in the wild, developing your ability to design and conduct field surveys, analyse population data, assess habitat quality and understand the conservation interventions that are used to protect threatened species and ecosystems. You will study ecological theory, animal behaviour, conservation biology, environmental management and research methods, learning to apply both quantitative and qualitative approaches to questions about the natural world. A typical entry tariff of 120 points reflects the programme's accessible character within the sciences.

Graduates of wildlife conservation programmes work in conservation organisations, wildlife trusts, national parks, government agencies, environmental consultancies, zoos and aquaria, research institutes and international development organisations. The field survey, data analysis and ecological assessment skills developed during the degree are in demand from employers who need graduates capable of contributing immediately to monitoring and management work. Many graduates continue to postgraduate study in conservation biology, ecology, environmental management or related disciplines, and doctoral research in wildlife ecology and conservation is a well-established pathway for those who want to contribute to the scientific foundations of the field.