Wildlife Conservation with Placement

Wildlife conservation is one of the most urgently relevant scientific disciplines of our time. Global biodiversity is under pressure from habitat loss, climate change, overexploitation, invasive species, and pollution, and the need for people who understand animal ecology and behaviour and can apply that knowledge to protecting species and ecosystems has never been greater. The field combines field biology, ecology, environmental science, and conservation policy, requiring both scientific rigour and a practical commitment to working in sometimes challenging conditions.

At the University of Salford this four-year full-time programme places you in the field as well as the laboratory, developing your understanding of animal ecology and behaviour through direct engagement with wildlife in real environments. You will study the principles of ecology and population biology, the drivers of biodiversity loss, and the scientific and policy tools available to address them. Animal behaviour, habitat management, species monitoring, and conservation genetics are all likely to feature, giving you a broad and applied understanding of the discipline.

The programme includes a placement year, during which you will work in a professional conservation context, gaining the kind of practical experience that is essential in a competitive sector.

The placement year is one of the programme's most valuable features, connecting you with organisations working in field conservation, ecological consultancy, wildlife management, or related areas. This experience develops not only your professional skills but your understanding of how conservation science operates in the real world, where resources are limited, priorities must be set, and the interests of different stakeholders rarely align neatly.

Graduates work in ecological consultancy, conservation charities, national parks and nature reserves, government agencies, environmental impact assessment, research, and international conservation organisations. Postgraduate study, including Masters programmes in conservation biology, ecology, or environmental science, is a well-established route for those who want to move into research or specialist professional practice.