Ecology & Environmental Monitoring (Taught)

The global biodiversity crisis and threats to global sustainable development have highlighted the need for specialists in species identification, population monitoring, and conservation. This Masters in Ecology & Environmental Monitoring will help you develop essential skills in species identification, taxonomy, and ecology, and to become a catalyst for effective conservation and the preservation of biodiversity across the globe.

WHY THIS PROGRAMME

• In a world facing a biodiversity crisis driven by climate change, this programme equips you to make a difference. You will develop vital skills in species identification, taxonomy and ecology to lead effective conservation, sustainable resource management and global biodiversity preservation effort

• Our programme aligns with international commitments such as the Convention on Biological Diversity and the United Nation's Sustainable Development Goals, reflecting the urgency of biodiversity preservation at national, regional, and local levels worldwide.

• Immerse yourself in hands-on fieldwork and lab exercises, taking advantage of our ideal Dumfries Campus location.

• Collaborate with experts from research, consultancy, conservation, and regulatory bodies, honing your core competencies in taxonomy, identification, and environmental monitoring.

• You can benefit from collaborations with specialists from related fields, including external academics and organisations like the Scottish Environmental Protection Agency and Forestry Scotland, ensuring your education is relevant and up-to-date.

• Our diverse and close-knit community at the Dumfries Campus offers access to picturesque surroundings, world-class teaching, and excellent placement opportunities. You can explore the vibrant arts and cultural scene of Dumfries and enjoy outdoor activities in the scenic Scottish countryside.

PROGRAMME STRUCTURE
You will take three core and two optional courses, followed by either a work placement or dissertation in the summer.

Our hands-on approach to developing your career-focussed field skills is complemented by research-led courses in ecological theory, plant and animal taxonomy, habitat monitoring, remote sensing, GIS, and more. You will leave us understanding what changes to our environment mean, for nature, for environmental management, and for us.

Core courses
Taxonomy and population monitoring
Ecology, Environment and Conservation
Research Methods in Environmental Risk and Management

Recommended optional courses
A Cultural History Of Animals
Environmental Ethics and Behaviour Change
Environmental Politics and Society
Writing the Environment: Modern and Contemporary Nature Writing
Reading the Environment: Old and New World Romanticisms
Environmental Communication

Research project
Work Placement or Dissertation

CAREER PROSPECTS
The skills developed during this programme are primarily relevant to:

• NGO's such as the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds, the British Ornithological Society, PlantLife, BugLife, Fisheries Trusts, and similar charitable and special interest groups both nationally and internationally

• Consultancies

• Regulatory Organisations such as SEPA, the Environment Agency, the Marine Monitoring Organisation and similar groups both nationally and internationally

• Legislators

• Research

• Handling and storage of environmental data, for example, the management of citizen science responses or recording schemes