Program Overview

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BSc (Hons) Woodland Ecology and Conservation (With Integrated Foundation Year)

Climate change and biodiversity loss are the twin challenges of our time. Study a woodland ecology and conservation degree to become part of the solution by gaining expertise in forest management, biodiversity, and woodland conservation.

Course Overview

The Woodland Ecology and Conservation programme has been designed to prepare you to be a new kind of graduate, one that the world desperately needs to meet the challenges of the 21st century. This degree will provide you with the ecological knowledge that underpins modern sustainable forest management. Graduates are able to manage trees, woods, and forests to protect biodiversity and optimise the delivery of benefits to human society directly through timber production and space for recreation, but also to apply knowledge of essential ecosystem services; carbon, nutrient, and water cycling, flood and erosion control amongst others. Graduates in Woodland Ecology and Conservation are equipped to contribute solutions to the twin environmental challenges of our times: climate change and biodiversity loss.

As an undergraduate in Woodland Ecology and Conservation at the University of Cumbria, you will learn how to sustainably manage trees, woods, and forests at our National School of Forestry. Throughout the course, hands-on experience will back up the theory from ancient woodlands through to commercial forests, residential study tours to the upland and lowland habitats. There will also be an opportunity to take a one-year work placement in a related profession, bolstering your confidence and putting your knowledge into practice in the real world.

You’ll be living and studying in the ideal location to appreciate and value the conservation and ecology of woodlands, with the National School of Forestry based on our inspirational Ambleside campus in the heart of the Lake District.

Your foundation year will be spent developing your base knowledge and wider understanding of forestry and conservation.

On this course you will...

• Have easy access to local woodlands giving you the chance to explore different forest types and the ecosystems they support.
• Benefit from great opportunities for paid placements and graduate job prospects thanks to our links with organisations like the Royal Forestry Society and Woodland Trust.
• Learn from tutors with field experience, who conduct ground-breaking, international research that will inform your studies.
• Appreciate the role of global forests in climate change mitigation and the greatest threats to their conservation.

Key Details

• Recruiting to: UK / RoI / Settled in UK, EU / EEA / International
• Course Location: Ambleside, Carlisle - Fusehill Street
• Institute: Institute of Science and Environment
• UCAS Code: D505
• Delivery Style: Blended Learning
• Course Duration: Full-time: 4 Years
• Study Options: Woodland Ecology and Conservation, Woodland Ecology and Conservation (With Sandwich Year)
• Course Start Point: September
• Award: BSc (Hons)
• More information: Programme Specification, Prospectus

Minimum entry requirements

• 48 UCAS Tariff points
• GCSE Mathematics at grade 4/C or above. Functional Skills Level 2 in Maths and Adult Numeracy are also accepted.

Tuition fees

• £9,535 - UK (2025-2026)
• £14,900 - International (2025-2026)
• £9,250 - UK (2024-2025)
• £13,575 - International (2024-2025)

Related Courses

• BSc (Hons) - Woodland Ecology and Conservation
• BSc (Hons) - Forest Management

Course Structure

What you will learn

Develop your knowledge and skills around forest management. This degree programme will increase your understanding of the physical, biological, economic, and sociological principles and processes that underpin forestry. Your foundation year will be spent settling into university life and gaining the confidence and skills you need to succeed in Woodland Ecology and Conservation.

You will learn to apply such principles and processes to the sustainable management of woodland multiple goods and ecosystem services (for example, protection of soil and water, and recreation, and support of a diversity of threatened plants and wildlife). You will critically assess contemporary issues in woodland conservation such as rewilding and species reintroductions.

Our programme will allow you to explore the commercial, social, and environmental contexts in which forestry is practised and the consequences of forestry for the rural economy, society, and the environment. You will learn how to conduct research monitoring changes in forest condition, health, and carbon capture, as well as acquiring skills at describing tree and forest types and the ecological systems and processes that they support.

Year one

• Essential University Skills 1
• Essential Biology
• Scientific Investigation
• Essential University Skills 2
• Environmental Sciences
• Dynamic Earth

Year two

• Introduction to Managing Trees, Woods and Forests
• Measuring Trees and Forests
• Silviculture
• Woodland Ecology
• Woodland Ecology
• Biodiversity 1
• Biodiversity 2

Year three

• Biodiversity Monitoring
• Geographic Information Systems
• Research Methods and Data Analysis
• Forest Policy and Governance
• Forest Health and Protection
• Forests & People (Optional)
• Valuing the Environment (Optional)
• Environmental Change: Past Present Future (Optional)

Year four

• Forest Plan
• Dissertation
• Woodland Conservation
• Applied Field Studies (Optional)
• Advanced Silviculture (Optional)
• Business Skills (Optional)
• Advanced GIS and Remote Sensing (Optional)
• Climate Smart Forestry (Optional)
• Wildlife Management (Optional)

Teaching & Assessment

How you will learn

Delivered by research active academics, some of whom have recent woodland management experience; the course includes lectures, laboratory practicals, computer sessions, and fieldwork in the ancient semi-natural woodlands and commercial forest plantations around our beautiful Ambleside Campus, in the heart of the Lake District National Park.

You will be inspired by passionate lecturers telling you about their own research findings, and by field trips where staff discuss the ecologically evidence-based decisions they made.

In addition to working individually, you will typically be embedded in small team and group working to help you develop these critical skills ready for the workplace.

How you will be assessed

Although most assessments are individual, there will be opportunities for group-working, particularly in outdoor practical sessions where data is collected. This will help you develop collaborative and organisational skills ready for the workplace.

Throughout the programme, you will undertake a number of assessments, both practical and theoretical. This will allow you to practice key skills and attributes that feed into your future employability.

Examples of assessment types include:

• Creating fieldwork and laboratory reports, particularly making use of primary field notebooks;
• Writing essays or reports;
• Critically analysing ‘real life’ case studies;
• And Role-play to simulate real-world situations in the field and classroom.

Overview

48 UCAS Tariff Points. You can find out more about the tariff and qualification options from the UCAS tariff table.

GCSE Mathematics at grade 4/C or above. Functional Skills Level 2 in Maths and Adult Numeracy are also accepted. A full list of acceptable level 2 qualifications can be found here: Level 2 Acceptable Entry Requirements.

Qualifications

Entry Requirements

• GCSEs: Maths at C/4 or above.
• A-levels: A
• T-levels: P (D or E) All subjects are accepted for entry to this course.
• Access to HE: 45 Credits at Pass.
• CACHE Technical Level 3 and Level 3 Extended Diploma: D
• OCR Cambridge Technical & Edexcel/Pearson BTEC Level 3 (National) Extended Diploma: PPP
• Scottish Highers: 48 UCAS Tariff Points.
• Irish LC Highers: 48 UCAS Tariff Points.

Fair Admissions

When you apply, our Admissions specialists will review your whole application. We are looking for your potential to succeed so will assess your qualifications, any relevant work experience, your personal statement, and references.

Selection Criteria

As part of the application and selection process, we are looking for your commitment to Woodland Ecology and Conservation. In your personal statement, you should demonstrate your motivation for choosing this course and reflect upon any experience you have gained.

The Integrated Foundation Year programme supports your return to education and are specifically designed for students who have the ability to study for a degree but may not have all the necessary qualifications, skills or experiences to join the degree in Year 1.

Contextual Admissions

Going to higher education can transform a person’s life. We use contextual admissions to make sure that we are accessible to everyone who has the potential to succeed. Qualifications and grades are important, but they are considered alongside other information that helps universities to identify potential and widen access to university level study. For some individuals, the disadvantages they have experienced in their life mean that they have not been able to demonstrate their full academic potential. Where a person lives and their personal circumstances can all affect their educational attainment.

We take this context into account and look for an applicant’s potential when making admission decisions. The University of Cumbria will make offers to applicants that live in postal code regions with the lowest participation in Higher Education (Polar 4 quintile 1 – you can check your postcode here) and care leavers, offers will be made at the bottom of any UCAS Tariff range. Attendance at our Masterclasses and Summer Schools will also allow applicants to receive an offer lower within the tariff range. (T&Cs apply)

Returning to Education

If you are over 21 and returning to study after being in relevant employment for a minimum of 3 years and do not meet the published entry requirements for Year 1 of our degree courses, please do not assume you are not qualified to join us. Our experienced Admissions and Academic staff will review your prior qualifications and professional experience to support your application.

Language requirements

Please follow the link to check language requirements for this programme here.

Fees & Funding

Tuition Fees

• £9,535 - UK (2025-2026)
• £14,900 - International (2025-2026)
• £9,250 - UK (2024-2025)
• £13,575 - International (2024-2025)

The figures above don't include accommodation and living costs.

Tuition fees are set annually and are subject to review each year. The University may therefore raise tuition fees in the second or subsequent years of a course, in line with inflation and/or the maximum permitted by law or Government policy. Students will be notified of any changes as soon as possible.

International Finance

At the University of Cumbria, we offer affordable tuition fees for international and EU students looking to study at one of our main four campuses. No matter your choice of course or career path, our International Team is here to support you.

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Funding

Fees for integrated foundation year are as stated.

For further information about funding, please visit our undergraduate funding page.

More Information

We have a wide range of scholarships, bursaries, grants, and funds available to support you throughout your studies with us. This includes the Cumbria Bursary - a non-repayable bursary designed to support first-year students with a household income of less than £25,000.

Student Finance

Additional Costs

There will be some additional costs. For example, all students will need to purchase stationery and may wish to purchase some textbooks. Extra costs may also be applicable to cover field trips, membership fees, etc. although such features are usually options within the course.

Books are reviewed annually and are therefore subject to change, course welcome information will provide you with an indicative list for the year.

Books and Journals

Most core textbooks are available via the University's library, however, students may wish to buy copies of any texts used to support your learning on your course. This could cost between £50 - £100 per year.

Stationery

Students should budget for stationery and consumables for your own personal use. This should include notebooks, pens, and pencils for taking notes in class and/or in the field. Students should also budget for the purchase of USB pen drives, as well as occasional printing and photocopying costs incurred in the preparation or submission of coursework. Whilst you will choose how much you need, expect to pay around £30 - £40 per year for these items.