MSc Conservation Management

Program Overview

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Course Overview

Our new MSc Conservation Management programme meets the growing demands for professional conservation scientists to address global environmental challenges such as climate change and biodiversity loss. Your learning will be based in the heart of the Lake District National Park (UNesco World Heritage Site), providing a unique environmental and cultural context to view current and future challenges, as well as direct access to a rich diversity of habitats, including lakes, rivers, uplands and temperate rainforest. Individual modules focus on state-of-the-art approaches and perspectives across different elements of conservation, including the latest digital technologies, e.g. remote biodiversity monitoring methods, and close partnerships with conservation employers in the region.

MSc graduates will complete the programme with the appropriate specialist knowledge, understanding and skills needed for professional practice within the sector - locally, nationally, and internationally. The expertise gained in applied conservation, ecological research, and management skills, will make them well-suited for roles in conservation, academia, government, NGOs, and private sectors.

Key Details

• Recruiting to UK / RoI / Settled in UK / EU / EEA / International
• Course Location Ambleside
• Institute Institute of Science and Environment
• Delivery Style In Person
• Course Duration Full-time: 1 Year
• Course Start Point September
• Award MSc

Entry Requirements

• A B.Sc.(Hons.) or equivalent in a related area with a minimum 2:2 grade.
• Honours degree

Tuition Fees

• £8,975 - UK
• £14,900 - International

Course Structure

The programme will be delivered from the Institute of Science and Environment (IoSE) from its Ambleside campus, the only University campus in England situated in a National Park and an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty which has been recognised as globally significant through its UNESCO world heritage site status. The geographical location supports the delivery of environmentally based programmes.

What you will learn

• Gain Specialist Skills in Conservation Management: Experience in cutting-edge practical and analytical techniques will prepare you for a successful career in conservation science.
• Develop Robust Critical Thinking: Critical evaluation of evidence and case studies from diverse ecological and social perspectives will support an adaptive mindset for effective planning, implementation, management and communication of conservation projects.
• Benefit from a Personalised Learning Experience: The MSc is delivered in an intimate setting, where knowledgeable tutors provide personalised support and mentorship.
• Focus on Your Specific Interests: You are encouraged to explore your specific interests in areas such as conservation governance, landscape ecology, and natural resource management.
• Experience Conservation Management in Practice: In addition to opportunities provided by our unique setting within the Lake District National Park and close existing relationships with local conservation partners, you will also gain exposure to real-world conservation skills in a different environmental and socio-cultural context through our international field trip.

Modules

• Priorities in Conservation
  • Demonstrate detailed knowledge of how Multilateral Environmental Agreements operate and critically review the impacts of global conservation conventions on conservation.
  • Critically review how changing priorities in conservation affect applied conservation management over time.
  • Critically evaluate the evidence base for key conservation issues from multidisciplinary perspectives.
• Human Dimensions in Conservation
  • Critically review the human dimensions associated with contemporary conservation and their impacts.
  • Identify and critically review how the human-environment interface differs between social settings and impacts project management.
  • Identify the skills and strategies used to resolve negative/conflict scenarios and critically review their success in aiding project progression.
  • Demonstrate practical skills in designing and facilitating stakeholder engagement processes, including participatory methods and co-management strategies.
• Research Skills
  • Review research & data to identify their strengths/areas for improvement.
  • Undertake research tasks with growing independence & proficiency, demonstrating critical thinking & problem-solving skills.
  • Perform & interpret core subject-specific statistical analyses with precision & effectiveness, showcasing statistical tools.
  • Critically appraise quantitative & qualitative methods employed in current research.
  • Assess how research, policy & impact are interrelated, evaluating how research findings influence policy decisions & societal outcomes.
• Conservation Governance and Legal Tools
  • At a given nation state scale, identify and critically review the governance and legislative frameworks and processes supporting conservation aims.
  • At the global to nation state interface, identify and critically review the mechanisms and processes of implementation by which Multilateral Environmental Agreements are enacted nationally and their impacts for conservation within state.
  • Critically assess the effectiveness of top-down governance approaches compared to community-based or market-based approaches.
  • Critically consider the role of Indigenous Local Knowledge (ILKs), local norms and other cultural perspectives, how they have been considered within conservation projects and their impacts on project management.
• Landscape Ecology and Forests
  • Discuss key concepts in landscape ecology.
  • Critically evaluate spatial & temporal patterns in species & habitats.
  • Critically assess natural & anthropogenic influences on landscape patterns & processes in forestry.
• Natural Resource Management
  • Critically review the interactions between global commerce and natural resource use.
  • Critically review cost-benefit analyses and how they are used to inform conservation policy and practice.
  • Critically examine key models and concepts and apply them in community-based sustainable development projects.
• Conservation Management in Practice
  • Demonstrate the ability to apply theoretical conservation principles to practical field scenarios.
  • Develop and implement a field-based conservation project, including planning, execution, and evaluation.
  • Critically reflect on the challenges and outcomes of field-based conservation efforts and identify areas for improvement.
  • Utilize key aspects of project management, such as task allocation, stakeholder engagement, and monitoring, in field-based conservation activities.
• Dissertation
  • Critically evaluate the literature to formulate a robust research question & methodology.
  • Identify, evaluate & conform to recognised data & project management, health & safety, ethical & legal requirements prior to implementation.
  • Apply appropriate methodologies to collect & manage data to address your research question.
  • Analyse, interpret & critically evaluate findings using appropriate techniques, drawing valid conclusions with consideration of the appropriate literature.
  • Communicate findings, using a variety of format outputs, inclusive of digital tools where applicable.

Teaching & Assessment

How you will learn

The programme will be delivered from the Institute of Science and Environment (IoSE) from its Ambleside campus, the only University campus in England situated in a National Park and an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty which has been recognised as globally significant through its UNESCO world heritage site status. The geographical location supports the delivery of environmentally based programmes.

How you will be assessed

The overarching consideration is to provide assessments, which develop your skills and knowledge while equipping you for postgraduate employment. Assessments will therefore often mirror the type of work that you will encounter in your future careers and may include:

• Field projects
• Computer-based assessments
• Problem solving activities
• Critical analysis of case studies
• Oral, audio-visual and poster presentations
• Dissertation
• Peer and self-assessment
• Group work
• Online blogs
• Mock grant proposal

Formative assessment tasks provide opportunity for collaborative working enabling you to assess, develop and critically evaluate practical skills and methodologies supporting work required throughout summative assessment. Throughout the programme, you are expected and encouraged to be active in your learning and to apply current thinking to practice.

Career Outcomes

The MSc in Conservation Management at the University of Cumbria is designed to equip you with the skills, knowledge, and practical experience needed to address contemporary conservation challenges. Graduates of this programme are highly sought-after in various fields due to their expertise in applied conservation, ecological research, and management skills, making them well-suited for roles in conservation, academia, government, NGOs, and private sectors.

Overview

A B.Sc.(Hons.) or equivalent in a related area with a minimum 2:2 grade.

Fees & Funding

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.

• £8,975 (UK)
• £14,900 (International)

Additional information:

There may be some additional costs associated with the course including stationery, textbooks, field trips and membership fees although some of these features are optional.

Additional information:

• Books and Journals: Conservation Leadership: A practical guide (2024) – Simon Black, Environmental Leadership: A Reference Handbook (2012) - Deborah Rigling Gallagher
• Clothing and Equipment: Outdoor equipment / clothing for being in the Lakes.

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Please find below more general information about the course:

Ambleside campus - more information about the campus

Nestled in the Lake District National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage site, the Ambleside campus is the perfect place for world-savers, animal lovers, and adventurers. There is never a dull moment when surrounded by such natural beauty and opportunity.

Find more details about other aspects of university life here.