Integrated Wildlife Conservation

Integrated wildlife conservation is a discipline that combines ecological science with the practical skills of conservation management, asking not just how wildlife populations and habitats function but how they can be actively protected, restored and managed in the face of habitat loss, climate change, invasive species and other human pressures. Conservation biology is one of the most urgent applied sciences of our time, and the field demands practitioners who are comfortable with both the scientific rigour of ecological research and the hands-on realities of working in zoos, nature reserves, field survey teams and conservation organisations.

At the University of the West of England, Bristol, this part-time foundation degree is distinctive for being delivered in partnership with a working zoo, giving you direct access to conservation scientists with real-world experience and to the animals, collections and programmes that constitute active zoo-based conservation. You will study ecology, animal biology, conservation management, environmental monitoring, population biology and the policy and institutional frameworks within which conservation work takes place. The part-time mode allows you to balance study with other commitments while developing the scientific and practical knowledge that this field demands.

The combination of academic learning and direct engagement with a working conservation organisation is a significant advantage for those seeking to enter the profession.

Graduates of wildlife conservation programmes work in zoos, wildlife sanctuaries, nature reserves, national parks, ecological consultancies, environmental NGOs and government conservation agencies. Roles include conservation officer, wildlife ecologist, zoo keeper and senior keeper, species coordinator, conservation programme manager and environmental consultant. Many graduates continue to undergraduate or postgraduate study in ecology, conservation biology, zoology or environmental science, building on the foundation degree to develop more advanced scientific and professional qualifications.

The practical skills and conservation ethos the degree instils are valued across all of these settings.