This module provides a broader perspective on your course, equipping you with the knowledge and skills essential for success in your chosen career. Key themes include sustainability, business, finance, change management, and communication, all designed to enhance your graduate employability.

In this module you will cover a broad range of conservation theories and techniques and how they can be used and applied to conservation management of wild animals. This module enables you to consider what your existing knowledge of genetics, ecology and animal behaviour can bring to animal conservation. The module will include key case studies along with a strong practical component giving you the chance to try out skills in genetic analysis to study the population structure of a species. You will also demonstrate learning of new perspectives in conservation genetics, wildlife forensics, animal behaviour and management and reflect on their applicability to conservation efforts.

In this module, you will engage in the research of a selected topic relevant to your course. You will have the opportunity to delve deeply into a subject of your choice, utilising primary and secondary sources to inform your work. You will consider the ethics and health and safety aspects of conducting your project, and apply your prior training in experimental design and analysis. Throughout the process, you will develop your critical thinking and analytical skills, whilst conducting this independent research with the support of a lecturer. The dissertation represents a substantial piece of scholarly work that demonstrates your understanding and application of scientific concepts relevant to your course. Additionally, you will refine your skills in academic writing and effective communication of complex ideas. Overall, the dissertation represents the culmination of your education, preparing you to become a biological scientist.

This module introduces you to the theory and practice of ecological and environmental assessment, across a broad range of applications (i.e. development of infrastructure, conservation management), enabling you to critically examine and assess threats to landscapes, habitats and species, whilst exploring avenues to mitigate impacts and enhance features of biological interest (e.g. species, habitats, ecosystem services).Additionally, you will have opportunity to hone and apply a broad range of field and desk-based skills in a novel and dynamic, yet challenging context. This module serves to expose you to the wider environmental/ecological consultancy industry, exploring the many graduate roles and further opportunities for potential future employability.

This module critically evaluates the principles and practices involved in the management and maintenance of both live and preserved zoo and museum collections. For live zoo collections, you will develop the ability to adopt a critical evidence-based approach to the maintenance of the welfare and environmental needs of the animals. For preserved museum collections, you will develop skills in, and an appreciation for, techniques for the acquisition, preservation and maintenance of specimens. For both collection types, you will develop an understanding of the ethical and legislation-responsive considerations underpinning collection design, cataloguing and display for optimal value to various agencies, such as the public, conservation agencies or researchers. These topics have relevance in various real-world contexts such as research institutions, museums, aquariums, zoos and educational facilities.

This module emphasises the broad applications of sustainability and agroecology in the context of UK farming systems. You will investigate sustainable farmland management and its effects on animal populations, biodiversity, and ecosystem health. You will study key production areas such as arable, pastoral, horticultural, forestry, and aquatic systems.

You will examine historical land use changes and the critical challenges posed by climate change, including plant protection, fertiliser efficiency, water utilisation, soil erosion, carbon mitigation, and environmental impacts.

A significant aspect of this module is farm and land-use planning, where you will explore strategies for optimal land utilisation and sustainable development with links to ecosystem function. Additionally, you will investigate future technologies aimed at enhancing food and fuel security while minimizing ecological and environmental impacts

The course also delves into the complexities of agricultural business, exploring large-scale farming operations, greenhouse systems, and both extensive and intensive animal production enterprises. Legislation and policy frameworks will be examined including nitrate vulnerable zones and pollution control measures. The module emphasizes farm resource efficiency, focusing on the sustainable use of land, soil, water, and energy.

In this module, you will explore advanced concepts related to the scientific study of insects (entomology) and parasites (parasitology). You will be equipped with the requisite knowledge and skills to address real-world challenges posed by insects and parasites. This knowledge will pave the way for diverse career opportunities in public health, agriculture, environmental consultancy, education, civil service, and cutting-edge research. Get ready to make a significant impact in your field and develop a skill set that is both valuable and highly relevant in today’s world!