MSc Conservation Science and Practice
Learn to lead conservation programmes to tackle global biodiversity challenges
Key information
Start date: October 2022
Campus: South Kensington
ECTS: 90 credits
Overview
How effective are the world’s protected areas at saving our species? How does conservation impact people? How can we promote biodiversity within urban areas?
If these critical biodiversity questions and challenges that face the world today inspire you to join the new generation of conservation scientists and practitioners, this could be the course for you.
You’ll balance interactive and engaging online activities with intensive in-person work to learn the fundamentals of biodiversity conservation and how to manage, deliver and evaluate the impacts of conservation programmes. You’ll be taught by scientists and practitioners from around the world and learn the tools and frameworks for tackling conservation problems effectively, thoughtfully, and ethically.
Fieldwork on the course will give you the opportunity to put your theoretical skills and knowledge into practice and give you the ability to strengthen these skills by completing an independent research project in an area of your interest. You can carry out your project in conjunction with an outside organisation in the UK or abroad.
The skills you have the opportunity to develop will equip you to become a conservation pioneer devoted to solving sustainability and environmental problems in a range of academic, research, governmental and non-governmental organisations.
Structure
This page reflects the latest version of the curriculum for this year of entry. However, this information is subject to change.
Find out more about the limited circumstances in which we may need to make changes to or in relation to our courses, the type of changes we may make and how we will tell you about changes we have made.
Structure
Compulsory modules
Compulsory modules
You'll take all the modules below.
Introduction to the past, present and future of biodiversity conservation
Gain an understanding of the critical concepts of conservation science, how they developed and how they are used in international conservation efforts.
Navigating the complexities of social-ecological systems
Consider social and ecological processes, system dynamics and feedback loops at local, regional and global scales, and how they influence the effectiveness of potential solutions to environmental problems.
Tracking and understanding outcomes and impacts
Learn to critically assess and evaluate the progress of conservation initiatives through monitoring and evaluation, and impact assessments.
Making effective decisions
Discover techniques for effective decision-making within conservation programmes, including techniques for prioritisation of actions, managing stakeholders, and dealing transparently and ethically with differing expectations and competing values.
Research methods
Build a solid understanding of concepts and quantitative and qualitative methods that provide the foundation for ecological and social research.
Conservation case studies
Explore key conservation challenges and questions the world is facing today, from the role of zoos to biodiversity promotion in urban settings.
Project management and building partnerships
Develop the practical skills to lead, fund, manage and deliver projects to become an effective conservation practitioner and researcher.
Inference and estimation
Learn techniques to make data analysis and literature reviews reproducible and learn a core set of statistical methods used in social and ecological research.
Research project
Research Project
Complete an independent research project in an area of your interest. You may have the opportunity to work with academic research groups or projects supported by external partners or develop your own projects.
The program is one-year, full time. On the part-time version of this course, you'll complete this project in your second year.
Teaching and assessment
Teaching methods
- Lectures
- Seminars
- Computer-based work
- Fieldwork
- Laboratory work
- Group work
- Data analysis
- Small group seminars
- Blackboard VLE
- Blended e-learning
- Independent research project
Assessment methods
- Group presentations
- Reports
- Essays
- Written examinations
- Coursework
- Individual research project
Entry requirements
We welcome students from all over the world and consider all applicants on an individual basis.
Admissions
Minimum academic requirement
Our minimum requirement is a 2.1 degree in any subject. Science, engineering or social science subjects are preferred, but other subject areas will be considered.
International qualifications
We also accept a wide variety of international qualifications.
The academic requirement above is for applicants who hold or who are working towards a UK qualification.
For guidance see our Country Index though please note that the standards listed are the minimum for entry to the College, and not specifically this Department.
If you have any questions about admissions and the standard required for the qualification you hold or are currently studying then please contact the relevant admissions team.
English language requirement (all applicants)
All candidates must demonstrate a minimum level of English language proficiency for admission to the College.
For admission to this course, you must achieve the higher College requirement in the appropriate English language qualification. For details of the minimum grades required to achieve this requirement, please see the English language requirements for postgraduate applicants.
Competence standards
Our competence standards highlight the core skills students should be able to demonstrate by the end of this course.
View the Centre for Environmental Policy's competence standards [pdf]
We believe in providing the widest practicable access to all of our degree programmes and will make reasonable adjustments wherever possible to support your study. For more information, please contact the Department using the contact details below.
Centre for Environmental Policy
T: +44 (0)20 7594 9347
E: enquiries.env@imperial.ac.uk
How to apply
Making an application
Apply online
All applicants must apply online.
Visit our Admissions website for details on the application process.
You can submit one application form per year of entry. You can usually choose up to two courses.
Application fee
If you are applying for a taught Master’s course, you will need to pay an application fee before submitting your application.
The fee applies per application and not per course:
- £80 for taught Master's applications (excluding MBAs)
- £135 for MBA applications
There is no application fee for MRes courses, Postgraduate Certificates, Postgraduate Diplomas or research courses, such as PhDs and EngDs.
If you are facing financial hardship and are unable to pay the application fee, we encourage you to apply for our application fee waiver.
ATAS certificate
An ATAS certificate is not required for overseas students applying for this course.
Further questions?
Find answers to your questions about admissions. Answers cover COVID-19, English language requirements, Visas and more.
Tuition fees and funding
The level of tuition fees you pay is based on your fee status, which we assess based on UK government legislation.
Find out more about fees and funding opportunities.
Tuition fees
Home rate of tuition
2022 entry
£11,000 per year
Fees are charged by year of entry to the College and not year of study.
Except where otherwise indicated, the fees for students on courses lasting more than one year will increase annually by an amount linked to inflation, including for part-time students on modular programmes. The measure of inflation used will be the Retail Price Index (RPI) value in the April of the calendar year in which the academic session starts e.g. the RPI value in April 2020 will apply to fees for the academic year 2020–2021.
Fee status
Whether you pay the Home fee depends on your fee status.
Your fee status is assessed based on UK Government legislation and includes things like where you live and your nationality or residency status.
Find out more about how we assess your fee status.
EU/EEA/Swiss students
The Government has confirmed that EU/EEA/Swiss students who begin a course before the 31 July 2021 will be eligible to pay the same fee as Home students and have access to student finance for the duration of their course, as long as they meet certain requirements which are unchanged from previous years. This includes students who begin the course remotely.
EU/EEA/Swiss students starting a course on or after 1 August 2021 will no longer be eligible for the Home fee rate and so will be charged the Overseas fee. Please note, we do not expect this to apply to Irish students or students benefitting from Citizens' Rights under the EU Withdrawal Agreement, EEA EFTA Separation Agreement or Swiss Citizens' Rights Agreement respectively. However, we are currently awaiting the formal publication of the amended Fees and Awards regulations.
The UK Council for International Student Affairs (UKCISA) website has useful information on the conditions you currently need to meet to be entitled to pay tuition fees at the Home rate for study on a higher education course in England and reflect the regulations as they currently stand (not the amended regulations which are subject to publication).
Overseas rate of tuition
2022 entry
£25,000 per year
Fees are charged by year of entry to the College and not year of study.
Except where otherwise indicated, the fees for students on courses lasting more than one year will increase annually by an amount linked to inflation, including for part-time students on modular programmes. The measure of inflation used will be the Retail Price Index (RPI) value in the April of the calendar year in which the academic session starts e.g. the RPI value in April 2020 will apply to fees for the academic year 2020–2021.
Fee status
Whether you pay the Overseas fee depends on your fee status.
Your fee status is assessed based on UK Government legislation and includes things like where you live and your nationality or residency status.
Find out more about how we assess your fee status.
EU/EEA/Swiss students
The Government has confirmed that EU/EEA/Swiss students who begin a course before the 31 July 2021 will be eligible to pay the same fee as Home students and have access to student finance for the duration of their course, as long as they meet certain requirements which are unchanged from previous years. This includes students who begin the course remotely.
EU/EEA/Swiss students starting a course on or after 1 August 2021 will no longer be eligible for the Home fee rate and so will be charged the Overseas fee. Please note, we do not expect this to apply to Irish students or students benefitting from Citizens' Rights under the EU Withdrawal Agreement, EEA EFTA Separation Agreement or Swiss Citizens' Rights Agreement respectively. However, we are currently awaiting the formal publication of the amended Fees and Awards regulations.
The UK Council for International Student Affairs (UKCISA) website has useful information on the conditions you currently need to meet to be entitled to pay tuition fees at the Home rate for study on a higher education course in England and reflect the regulations as they currently stand (not the amended regulations which are subject to publication).
Postgraduate Master's loan
If you're a UK national, or EU national with settled or pre-settled status under the EU Settlement Scheme, you may be able to apply for a Postgraduate Master’s Loan from the UK government, if you meet certain criteria.
For 2021-22 entry, the maximum amount is £11,570. The loan is not means-tested and you can choose whether to put it towards your tuition fees or living costs.
Scholarships
We offer a range of scholarships for postgraduate students to support you through your studies. Find out more about our scholarships to see what you might be eligible for.
A number of external organisations also offer awards for Imperial students. Find out more about non-Imperial scholarships.
Accommodation and living costs
Living costs, including accommodation, are not included in your tuition fees.
You can compare costs across our different accommodation options on our Accommodation website.
A rough guide to what you might expect to spend to live in reasonable comfort in London is available on our Fees and Funding website.
Further information
Got a question?
T: +44 (0)20 7594 9347
E: enquiries.env@imperial.ac.uk
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