Postgraduate Diploma in Wildlife Conservation

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About

The Recanati-Kaplan Centre Postgraduate Diploma in Wildlife Conservation will equip you with the practical skills and theoretical understanding needed to contribute effectively to conservation research and action in the developing world. The course is delivered by our Wildlife Conservation Research Unit (WildCRU) and benefits from collaborations with Oxford Lifelong Learning and Lady Margaret Hall.

The diploma is suitable for those already working in conservation, and also for recent graduates provided they have gained field experience during the course of their first degree. Although a degree in an appropriate natural science is normally required, we may make an exception if you can demonstrate equivalent accomplishment and aptitude for field-based conservation, and the potential to study at postgraduate level.

This unique postgraduate diploma will equip you with the practical skills and theoretical understanding to enable you to contribute effectively to conservation research and action in the developing world. The course will give you the scientific, communication, and fundraising skills to make a difference. Your greater knowledge and expertise will also benefit your colleagues, through informal peer-learning, skills transfer, and the encouragement of critical thinking and debate.

Life in Oxford Biology

You will be immersed in our interdisciplinary team and have the opportunity to learn from a diverse range of ongoing international conservation projects, including a large number of field projects on wild felids and other threatened carnivores worldwide. The University of Oxford is a world-leader in terms of academic excellence, and being within the Department of Biology will allow you access to cutting-edge research in a range of conservation-related fields, as well as a comprehensive library and access to a huge range of online journals.

We accept 8-10 students per year – class sizes are kept small to promote learning, facilitate interaction, and enhance integration into WildCRU.

Modules

You will study the following five modules, under two principles: ecology, population biology, and habitats; and conservation as an interdisciplinary field. Common themes include: use of the scientific method, quantitative analysis, and hypothesis testing in conservation science; statistics and computer-based modelling; & critical appraisal of science and conservation action. You will also complete research projects.

Key features that will help your learning are:

  • Understanding the theory behind a range of robust techniques for data collection and analysis, so that you can independently plan, implement, and assess your own conservation research.
  • Learning to interpret scientific data and reports, draw conclusions, and apply new knowledge to conservation action.
  • Learning through interactive problem-solving and case-studies, to facilitate understanding, application, and adaptation of new skills to a range of conservation scenarios.
  • Developing professional skills such as project management, fundraising, proposal writing, and communication.
  • Using mammalian, and particularly carnivore case-studies – especially emphasising wild felids – as exemplars of conservation issues relevant to wider fauna and flora. Such mammals often function as umbrella species, and by protecting them and their habitat, wider biodiversity conservation goals can be fulfilled.
  • An international team of teachers, and students from all over the globe – you will experience many different perspectives on conservation, and learn how approaches from other countries can be adapted to the conservation problems you face in your own.
Assessment

The course will be examined through the two project reports and four assignments, one on each of the five taught modules. The project reports will be a maximum of 7000 words, and each worth 30% of the marks.The assignments will be up to 2000 words, and each worth 10% of the final mark.

Most module assignments will be short-answer questions, presenting data to be analysed, scientific research to critique, a problem for which you will design solutions, or information to be synthesised into a brief report/recommendation.

You will be taught all necessary software during the course, including the use of sector-specific professional software such as Presence, Mark and Distance.

Admissions

It is not necessary to request permission before applying. However, if you wish to enquire whether you have the appropriate background to be considered a strong candidate, in particular if you are lacking a relevant first degree, please email your CV to the course coordinator: wildcru.diploma@biology.ox.ac.uk.

Scholarship

The Diploma programme, thanks to various donations, can provide financial support for candidates from less economically developed countries to attend the course. If you are eligible and unable to secure funding yourself, you can apply for varying levels of sponsorship to cover course fees, travel to and from the UK, accommodation, and living expenses for the duration of the course.

If you wish to be considered for this support, you can complete an application form. Full details on the scholarship and application is available on the WildCRU website, linked above under Funding.