Conservation and Countryside Management FdSc

ustainable management of the countryside has become increasingly important in recent years as multiple, often conflicting demands are placed on its natural resources and global impacts such as climate change and globalisation add to those pressures. Carefully balancing the demands for food production, nature conservation, energy production, recreation and other objectives is creating a demand for countryside managers with theoretical, practical and applied skills in environmental assessment, ecology and conservation.

Studying at Hartpury

The purpose of this programme is to provide a balance of vocational and academic study that will enable you to pursue a career in conservation and countryside management and opportunities to specialise or to continue study or research. You will undertake practical fieldwork in surveying, habitat management, environmental policy and legislation and ecology.

Within the programme design there is a large period of work experience embedded in the first year, enabling students to gain essential industry contacts and experiences to support level 2 study and future careers prospects. Modules offered throughout the programme will introduce and develop your knowledge and understanding of underpinning sciences and management skills through laboratory-based practical’s, fieldwork, seminars and lectures. You will be assessed via written assignments, examinations, oral presentations, case studies and practical projects. A field course module to South Africa runs in the second year of the programme. This will give you an opportunity to explore African ecology and ethology. Activities will include animal tracking, day and night game drives, a visit to Pillansberg National Park and individual student projects.

Hartpury has good contacts externally with statutory agencies, private businesses, local authorities and NGOs working in the environmental sector; everything from waste management businesses, private landowners, and landscape scale habitat management projects to special interest NGOs. These working relationships offer numerous opportunities to complement formal studies and provide work experience placements. The surrounding area also has a range of landscapes and designated areas for fieldwork exercises.

Areas of study

Students have a range of compulsory modules and optional modules to choose from

Level 1

• Practical and work based modules (including extensive work experience within an conservation setting)
• Introduction to Ecology
• Wildlife Surveying
• Evolution and Biodiversity
• Animal Behaviour
• Sustainable Land Use

Level 2

• Statistics and Research Methods
• Wildlife Habitat Management
• Applied Ecology
• Environmental Law
• Woodland Management
• Countryside communication and education
• Business Planning
• Wildlife and Species Management
• Behavioural and Evolutionary Ecology
• Management of Labour Resources
• Field Course

Programme overview

UCAS code

FdSc – DNKF A

Programme length

FdSc – two years full-time

Part-time option

Yes

Work experience opportunity

Yes, a significant placement is incorporated in the first year

Careers

You will have the opportunity to follow careers in countryside management and conservation management, working for a variety of statutory agencies, environmental monitoring and management organisations, and within environmental education.

For further information about possible careers options visit UWEs employability page

Other programmes you may be interested in

• FdA Agricultural Business Management

Entry requirements

View the UCAS tariff points system

* One Level 3 qualification in science or equivalent (eg A2) (if an applicant does not have this, then the student must have a level 2 qualification in Science (eg GCSE at C or above) and undertake Principles of Animal Biology during semester one.

Key Contact

James Swanson BVet Med MSc -Programme Leader FdSc Countryside and Conservation Management

If you have any questions about this programme please email james.swanson@hartpury.ac.uk

For the next opportunity to visit the college and find out more about the Animal and Land Programmes visit the HE Careers Events page