PART 1 

A five day intensive course via webinars and other activities which covers core subjects and vital skills for anyone wanting to work as an ecological consultant:

• Phase 1 habitat surveys
• Survey techniques for protected species
• Preliminary Ecological Appraisal (PEA) and report-writing
• Protected sites and wildlife law tutorial
• Career Planning tutorial.
• Biodiversity Net Gain tutorial

Throughout the week there will be plenty of opportunities to chat to the tutor and to ask lots of questions.

There will also be online tutorials on webinar so you can meet up with your fellow students. We will have sessions on how to get your protected species licences, CIEEM membership, career planning, goal-setting, guidance on background reading, getting experience, and working on your CV.

Two intake – either 24th – 28th March OR 7th – 11th April.

PART 2 – 2-DAY FIELD COURSE

Some time during the summer or autumn you will attend a two-day field course to consolidate all your Core Week learning. Here we will practice Phase 1 habitat mapping, plant ID, animal tracks and signs, surveying techniques and much more! It is a great opportunity to work in a stunning location and meet your fellow students. Held near Bristol or in Exeter.

PART 3 – ADDITIONAL FIELD OR ONLINE COURSES 

As well as the core courses covered in part one, students can choose three other courses (1 or 2 days each) according to their existing skill levels and specific interests. Options include:

• Badger ecology and surveying
• Badgers and development#
• Bat ecology and surveying*~
• Bats: Surveying trees for bats**
• Bats and developments**#
• Beaver ecology and surveying
• Beginners botany* >>
• Dormouse ecology and surveying~
• Dormice and Developments **#
• Getting to Know the Planning System#
• Grass ID#
• Great crested newt ecology and surveying+~
• Great crested newts and developments**
• Otter ecology and surveying +
• QGIS for Ecologists (live webinar)
• Reptile ecology and surveying+
• Water vole ecology and surveying+#

* Two-day courses; **You will need to have existing knowledge so the relevant ecology and surveying course would be a pre-requisite if you choose this course; >> Compulsory if your botany knowledge is weak; ~ Similar material is covered in the core week, however additional detail is included – courses will be useful if you are working towards your dormouse, bat or great crested newt survey licence; + Similar material is covered in the core week, however additional detail and other survey sites are provided. #Online only.

Most of these courses are also available online, some are not available face to face.

For each of these courses you will receive a Certificate and those can be added to your CV.

Please note that some of the optional courses will be held in different locations including Devon, Somerset, Hampshire, Dorset, Surrey and the Bristol area.

To find out more about the content of these courses, please see our Introductory Level Short Courses.

PART 4 – SELF-STUDY COURSES AND ON-LINE COURSES

To add to the knowledge gained from the field courses and core week tutorials, there will also be three self-study courses which will cover the following topics:

• Mammal ID
• Amphibian and reptile ID
• Birds for Beginners

You will also complete our on-line Invasive Species course. This is an introductory level course about commonly occurring invasive species. The course comprises 9 modules accessed online and at the end of the course you will complete a short quiz to show that you will have completed and understood the course. You will receive a separate Certificate for this course.