Course structure

The course consists of the following elements:

• 5 core skills self-study courses
• 3 self-study tutorials
• 3 additional self-study courses to suit your specific interests
• A 3-day field course
• 3 career-planning webinars
• 2 Assignments
• Exam
• WhatsApp Group to connect with other students.

Your tutor will also be on hand to help you whenever you need it.

Core Courses

The course consists of 5 compulsory Core Courses:

• Habitat Management
• Habitat Restoration
• Introduction to Ecology
• Introduction to Conservation Biology
• Climate Change, Sustainability and Behaviour Change

And 3 short self-study tutorials:

• Mammal ID (UK)
• Reptile and Amphibian ID (UK)
• Birds for Beginners (UK)

Additional courses

You will then have the choice of 3 other courses to suit your interests:

• Animal Behaviour*
• Beginners Botany +
• Bird Biology*
• Countryside Management+
• Entomology – An Introduction
• Fascinating Fungi
• Freshwater Ecology and Ecosystems
• Invasive Species +
• Mammal Biology and Evolution*
• Marine Biology and Ecosystems*
• Phase 1 Habitat Mapping+
• Population Ecology*
• Regenerative Agriculture*+
• Rewilding +
• River Restoration +
• Species Recovery and Reintroductions
• Surveying for Protected Species *+
• Wetland Creation, Restoration, and Management +
• Woodland Management for Biodiversity +
  * suitable for a career working with animals
  + suitable for a career in reserves management (UK)
  If you want to do extra courses, these will be offered at a 20% discount.

Field Course

There will be a 3-day field course held in Exeter, Devon. This is a great opportunity to meet your fellow students and see conservation in action!

3-day Field Course:

• River restoration and flood management examples
• River corridors
• Woodland management examples
• Heathland management examples
• Invasive species
• Surveys – butterfly transect, small mammal trapping, breeding bird surveying, bat walk, reptiles, freshwater invertebrates (pond dipping), beavers and otters.

There will be evening activities on Days 1 and 2 which you are required to attend. Option for evening meal at a pub together.

This field course involves mainly field work and a lot of walking. You will need to take packed lunches on each day.

Cannot attend the Field Course?

We understand that not everyone can attend our field course in person due to travel expenses or home commitments, so to make this course accessible to all, we have put together a FULLY REMOTE version of this Certificate course! This online version includes all the same core courses, online materials, and assignments, but with pre-recorded field course materials. Check out the Certificate in Conservation Management Online now!

Assignments and Exam

To assess your progress, each self-study course will include a short quiz at the end, and you will receive a separate certificate for each course. For each of the self-study courses, you will need to get 70% or more to pass.

There are also two written assignments:

Assignment 1: Conservation Case Study – Species – choose a specific species and write about the issues and conservation strategies being used and how they are benefiting the species.

Assignment 2: Conservation Case Study – Site – you can choose a specific site and write about the issues, conservation management being used, and the results.

Exam – once you have studied your Core Skills modules and your short online tutorials (ID courses on mammals, birds, reptiles and amphibians), you can take your exam. This will be in the form of multiple-choice questions, will be online, and will only cover these courses.

Other course elements

In addition, there will be 3 webinars:
• Course Introduction and meet other students
• Career Planning and Goal Setting
• Applying for jobs – CV, covering letter, how to present yourself

These will be held in the evenings and spread out throughout the course.

Once all elements of the course have been completed, you will receive your Certificate in Conservation Management, which will outline all the courses you have completed and your marks.

Meeting your fellow students

The group will get to know each other during the Course Introduction webinar at the beginning of the course and be able to keep in touch via email or WhatsApp group. They will also meet on the field course and other webinars.

Next course starts on 28th October 2026 with the Introductory Webinar; however, you can start the self-study elements before then. Introductory webinars are scheduled every few weeks, so you can book onto the next available one.

Price: £2400 including VAT (£2000 excluding VAT)

An interest-free instalment option is available over 12 months. Pay a £350 deposit and 12 monthly instalments of £170.83. Continue to the book now button for more information.

Prerequisites: This course is for anyone interested in working in conservation. Maybe you are a post-graduate or career changer. We do NOT require any previous qualification, just a passion for conservation and biodiversity! Ideal for working around a full-time job or looking after a family.

Graduate, Clare, says:

“I’ve thoroughly enjoyed the Certificate in Conservation Management, especially the field courses which give the opportunity to get an introduction to wildlife surveying first hand. It’s also been great connecting with a like-minded group of students. The course has given me a grounding in the basics of professional ecology, which I’m sure will come in useful in my future career in sustainability.”