Course structure
The course consists of the following elements:
• Core skills self-study courses x 5
• 3 additional self-study courses to suit your specific interests
• 3 self-study tutorials
• 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 Skills courses
The course consists of 5 compulsory Core Skills self-study courses:
• Habitat Management
• Habitat Restoration
• Introduction to Ecology
• Introduction to Conservation Biology
• Climate Change, Sustainability and Behaviour Change
Additional courses
You will then have the choice of 3 other self-study courses to suit your own 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*
- Rewilding +
- River Restoration +
- Surveying for Protected Species *+
- 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 courses held in either Exeter and Otterton, 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 Day 1 and 2 which you are required to attend. Option for evening meal at a pub together.
Assignments and Exam
In order to assess your progress each self-study course will have a short quiz at the end and you will receive a separate certificate for each of these courses. For each of the self-study courses you will need to get 70% or more to pass.
There are also have 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 benefitting 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 and will be online and will only cover these courses.
Other course elements
In addition you will receive three short online tutorials:
- Mammal ID (UK)
- Reptile and Amphibian ID (UK)
- Birds for Beginners (UK)
There will also be three 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: 9th July 2025 with the Introductory Webinar, however you can start the self-study elements before that. Introductory webinars are scheduled every few weeks so you can book onto the next one that is available.
Price: £2400 including VAT (£2000 excluding VAT)
An interest-free instalment option is available over 12 months. Pay £350 deposit and 12 monthly instalments of £170.83. Continue to the book now button for more information.
Pre-Requisites: This course is for anyone interested in working in conservation. Maybe you are 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.”
