We are now taking enquiries for the Certificate 2025. Register your interest now!
This course can be studied over 8 – 24 months via online and taught courses.
Next intakes are in Spring 2025 – dates to be confirmed.
This is a life-changing course for people wanting to get into Ecological Consultancy. It is a real alternative to a Masters and MUCH cheaper! We are hoping to teach it face to face at the moment but there will be other options should government restrictions still be in place.
Our Certificate in Ecological Consultancy is a real, practical alternative to a Master’s degree giving you real skills, knowledge and experience!
This course is truly unique and gives you the opportunity to launch your ecological consultancy career with a suite of knowledge, skills and experience as well as confidence to apply for jobs. 2025 will be it’s 18th year and over 650 people have taken it successfully!
This course aims to provide a complete training for those wishing to work within an ecological consultancy and includes a series of compulsory and optional field-skills courses, self-study tutorials, assignments to practice your skills and an element of career planning.
Read on to find out more…
Time commitment: The course is designed to fit around working full time and it is anticipated that it will take around 8 months minimum or you can take up to 24 months to complete if you have other commitments. There is a 5-day Core Week which is held online via daily webinars and practical exercises. Later in the year you will also complete a 2-day field course consolidating your learning on the Core Week. You will then need to complete 3 optional one or two-day courses either online or taught, plus assignments and home study courses.
Course content: We have provided a detailed course outline below as well as a list of Frequently Asked Questions to help answer your queries.
Where: Please note that some of the optional courses will be held in different locations including Devon, Somerset, Hampshire, Surrey and the Bristol area – directions and accommodation list will be provided on booking.
When: The next Core Week course is in March or April 2025 (2 intakes) – dates to be confirmed. The 5 days being conducted online via webinars, videos and discussions.
Additional short courses are undertaken throughout the year, depending on which you choose.
The course ends with an exam and graduation which will be in October 2024 but the exam can be taken at any time up to 24 months after starting.
Price: The 2025 course price is £2200 ex VAT (£2640 incl VAT)
How to book: Just use the Apply here button below. You MUST have a relevant degree or experience*. You need to be pre-approved for the course and once you are you will be sent booking information. We have easy payment options available but please contact us first about this if you are interested in this option. If you do not have a relevant degree but some experience then please contact us on [email protected] and we can see if this course is right for you.
*Don’t have relevant degree or experience? Why not take a look at our Certificate in Conservation Management or shorter courses as a stepping stone to this course? Email us on [email protected] for advice on next steps.
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:
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 and regular catch-up meetings on webinar so you can meet up with your fellow students and discuss topics of interest. We will have sessions on how to get your protected species licences, CIEEM membership, career planning, goal-setting, guidance on background reading, getting experience, working on your CV as well as Biodiversity Net Gain.
Two intakes – Spring 2025, dates to be confirmed.
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. Usually held near Bristol or in Exeter.
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:
* Two-day courses; **You will need to have existing knowledge of bat ecology if you choose this course; >> Compulsory if your botany knowledge is weak; ~ Similar material is covered in the core week, however additional detail is provided along with a nest box check. This course will be useful if you are working towards your dormouse licence; + Similar material is covered in the core week, however additional detail and other survey sites are provided.
Most of these courses are also available online.
For each of these courses you will receive a Certificate.
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.
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:
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.
Other aspects of the course include:
What this year’s students say about their course:
![ecology-blog21]](data:image/jpg;base64,https://ecologytraining.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/ecology-blog21-5x4.jpg)
