Queen's University of Belfast - Medical Faculty

MSc in Ecological Management and Conservation Biology

Year 1

• Foundations for Research in the Biosciences
• Literature Review: Conservation Biology
• Conservation Biology Group Project
• Skills in Ecological Management
• Ecological Management and Conservation Biology

Assessment

Assessments associated with the course are outlined below:

Continuous Assessments such as coursework and module assignments based on self-driven, independent, study (there are no examinations).

A Postgraduate Diploma (PGDIP) student who achieves 50% or higher in completed modules may be permitted to transfer to the MSc Pathway subject to General Regulations. The MSc will be awarded with Distinction to a student who achieves an average mark exceeding 70% and with Commendation for those achieving a mark between 60-69%.

The course has a mix of students from Ireland, Great Britain and international students (previously from, for example, but not limited to China, Indonesia, Thailand, Bangladesh, the USA etc.)

If you undertake a Work Placement Project this MSc will equip you with the knowledge and skills required for a successful career in conservation or ecological consultancy. If you undertake a Research project this MSc will qualify you for entering further research e.g. a PhD programme.

Employment after the Course

• Graduates have been employed by a range of international non-governmental organisations (NGOs), Government departments and environmental consultancies with some progressing annually into research at other Universities.
• International students frequently return to their home country to work on local conservation.
• Principal Town & Country Planning Consultant at TC Town Planning
• Psychologist, DOE Marine Division
• Conservation Officer, The Irish Wildlife Trust
• Managing Quantity Surveyor, Faithful & Gold
• Survey Team Leader & Wildlife Guide at ORCA
• Ecologist at Roughan & O'Donovan
• Ecologist at Neo Environmental Ltd
• MCO Spatial NI at Ordnance Survey
• Outreach Officer Bumblebee Conservation Trust
• HSEQ Coordinator & Advisor Remondis Australia
• Scientific Officer at AFBI
• Scientific Officer at Northern Ireland Environment Agency
• Principal Environmental Consultant at Ayre Environmental Consulting
• Assistant Ecologist WYG
• Consultant Ecologist at AECOM
• Network Development Manager (NE) Sustrans
• Ecologist at Blackstaff Ecology Ltd
• Project Manager for ESGE, Munich
• Lab Analyst at Fibertec Environmental Services, Michigan
• Freelance Seasonal Ecologist/ Bat Surveyor
• Environmental Educator, UNESCO Dublin Bay Biosphere
• Conservation Advisor at RSPB
• Application Specialist, Exploristics Ltd
• Raptor Monitoring Officer at Northern Ireland Raptor Study Group
• Environmental Assistant at Northstone (NI) Limited
• AES Biodiversity Intern at Ulster Wildlife
• Graduate Assistant Ecologist at Ecological Survey & Assessment (ECOSA) Limited
• Ecologist at RPS Group
• Ecologist at Focus Ecology
• Compliance Officer at Norbrook Laboratories Ltd
• Assistant Ecologist Wild Frontier Ecology Ltd
• Graduate Land Consultant at Mouchel
• Regulatory Affairs Associate at Genpact Pharmalink
• Engineering Technician at McCloy Consulting Limited
• Volunteer at Belfast Hills Partnership Trust
• Natural Resources Specialist at Equinox Environmental
• Consultation and Design, Inc. Ashville

Employment Links

Employers who are interested in people like you:

Environmental consultancies including international organisations like AECOM Ltd., global conservation charities like the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) or Conservation International, government, for example, the Departments of Environment, Agriculture or Fisheries or local conservation groups such as those into fisheries management, stock assessment, habitat or species restoration.

Professional Opportunities

You will be perfectly placed as a site manager on a nature reserve or an environmental education officer. You could equally end up in industry conducting environmental impact assessments on projects such as alternative energy production like wind farms or marine turbines, or infrastructural developments such as airport runway extensions.

After your MSc, you might want to travel and gain experience in places like Asia, South America or Africa.

You may even follow in the footsteps of Queen’s alumni like zoologist, wildlife photographer and television presenter Jonathan Scott, who has gone on to film wildlife documentaries for the BBC like Big Cat Diary.

Graduate Plus/Future Ready Award for extra-curricular skills

In addition to your degree programme, at Queen's you can have the opportunity to gain wider life, academic and employability skills. For example, placements, voluntary work, clubs, societies, sports and lots more. So not only do you graduate with a degree recognised by a world-leading university, but you'll have practical national and international experience plus a wider exposure to life overall. We call this the Graduate Plus/Future Ready Award. It's what makes studying at Queen's University Belfast special.

Learning and Teaching

Learning opportunities associated with this course are outlined below:

You’ll get to know your classmates and your lecturers well during field trips.