The University of Edinburgh – College of Medicine and Veterinary Medicine
Biodiversity, Wildlife and Ecosystem Health (Online Learning) MSc, PgDip (ICL), PgCert (ICL), PgCert, PgDip, PgProfDev
Online
MSc
DURATION
6 years
LANGUAGES
English
PACE
Part time
APPLICATION DEADLINE
21 Aug 2026
EARLIEST START DATE
14 Sep 2026
TUITION FEES
GBP 6,370 / per year *
STUDY FORMAT
Distance Learning
* estimated annual tuition for Biodiversity, Wildlife and Ecosystem Health MSc/PgCert/PgDip
Key Summary
About: The Biodiversity, Wildlife and Ecosystem Health program at the Institute of Continuing Education (ICL) offers flexible online learning options, including a Master's (MSc), Postgraduate Diploma (PgDip), and Postgraduate Certificate (PgCert) in various formats.
This program focuses on the interconnectedness of biodiversity and ecosystem health, equipping students with the skills to assess and manage ecological systems.
Career Outcomes: Graduates can pursue careers in environmental consultancy, conservation management, wildlife protection, and ecosystem restoration.
Opportunities also exist in research, policy-making, and education, where you can contribute to global efforts in biodiversity sustainability and ecosystem resilience.
Are you passionate about protecting the natural world and addressing global environmental challenges? The MSc in Biodiversity, Wildlife and Ecosystem Health at the University of Edinburgh offers a flexible, fully online path to develop your expertise in conservation, sustainability and environmental governance.
This programme is designed both for interested individuals coming from sectors with limited prior scientific training, and professionals and graduates from:
- conservation
- ecology
- veterinary medicine
- environmental health
- public policy
This interdisciplinary programme gives you the tools to understand and tackle complex interactions between ecosystems, wildlife, and human health. You will explore issues such as the intersections between:
- biodiversity loss
- climate change
- land use
- zoonotic disease
- governance
This makes this programme highly relevant for roles in conservation NGOs, government, academia, or those who want to integrate their new knowledge into existing careers.
Through compulsory modules, you will develop an in-depth understanding of:
- evolution and biodiversity
- ecosystem services
- sustainability and environmental governance
- ethics
You can then tailor your learning with specialist option courses covering topics such as:
- climate change policy
- conservation genetics
- invasive species
- ecosystem resilience
- conservation psychology
- food security
- conservation finance
- zoonotic disease
In your final year, you will choose between a 60-credit research project or a 30-credit applied project linked to real-world issues in your workplace or community.
Postgraduate Professional Diploma (PPD)
Postgraduate Professional Development (PPD) is aimed at working professionals who want to advance their knowledge through a postgraduate-level course, without the time or financial commitment of a Postgraduate Diploma or Postgraduate Certificate.
You may take a maximum of 50 credits worth of courses over two years through our PPD scheme. These lead to a University of Edinburgh postgraduate award of academic credit. Alternatively, you can choose to transfer your credits and continue on to studying towards a higher award on a Postgraduate Diploma or MSc programme.
You will be required to take 60 credits of compulsory courses that make up the PG Certificate year, but you can use your PPD credits towards option courses taken during the PG Diploma year.
Although PPD courses have various start dates throughout the year depending on the course timetable, the Postgraduate Certificate and subsequently Postgraduate Diploma programmes start each year in September.
Programme benefits
- Earn an internationally recognised degree in biodiversity, wildlife, and ecosystem health.
- Study a prestigious programme with a long history of development across 15 years, delivered by experienced lecturers.
- Be part of a global and supportive network of wildlife and conservation professionals.
- Interdisciplinary and globally focused curriculum.
- Flexible learning to fit with other commitments.
- Authentic learning outcomes for real-world challenges.
This programme will prepare you for a career in conservation, enhance ecosystem and sustainability knowledge and skills for roles across other sectors, or help existing wildlife and conservation professionals to secure senior roles in specialist areas.
Many of our graduates realise their ambitions to change careers or to take a more active role in promoting the value of nature in their communities and workplaces. Others use this programme as a stepping stone to further study and research careers.
Further study
After completing this programme, you may wish to consider applying for a PhD or other research programme.
By the end of this programme, you will be equipped with the knowledge and skills to make informed, ethical, and sustainable decisions in biodiversity and ecosystem management.
Year 1 (Postgraduate Certificate)
During Year 1, you will develop a critical understanding of biodiversity and the evolutionary processes that shape it, gain insight into sustainability and the role of ecosystem services in supporting human wellbeing, and examine global environmental governance frameworks and consider how they succeed or fail.
You will study three compulsory courses:
- Evolution and Biodiversity
- Ecosystem Health and Sustainability
- Environmental Ethics and Governance
Year 2 (Postgraduate Diploma)
You will choose from a wide range of option courses in Year 2, providing you with a chance to follow subject specialist or generalist pathways, as well as further develop your professional competencies.
You will choose six option courses from the following:
- Behavioural Flexibility
- Climate Change: Policy and Practice
- Connecting Environment and Society
- Conservation and Conflict
- Conservation Finance
- Conservation Genetics
- Conservation Psychology
- Ecosystem Resilience and Extreme Events
- Innovative Approaches to Health Challenges Across Disciplines
- Introduction to Transboundary Diseases and their impact on trade and wildlife populations
- Introduction to Geographic Information Systems (GIS) and Spatial Data Analysis
- Introduction to Wildlife Forensics
- Invasive Non-native Species
- Land Use and Food Security
- Led by Locals: power and participation in conservation
- Managing and Leading Conservation Projects
- Species Translocations
- The Marine Environment
- The Modern Zoo
- The Use of Artificial Reproduction Technology (ARTs) in Threatened Species
- Water and Sanitation
- Wildlife, Animal Health and the Environment
- Wildlife Trade
- Zoonotic Disease
Option course availability will be subject to student demand, and low demand may mean a course will not run. Course availability and allocations will be finalised in consultation with students during Year 1 of the programme.
Year 3 (Master of Science)
The MSc year provides an opportunity to develop your research skills either through the traditional dissertation project of 10,000 to 15,000 words, or with an alternative route of an applied interdisciplinary project.
If you opt for the dissertation, you will be supported by your supervisor to develop a detailed proposal around a research topic that aligns with your interests.
If you follow the alternative route, you will take 30 additional credits of option courses and complete 30 credits working on an applied research project, supported by a tutor, where the output is intended to be a resource developed for a real-world application.
Regardless of the option taken, you often choose to work on topics relevant to your workplace, your community, local conservation organisations, and gain independent research skills.
Funding for postgraduate study is different to undergraduate study, and many students need to combine funding sources to pay for their studies.
Most students use a combination of the following funding to pay their tuition fees and living costs:
- Borrowing money
- Taking out a loan
- Family support
- Personal savings
- Income from work
- Employer sponsorship
Other funding opportunities
The University of Edinburgh offers a small number of scholarships to outstanding candidates. These are very competitive. We publish data on the success rate for scholarship applications to help you understand the level of demand.
Mastercard Foundation Scholarships
Mastercard Foundation Scholarships are available for this programme. The postgraduate study scholarships for the 2026/27 academic year will accept applications from 1 October 2025 at 10am until 7 November 2025 at 5pm (UK Time). Applicants must be citizens of an African country and residents in an African country. Applications from refugees and displaced people who have left their African home country to live elsewhere on the continent are also welcome.
If the Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program is the only scholarship you are interested in applying for at the University of Edinburgh, please apply for the Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program scholarship first.
If you receive a scholarship offer from the Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program, you can then apply for the academic programme.
UK Government Loans
If you live in the UK, you may be eligible for a postgraduate loan for online study from one of the UK’s governments.
If you intend to apply for a UK government loan you should apply for the 3-year Master's option.
Study options
You can study this programme on a part-time basis. On successful completion of the courses and assessments, you can exit with a:
- Postgraduate Certificate after Year 1
- Postgraduate Diploma after Year 2
- Master of Science after Year 3
Intermittent Study
An intermittent study allows more flexibility in how you choose to study. With this option, you will have:
- up to 2 years to complete the Postgraduate Certificate
- up to 4 years to complete the Postgraduate Diploma
- up to 6 years to complete the Master of Science
The standard programme structure is still maintained in terms of the progression requirement. However, you can tailor your education to fit more closely with commitments in both your private and professional life.
If you choose to study this programme on a part-time, intermittent basis, you also pay your tuition fees on a course-by-course basis rather than paying for the entire programme at the outset.
How does online learning work?
Online programmes are delivered through the University's Virtual Learning Environment, LEARN. Our award-winning, online learning technology is fully interactive, and enables you to communicate with our highly qualified teaching staff from the comfort of your own home or workplace.
Our online students not only have access to the University of Edinburgh’s excellent resources, but also become part of a supportive online community, bringing together students and tutors from around the world.
Time commitment
This programme is designed to be fully flexible to fit around your schedule. You can study in your own time and access all your learning resources, such as reading lists, discussion forms and slides from anywhere in the world.
If there are live online sessions, you can watch a recording later in the virtual learning environment at a time convenient to you.
During term time, you should be prepared to spend an average of 15 to 20 hours a week engaged in course materials, be that reviewing lecture notes and case studies, interacting with fellow students and the programme team on the discussion board, or researching areas of interest and preparing assessments.
As there are no set times for study, managing this time is up to you, and you will need to be self-motivated and determined to succeed in this programme.