Universidade Santiago de Compostela

Master's Degree in Terrestrial Biodiversity: Characterization, Conservation and Management

The Master has an academic offer of 123 ECTS credits, of which students must take at least 90 credits to obtain the master's degree. These credits are structured into modules, which will be developed over 18 months (3 semesters), corresponding to 2 academic years.

This modular organization does not imply obtaining a specialization added to the Master's degree itself, it is only a matter of academic organization.

On the other hand, the subjects will be taught only in one of the three centers involved (UDC Faculty of Sciences, USC Faculty of Biology and UVIGO Faculty of Biology):

• In the case of expository credits, students may attend in person at the corresponding center or by videoconference from any of the other two centers.
• In the case of interactive credits (field practices, laboratory, etc.), students must travel to the corresponding center and attend them in person

Students can design their training according to their curricular interest and to do so they must take 36 ECTS of compulsory subjects and a minimum of 33 ECTS in optional subjects from the different modules offered in the Master.

• The Instrumental Module consists of 33 ECTS credits, 24 compulsory and 9 optional.
• The Terrestrial Biodiversity Characterization Module consists of 27 ECTS credits, 9 compulsory and 18 optional.
• The Conservation, Management and Restoration of Terrestrial Biodiversity Module consists of 21 ECTS credits, 18 optional and 3 mandatory.
• Finally, the Terrestrial Biodiversity Management Module consists of 21 ECTS credits, all of them optional.

The mandatory nature is also presented in the Master's Final Project and in the subject Internships in Business (9 + 12 ECTS).

First academic year

First semester

In the first semester, most of the compulsory subjects are taught (27 ECTS of the 36 total compulsory ECTS), since they constitute the training base of the students. Of these subjects, 18 ECTS are from the Instrumental Module, 6 ECTS from the Characterization of Terrestrial Biodiversity Module and 3 ECTS from the Conservation, Management and Restoration of Terrestrial Biodiversity Module. Additionally, 6 optional ECTS are offered, 3 from the Instrumental Module, 3 from the Terrestrial Biodiversity Management Module. Two of the compulsory subjects are organized into 6 credits due to their transversal nature (such as basic knowledge of GIS and the bases of biodiversity). The aim of this offer is for students to be trained in the use of tools and acquire basic skills for the study and conservation of the natural environment, but also to have the option of improving their training in aspects such as the use of molecular techniques in the study of biodiversity and environmental law.

Second semester

Two compulsory subjects are taught this semester (6 ECTS of the Instrumental Module and 3 ECTS of the Characterization of Terrestrial Biodiversity Module) which, due to their eminently practical nature and linked to work in the environment, must be taught at the appropriate times that guarantee the presence of fauna and flora. The majority of the master's elective credits are also taught: 6 ECTS of the Instrumental Module (2 subjects), 18 ECTS of the Characterization of Terrestrial Biodiversity Module (6 subjects), 12 of the Conservation, Management and Restoration of Terrestrial Biodiversity Module (4 subjects) and 6 of the Terrestrial Biodiversity Management Module (2 subjects)

Second academic year

First semester

In this semester, students must carry out the Mandatory External Practices (12 ECTS) and the Master's Final Project (9 ECTS). You can also take a maximum of 9 ECTS of optional subjects, being able to choose between 6 ECTS from the Conservation, Management and Restoration of Terrestrial Biodiversity Module (2 subjects) and 12 from the Terrestrial Biodiversity Management Module (4 subjects). In this way, students will be able to organize their work in the most appropriate way for their interests, since face-to-face teaching is quite limited during the semester.

A specific objective of this master's degree is job placement in public administrations or in the environmental consulting companies that work for them. At the same time, it contemplates an itinerary to train future researchers.

This Master is aimed at graduates/engineers in Biology, Environmental Sciences, Forestry and Natural Environment Engineering, Agricultural and Agri-Food Engineering, Pharmacy, Chemistry, Veterinary Medicine and Marine Sciences.

The Interuniversity Academic Commission will be in charge of evaluating the admission of students from other science degrees (if there are places available), indicating, if necessary, the need to take additional training (which would be subjects from the Degrees in Biology of the UDC, USC or UVigo).

There is an important employment sector in public administrations and environmental consulting companies related to the natural environment, which is why complementary training to the degree of biologist is necessary for adequate professional performance.

This master's degree seeks a professional profile, so the tools and skills acquired are of vital importance in the professional development of the graduated student.

In parallel, the acquisition of this practical knowledge can also be of maximum use for all students who subsequently decide to continue their studies by enrolling in different doctoral programs.

These tools represent a basis on which to subsequently build a research curriculum, which will enrich and broaden the vision of future doctoral students.