About This Course
We aim to graduate individuals who have a detailed understanding of all aspects of conservation science, including the founding principles of ecology, evolution, environmental management, and who are able to apply this understanding to wildlife conservation. This degree will develop the student’s intellectual and practical skills, as well as their numeracy, their communication and information technology (IT) abilities, their interpersonal and self-management skills and their professionalism in a context specific to the conservation world.
Students will have knowledge and understanding of:
- The need for an interdisciplinary and multidisciplinary approach to the study and management of wildlife;
- The issues concerning the monitoring and management of wildlife both for their intrinsic value and as a natural resource to be exploited in a sustainable and ethical manner;
- The principles, nomenclature terminology and concepts of applied ecology, ecosystem functions, ecosystem services, environmental policy, conservation science;
- The fundamental ecological, social and economic concepts and how they relate to wildlife conservation and management importance.
Placement Year
The placement year provides you with a fantastic opportunity to broaden your horizons and develop valuable skills and contacts through working with an organisation relevant to your degree subject. Previous and current students have worked with a wide variety of placement providers, ranging from private companies to educational organisations, charities, government authorities and non-governmental organisations. Our students who have undertaken a placement year have highlighted how the experience has helped them to develop invaluable networks, confidence and life experience as well as subject knowledge and skills that have boosted their employability.
The Placement Year is undertaken at the end of the second year and students are away for the whole of the academic year. The minimum period in placement (at one or more locations) is seven calendar months; more usually you would spend 10-12 months with a placement provider. You would normally start sometime in the period June to September of their second year and finish between June and September the following year. Placements can be UK-based or overseas and you will work with staff to plan and finalise the placement arrangements.
You will be expected to find and arrange a suitable placement to complement your degree, and will be fully supported throughout by a dedicated member of staff at your academic School and the University’s Skills and Employability Services.
Why choose Bangor University for this course?
- Bangor's location, between the Menai Straits and Snowdonia National Park, offers unrivalled opportunities for learning about ecology, conservation and the natural environment outside the class room.
- Successful conservation relies on an interdisciplinary approach. Our supportive, friendly and accessible staff have a range of expertise covering conservation, ecology, environmental science. The Centre for Evidence Based Conservation, a world-recognised centre for translating conservation science into policy, is based at Bangor, giving students a unique insight into the policy process. \We have close links with many of the local conservation organisations including Snowdonia National Park Authority, Natural Resources Wales and the British Trust for Ornithology which help students gain understanding of conservation practice.
- We also have excellence links with conservation organisations throughout the world. Staff and students are currently working in Madagascar, Costa Rica, Columbia, Ghana, Kenya and Bangladesh for example.
Course Content
Students are required to take 120 credits each year made up of lectures, practicals and interactive exercises, as well as field trips and tutorials. Modules become more specialised as the degree progresses and the number of compulsory modules varies between years. Assessment is by a mixture of formal examination and continuous assessment. Welsh medium modules are also available.
What will you study on this course?
Click on the link below to see the modules current students are studying.
Modules for the current academic year
Module listings are for guide purposes only and are subject to change. Find out what our students are currently studying on the Wildlife Conservation (with placement year) Modules page.
Course content is for guidance purposes only and may be subject to change.
Course Costs
Mandatory Costs:
Suitable clothing and equipment for fieldwork will be required e.g. walking boots and waterproofs, rucksack. The cost for these will vary. Approximate cost: £50-£80.
Appropriate stationary for note-taking during classes, e.g. notepad, pens and pencils. The cost for these will vary. Approximate cost: £5-£15.
Necessarily Incurred Costs:
Students are required to provide their own lunch and evening meals on the Year 2 residential fieldcourse. The cost for these will vary. Approximate total cost: £50-£70.
Materials for the preparation of academic poster for assessment. The cost and number of these will vary. Approximate cost: £10-£15.
Travel costs to undertake any fieldwork as part of Year 3 Honours Project research. The cost will vary by project (and may not even be incurred). Approximate cost for a UK-based project in a student’s home area: £15-£20.
Optional Costs:
Cost for optional residential Year 3 fieldcourse. The cost will vary by trip. Approximate cost £600-£1000.
Purchase of Wellington Boots for fieldwork. The cost for these will vary. Approximate cost: £10-£20.
Costs of any visas and vaccinations required if the student opts to undertake project work overseas. The cost for these will vary.
Costs of any visas and vaccinations required if the student opts to undertake a fieldcourse that requires them. The cost for these will vary.
Notes:
Copies of all required reading materials are provided via the University Library.
Where required, laboratory coats are provided.
General University Costs
Home (UK) students
- The cost of a full-time undergraduate course is £9,000 per year (2021/22 entry and 2022/23 entry).
- The fee for all placement, international and sandwich years is £1,350 (2021/22 and 2022/23).
- More information on fees and finance for Home (UK) students.
International (including EU) students
Additional Costs
There are also some common additional costs that are likely to arise for students on all courses, for example:
- If you choose to study abroad or take the International Experience Year as part of your course.
- If you attend your Graduation Ceremony, there will be a cost for gown hire (£25-£75) and cost for additional guest tickets (c.£12 each).
Course-specific additional costs
Depending on the course you are studying, there may be additional course-specific costs that you will be required to meet. These fall into three categories:
- Mandatory Costs: these are related to a particular core or compulsory module that you’ll be required to complete to achieve your qualification e.g. compulsory field trips, uniforms for students on placement, DBS Check.
- Necessarily Incurred Costs: these may not be experienced by all students, and will vary depending on the course e.g. professional body membership, travel to placements, specialist software, personal safety equipment.
- Optional Costs: these depend on your choice of modules or activity and they are shown to give you an indication of the optional costs that may arise to make sure your choice is as informed as possible. These can include graduation events for your course, optional field trips, Welcome Week trips.
Entry Requirements
For 2021 entry:
Typical offer is based on a minimum 112 tariff points from a Level 3 qualification* e.g.:
- A Levels: including grade C in a science subject at A2 level (e.g. Biology, Geography, Geology, Environmental Sciences/Studies, Chemistry, Physics, Maths, Economics, Statistics, Psychology). Excluding General Studies.
- International Baccalaureate Diploma (including H5 in a science subject)
- Access: Science/Environmental-based Access course.
- BTEC National/Extended Diploma in Countryside Management, Applied Science, Forestry & Arboriculture, or Animal Management: DMM
- City & Guilds Extended Diploma in Countryside Management, Animal Management or Forestry & Arboriculture: Merit
- City & Guilds Advanced Technical Extended Diploma in Land & Wildlife Management: Merit
- Cambridge Technical Extended Diploma in Laboratory Skills: DMM
- Welsh Baccalaureate is accepted.
International Candidates: school leaving qualifications and college diplomas are accepted from countries worldwide (subject to minimum English Language requirements). More information here.
We also welcome applications from mature applicants.
*For a full list of accepted Level 3 qualifications, go to www.ucas.com
For 2020 entry:
Typical offer is based on a minimum 112 tariff points from a Level 3 qualification* e.g.:
- A Levels: including grade C in a science subject at A2 level (e.g. Biology, Geography, Geology, Environmental Sciences/Studies, Chemistry, Physics, Maths, Economics, Statistics, Psychology). Excluding General Studies.
- International Baccalaureate Diploma (including H5 in a science subject)
- Access: Science/Environmental-based Access course.
- BTEC National/Extended Diploma in Countryside Management, Applied Science, Forestry & Arboriculture, or Animal Management: DMM
- City & Guilds Extended Diploma in Countryside Management, Animal Management or Forestry & Arboriculture: Merit
- City & Guilds Advanced Technical Extended Diploma in Land & Wildlife Management: Merit
- Cambridge Technical Extended Diploma in Laboratory Skills: DMM
- Welsh Baccalaureate is accepted.
International Candidates: school leaving qualifications and college diplomas are accepted from countries worldwide (subject to minimum English Language requirements). More information here.
We also welcome applications from mature applicants.
*For a full list of accepted Level 3 qualifications, go to www.ucas.com
General University Requirements
To study for a degree, you’ll be asked for a minimum of UCAS Tariff points. For a fuller explanation of the UCAS Tariff Points, please see www.ucas.com.
We accept students with a wide range of qualifications and backgrounds and consider each application individually.
All students need to have good basic skills and the University also values IT and communication skills.
As part of the University’s policy we consider applications from prospective disabled students on the same grounds as all other students.
We also consider applications from mature students who can demonstrate the motivation and commitment to study a university programme. Each year we enrol a significant number of mature students. For more information about studying as a mature student, see our Studying at Bangor section of the website.
EU and International Students' Entry Requirements
For detailed guidance on the entry requirements for EU and International Students, including the minimum English Language entry requirement, please visit the Entry Requirements by Country pages. International applicants can also visit the International Education Centre section of our website for further details.
Bangor University offers International Incorporated Bachelor Degrees for International students whose High School qualification is not equivalent to the UK school leaving qualification. The first year (or Year 0) is studied at Bangor University International College, an embedded College on our University campus and delivered by Oxford International Education Group.
Careers
Opportunities at Bangor
The University’s Skills and Employability Service provides a wide range of resources to help you achieve your graduate ambitions.
The Bangor Employability Award (BEA)
With the BEA, you can gain recognition for your extra-curricular activities (e.g. volunteering, clubs and societies, part-time work, etc.)
Internships
Bangor University runs a paid internship scheme within the university’s academic and service departments.
Student Volunteering
Volunteering widens your experience and improves your employability. Find out more about the volunteering on the Students’ Union’s website.
