Biodiversity, Wildlife and Ecosystem Health (Online Learning) MSc, PgDip (ICL), PgCert (ICL), PgCert, PgDip, PgProfDev
Awards: MSc, PgDip (ICL), PgCert (ICL), PgCert, PgDip, PgProfDev
Study modes: Part-time Intermittent Study, Part-time
Online learning
Funding opportunities
Programme website: Biodiversity, Wildlife and Ecosystem Health (Online Learning)
What makes this particular masters programme so valuable is not only its time flexibility, but the knowledgeable professors, as well as the diverse pool of students all of which are always engaged and willing to support one another.
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This online learning programme provides an interdisciplinary approach to conservation management.
It draws together expertise from within the University of Edinburgh's Global Health Academy and partner global associates to deliver high quality teaching and research in the field of Biodiversity, Wildlife and Ecosystem Health.
You will assess all aspects of ecosystems, aiming to conserve and maintain their sustainability in both the developing and developed world.
This programme is affiliated with the University's Global Academies.
Our 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 Edinburgh’s excellent resources, but also become part of a supportive online community, bringing together students and tutors from around the world.
Studying online at Edinburgh
Find out more about the benefits and practicalities of studying for an online degree:
The programme is delivered using innovative online learning. It involves a mixed teaching approach that includes independent study and reflection, as well as online discussion and group project work.
Year 1: Certificate
You will study the following areas:
- Evolution and Biodiversity
- Ecosystem Health and Sustainability
- Environmental Ethics and Governance
Year 2: Diploma
You will choose six elective courses from the following:
- Behavioural Flexibility
- Climate Change, Policy and Practice
- Connecting Environment and Society
- Conservation and Conflict
- Conservation Genetics
- Ecosystem Resilience and Extreme Events
- Innovative Approaches to Health Challenges Across Disciplines
- An Introduction to Transboundary Diseases
- Introduction to GIS and Spatial Data Analysis
- Introduction to Wildlife Forensics
- Invasive Non-Native Species
- Land Use and Food Security
- Managing and Leading Conservation Projects
- Reflections on Professional Development
- Science Communication and Engagement for Practice
- Species Translocations
- The Marine Environment
- The Modern Zoo
- The Use of Artificial Reproduction Technologies in Threatened Species
- Understanding Environmental Law
- Water and Sanitation
- Wildlife Trade
- Wildlife, Animal Health and Environment
- Zoonotic Disease
Elective courses are subject to minimum student numbers and timetabling restrictions.
Year 3: Masters
You will complete your own choice of dissertation of 10,000-15,000 words.
Postgraduate Professional Development (PPD)
Postgraduate Professional Development (PPD) is aimed at working professionals who want to advance their knowledge through a postgraduate-level course(s), without the time or financial commitment of a full Masters, 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, after one year of taking courses you can choose to transfer your credits and continue on to studying towards a higher award on a Masters, Postgraduate Diploma or Postgraduate Certificate programme. Although PPD courses have various start dates throughout a year you may only start a Masters, Postgraduate Diploma or Postgraduate Certificate programme in the month of September. Any time spent studying PPD will be deducted from the amount of time you will have left to complete a Masters, Postgraduate Diploma or Postgraduate Certificate programme.
Please contact the programme team for more information about available courses and course start dates.
Semester dates for the academic year 2022-2023
These are key dates in the academic year, which vary slightly year to year. For your programme these are:
- Welcome Week: 12 September 2022
- Term 1: 19 September - 9 December 2022
- Term 2: 9 January – 31 March 2023
- Term 3: 10 April - 30 June 2023
Find out more about compulsory and optional courses
We link to the latest information available. Please note that this may be for a previous academic year and should be considered indicative.
Award | Title | Duration | Study mode | |
---|---|---|---|---|
MSc | Biodiversity, Wildlife and Ecosystem Health | Up to 6 Years | Part-time Intermittent Study | Programme structure 2022/23 |
MSc | Biodiversity, Wildlife and Ecosystem Health | 3 Years | Part-time | Programme structure 2022/23 |
PgDip (ICL) | Biodiversity, Wildlife and Ecosystem Health | Up to 4 Years | Part-time Intermittent Study | Programme structure 2022/23 |
PgCert (ICL) | Biodiversity, Wildlife and Ecosystem Health | Up to 2 Years | Part-time Intermittent Study | Programme structure 2022/23 |
PgCert | Biodiversity, Wildlife and Ecosystem Health | 1 Year | Part-time | Programme structure 2022/23 |
PgDip | Biodiversity, Wildlife and Ecosystem Health | 2 Years | Part-time | Programme structure 2022/23 |
PgProfDev | Biodiversity, Wildlife and Ecosystem Health | Up to 2 Years | Part-time Intermittent Study | Programme structure 2022/23 |
This programme has been designed to help you find work in environmental, intergovernmental, national and international agencies, as well as lobby groups, NGOs and other research groups.
If I could, I would indeed re-take this amazing Master's programme, because it helped me to understand and see different perspectives on environmental issues across the globe.
I think what makes this particular Master's programme so valuable is not only its time flexibility, but the knowledgable professors, as well as the diverse pool of students all of which are always engaged and willing to support one another.
I think the biggest challenge I faced during my Master's program was completing my thesis but my thesis advisor was a great support all throughout the process. Due to the direction my thesis took at the end, I gained new technical and problem-solving skills which I am applying at my current job. I highly recommend this programme to anyone looking into entering the conservation field or even established professionals seeking to gain new skills.
Denisse Guitarra
Student testimonial: Anthony Adeea
How does online learning work?
These entry requirements are for the 2023/24 academic year and requirements for future academic years may differ. Entry requirements for the 2024/25 academic year will be published on 2 October 2023.
A UK 2:1 honours degree, or its international equivalent, in a zoological, biological, environmental, veterinary or a relevant bio-science topic.
We may also consider your application if your degree is in an unrelated discipline but you have relevant work experience; please contact us to check before you apply. You may be admitted to Certificate level only in the first instance.
Students from China
This degree is Band D.
International qualifications
Check whether your international qualifications meet our general entry requirements:
English language requirements
You must demonstrate a level of English language competency at a level that will enable you to succeed in your studies, regardless of your nationality or country of residence.
English language tests
We accept the following English language qualifications at the grades specified:
- IELTS Academic: total 6.5 with at least 6.0 in each component.
- TOEFL-iBT (including Home Edition): total 92 with at least 20 in each component. We do not accept TOEFL MyBest Score to meet our English language requirements.
- C1 Advanced (CAE) / C2 Proficiency (CPE): total 176 with at least 169 in each component.
- Trinity ISE: ISE II with distinctions in all four components.
- PTE Academic: total 62 with at least 59 in each component.
Your English language qualification must be no more than three and a half years old from the start date of the programme you are applying to study, unless you are using IELTS, TOEFL, Trinity ISE or PTE, in which case it must be no more than two years old.
Degrees taught and assessed in English
We also accept an undergraduate or postgraduate degree that has been taught and assessed in English in a majority English speaking country, as defined by UK Visas and Immigration:
We also accept a degree that has been taught and assessed in English from a university on our list of approved universities in non-majority English speaking countries (non-MESC).
If you are not a national of a majority English speaking country, then your degree must be no more than three and a half years old at the beginning of your programme of study.
Find out more about our language requirements:
Award | Title | Duration | Study mode | |
---|---|---|---|---|
MSc | Biodiversity, Wildlife and Ecosystem Health | Up to 6 Years | Part-time Intermittent Study | Tuition fees |
MSc | Biodiversity, Wildlife and Ecosystem Health | 3 Years | Part-time | Tuition fees |
PgDip (ICL) | Biodiversity, Wildlife and Ecosystem Health | Up to 4 Years | Part-time Intermittent Study | Tuition fees |
PgCert (ICL) | Biodiversity, Wildlife and Ecosystem Health | Up to 2 Years | Part-time Intermittent Study | Tuition fees |
PgCert | Biodiversity, Wildlife and Ecosystem Health | 1 Year | Part-time | Tuition fees |
PgDip | Biodiversity, Wildlife and Ecosystem Health | 2 Years | Part-time | Tuition fees |
PgProfDev | Biodiversity, Wildlife and Ecosystem Health | Up to 2 Years | Part-time Intermittent Study | Tuition fees |
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.
UK government postgraduate loans
If you live in the UK, you may be able to apply for a postgraduate loan from one of the UK’s governments.
The type and amount of financial support you are eligible for will depend on:
- your programme
- the duration of your studies
- your tuition fee status
Programmes studied on a part-time intermittent basis are not eligible.
Other funding opportunities
Search for scholarships and funding opportunities:
- Deputy Programme Director, Rob Thomas
- Phone: +44 (0)131 651 4075
- Contact: futurestudents@ed.ac.uk
- Programme Director, Sharron Ogle
- Contact: sharron.ogle@ed.ac.uk
- Postgraduate Office
- College of Medicine & Veterinary Medicine
- Chancellor's Building
- Little France
- Edinburgh
- EH16 4SB
Applying
Select your programme and preferred start date to begin your application.
MSc Biodiversity Wildlife and Ecosystem Health (Online Learning) (ICL) - 2-6 Years (Part-time Intermittent Study)
MSc Biodiversity Wildlife and Ecosystem Health (Online Learning) - 3 Years (Part-time)
PgDip Biodiversity Wildlife and Ecosystem Health (Online Learning) (ICL) - 2-4 Years (Part-time Intermittent Study)
PgCert Biodiversity Wildlife and Ecosystem Health (Online Learning) (ICL) - 1-2 Years (Part-time Intermittent Study)
PgCert Biodiversity Wildlife and Ecosystem Health (Online Learning) - 1 Year (Part-time)
PgDip Biodiversity Wildlife and Ecosystem Health (Online Learning) - 2 Years (Part-time)
PG Professional Development in Biodiversity Wildlife and Ecosystem Health (Online Learning) (ICL) - 2 Years (Part-time Intermittent Study)
Programme start date | Application deadline |
---|---|
11 September 2023 | 25 August 2023 |
We encourage you to apply at least one month prior to entry so that we have enough time to process your application. If you are also applying for funding or will require a visa then we strongly recommend you apply as early as possible.
You must submit one reference with your application.
Find out more about the general application process for postgraduate programmes:
Further information
- Deputy Programme Director, Rob Thomas
- Phone: +44 (0)131 651 4075
- Contact: futurestudents@ed.ac.uk
- Programme Director, Sharron Ogle
- Contact: sharron.ogle@ed.ac.uk
- Postgraduate Office
- College of Medicine & Veterinary Medicine
- Chancellor's Building
- Little France
- Edinburgh
- EH16 4SB