Program Overview
The FdSc Practical Wildlife Management program immerses students in the field of wildlife conservation, providing them with scientific knowledge and practical skills through a combination of lectures, workshops, industry placements, and practical sessions. Graduates are well-equipped for careers as ecologists, wildlife rangers, conservation officers, and other roles in the field, with a focus on the conservation and management of protected species and habitats.
Program Outline
Degree Overview:
This course, FdSc Practical Wildlife Management, is designed for those passionate about wildlife and conservation. It provides students with the latest scientific knowledge and practical skills to succeed in the field. The program aims to equip students with the necessary skills to work with protected species of wildlife and help protect their habitats. It offers an exciting opportunity to become part of a growing team of ecologists who support the work of conservation organizations in Wales and across the UK. A foundation year is available for students who lack the necessary qualifications or background to enter the program.
Outline:
Year 1 (Level 4)
Core Modules:
- Professional and Academic Development: This module equips students with a range of skills and attributes for professional practice and academic studies.
- Professional Practice 1: Integrates professional skills and knowledge into a real-life workplace setting, developing employability skills.
- Field Skills and Identification: Introduction to identifying plants and animals in the field, covering anatomy and identification techniques.
- Introduction to Ecology: Understanding the relationship between organisms and their environment, including key ecological definitions and interactions.
- Environmental Ethics: Examines the impact of socio-economic activities, farming, and leisure on the natural world, exploring their effects on human well-being, animal welfare, and the environment.
- Introduction to Evolution: Covers the history of evolution, including evidence, mechanisms, and current evolutionary trends, highlighting the diversity of life on the planet.
Year 2 (Level 5)
Core Modules:
- Professional Practice 2: Builds upon the professional skills and knowledge gained in Year 1, focusing on career goals and employability attributes.
- Survey Skills for Conservation: Develops identification skills through practical ecological surveys, data collection, analysis, interpretation, and reporting using mapping software.
- Environmental Policy and Law: Introduces national and international environmental legislation and policy frameworks, explaining their purpose and impact on the work of ecologists and environmental managers.
- Conservation Management: Covers habitat identification and management, exploring techniques for creating, maintaining, enhancing, and restoring the conservation value of diverse habitats.
- Climate Change and Conservation: Explores the science of climate change, its effects on biomes, habitats, and species worldwide, and global efforts to combat it.
- Consultancy and Professional Development: Introduces the role of an ecological consultant in the development and planning system, covering planning permission processes, mitigation design, development license application, and acting as Clerk of Works during development.
Assessment:
The program uses a variety of assessment methods, including:
- Practicals
- Reports
- Podcasts
Teaching:
Teaching methods include:
- Lectures
- Workshops
- Guest speakers
- Online activities using a virtual learning environment
- Industry placements
- Practical sessions on the rural campus
- Educational visits
Careers:
Upon completion of the program, graduates are prepared for various career paths in the field of conservation and ecology, including:
- Ecologist
- Wildlife Reserve Warden/Ranger
- Countryside Ranger/Officer
- Nature Conservation Officer
- Biodiversity Officer
- Conservationist
- Ecological Consultants
- Conservation Field Researchers
Other:
- The program includes opportunities for students to gain Protected Species Licences.
- The curriculum incorporates the observation of Conservation Detection Dogs in practice.
- Students have access to a wide range of practical habitat management opportunities in various environments like sand dunes, woodlands, hay meadows, uplands, wetlands, mountains, freshwater, brackish, and marine.
- Students learn from industry experts and develop specialist skills required by ecologists.
- The program fosters the development of key ecological concepts, processes, and principles for managing the natural environment.
