MSc-Postgraduate Diploma-Postgraduate Certificate Countryside Conservation and Management
ObjectivesAs we enter the 21st century, all across Europe the countryside is being dramatically transformed. In the process, we can conceive rural areas as arenas in which competing interests and ideologies struggle to stake their claims. This course has been designed in response to the interest that countryside issues now generate. It is unique, however, in that it also recognises that the workplace as well as the countryside is rapidly changing. The ability to be flexible and the requirement for IT skills are key elements within today's workplace, and employers are increasingly looking for individuals with a broad palette of skills, embracing both the theoretical and the applied. To meet these new challenges, the course is fully available by distance learning, centred on the use of the internet. It combines theoretical knowledge with business management and applied techniques.
Entry requirementsThis course is aimed at people already working in countryside conservation or management, and graduates who wish to work in these areas, as well as students with a broad interest in conservation, ecology or countryside management. The applied nature of the course will enable you to develop the practical skills necessary for work in countryside conservation.
Academic titleMSc/Postgraduate Diploma/Postgraduate Certificate Countryside Conservation and Management
Course descriptionContent
The course uses a diverse range of modules to offer you a unique combination of applied conservation techniques with policy formation and business awareness skills:
-Applied Conservation Management - Principles and Practice
-GIS and Remote Sensing for Conservation Management
-Catchment Management
-Catchment Hydrology
-Research for Policy and Practice
-Managing Freshwater Supplies
-Rural Tourism
-Soils, Land Use and the Environment
-Dissertation (60 credits) (around 20,000 words)
Learning materials
Learning materials for the course have been developed in conjunction with three European universities: Sofia in Bulgaria, Hanover in Germany and Warsaw Agricultural University in Poland. As such it has a European-wide dimension and is targeted at students and professionals across Europe and further afield. The materials are designed for use on the internet as well as being available on paper. You will be able to reach other students and members of staff using the internet, and use it to access reference materials. You will also receive a printed reader with selected modules, to allow you to complete the module without access to additional library sources.
Pattern and duration of study
The MSc may be completed in 28 months and consists of eight 15 credit modules and one 60 credit dissertation (total 180 credits). You will be given advice on the order in which the modules should normally be taken. However, you may also take individual modules as and when you like, and so build-up credit over an extended period to suit your personal situation. The course aims to support the philosophy of lifelong learning and equality of opportunity, and is designed to increase access for those with personal commitments or constraints.
Assessment
All of the assessment is by coursework, and will be either projects or essays. Emphasis is placed on you being able to set and meet your own timetables and deadlines. Within the University framework, you will be encouraged to interact with staff and fellow students via chat-rooms, e-mail and the telephone.