Course summary

Our course provides a link between the theory and practice of wildlife management. We teach from the perspective of regulatory authorities associated with UK wildlife management. You will receive advanced training in policy and science implementation. It is professionally focused and relevant to a range of roles in the sector. The course aims to provide graduates with: •advanced knowledge of wildlife management theory, the principles of biodiversity and conservation, epidemiology and wildlife conflicts •practical skills in wildlife and environmental data collection, data analysis, data handling, statistics and modelling methodologies with a focus on providing evidence for policy •training in humaneness and welfare for Home Office licensing •field skills in wildlife monitoring, surveying, tracking and sampling integrating with GIS •problem solving skills to address wildlife problems in a policy context. Much of the training and many case studies will focus on UK and EU policy. The generic training will allow you to work in other countries where policy and management are strongly linked. The course is run jointly by the School of Biology at Newcastle and the National Wildlife Management Centre (NWMC) at Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA). APHA provides advice to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) on wildlife management and is involved with the development, assessment and implementation of policy associated with wildlife problems in the UK. It is concerned with invasive species, wildlife disease and has a large portfolio of research and management that is implemented at the national scale.