Course summary

Gain industry-relevant knowledge and practical skills with this hands-on degree that includes a six-month paid placement with one of our ecological consultancy partners. This course will provide all you need to work in the competitive consultancy and conservation sectors. To achieve this, the School of Biological Sciences has teamed up with ecological consultants at RSK Group Ltd since 2011, and more recently with Aspect Ecology, to deliver a course that provides the skills and knowledge demanded by these industries. You’ll participate in hands-on and field-based training with all of your assessments being skills-based and fit-for-purpose, with no written examinations. You'll gain a thorough grounding in the skills needed for ecological surveying and species identification, including specialised report-writing and hands-on activities such as species translocation. In addition to the taught component of your degree, you will be expected to take a six-month paid work placement with a leading ecological consultancy to apply your learning in the workplace. (The University has ringfenced paid placements with partner ecological consultants. Students are required to pass an interview with the placement provider and hold a driving licence.) For more information, please visit our programme page: https://www.reading.ac.uk/ready-to-study/study/subject-area/biological-sciences-pg/msc-ecological-survey-skills-with-placement