MSc Wild Animal Biology

Applicants must have (or expect to receive) a UK university first or second class honours degree or international equivalent. Preference is given to candidates with (or on track to achieve) first or upper second class honours, but applications are encouraged from candidates with lower second class honours and relevant experience. Applicants who meet the academic criteria will be assessed based on their personal statement. Personal statements are assessed on commitment to work in research and conservation of captive and free-living animals and make a difference in global conservation outcomes through sustaining healthy captive and free-living wild animal populations. Evidence of an applicant’s commitment will be assessed on, but not restricted to, work experience (including voluntary), research, courses attended, internships, conferences and memberships. Please contact our Admissions Office if you are unsure whether your degree is equivalent to a UK first or second class honours degree. English language requirements A good working knowledge of scientific English is essential in order to follow the course. All applicants must have an acceptable English Language qualification: •IELTS (Academic) score of 7.0 or above with minimum 6.5 in each component For those without IELTS, please see our English Language Requirements page for a full list of qualifications we will accept as alternatives.

http://www.rvc.ac.uk/study/postgraduate/wild-animal-biology#tab-fees-and-funding-content

Graduates of the MSc in Wild Animal Biology have gone on to pursue successful careers in wildlife management (with government agencies in both developing and developed countries), wildlife rehabilitation, wildlife-related research (at universities and zoological collections) and zoo management.

Some Wild Animal Biology MSc graduates continue to study towards a PhD with either the ZSL or RVC, or with other leading scientific research institutes.

The MSc in Wild Animal Biology is completed over one year of full-time study. The course starts in mid-September each year, and can be broken down broadly into three sections, comprising two groups of taught modules and a research project. The first section is completed by mid-January, the second by mid-May, and the MSc research project is undertaken during the summer months, finishing in mid-September. More detailed information can be found in the course outline (see link in the top left of the page). We deliver the programme through two terms of lectures, seminars, tutorials and problem-based learning, with modular examinations. There are no part-time or distance-learning options available.

What will I learn? During the programme you will acquire: •A critical awareness of current problems in wildlife disease with implications for wildlife conservation and welfare· •A new insight into veterinary interventions for the management of captive and free-living wild animals· •A systematic understanding of the biological principles underpinning wild animal conservation and management, and the epidemiology, diagnosis and control of wildlife disease· •Basic competence in veterinary techniques and preventative medicine for wild animals· •A conceptual and practical understanding of how established techniques of research and enquiry are used to create knowledge in the field of wild animal health· •A comprehensive understanding of scientific skills, including critical review of the scientific literature, and design and analysis of laboratory or field studies. Upon completion of the MSc in Wild Animal Biology, you will have gained the analytical skills, understanding, confidence and the language to progress your career within a wide range of organisations, such as zoos, national parks, universities, conservation organisations and government departments worldwide.