Wildlife Conservation

University of Southampton
Postgraduate MRes Full-time 1 Year Biology

About this course

Explore Wildlife Conservation at a global top 100* university.

With climate change challenging our conservation efforts, now is the time to play a role in the future of conservation by studying our MRes Wildlife Conservation masters. We’re the only university in the UK offering a Masters of Research in close collaboration with a conservation organisation.

Studying this Masters of Research gives you the opportunity to complete a research project in a real and very critical cause; conserving wildlife and their supporting ecosystems. Our wildlife degree in research is designed to give you the professional and research skills to either study a PhD or become a conservation biologist.

During your studies, you’ll be based at the Science and Learning Centre at Marwell Wildlife where you’ll be considered part of the team. You’ll learn the foundations in advanced field research with access to their top of the range research equipment.

You’ll be able to apply your research skills to immediate use during a 10-day trip to Kenya, which is covered as part of the course fees. You’ll collect data and report your findings to stakeholders giving you real-life work experience of a conservation biologist working in Africa.

As part of this course you'll be given a choice of independent research projects to complete. This could take you from the local eco-systems in the UK, to the ranches of Kenya, or the mountains of Tunisia. The selection changes every year.

Students previous projects have looked at the following subjects:

  • conservation grazing and its effect on local biodiversity

  • re-introducing species, considering the effect of climate change

  • evolution of species behaviour whilst in captivity

  • management of large herbivores, considering socio-economic constraints

    *QS World University Rankings 2025

  • Career Prospects

    Graduates from this course typically go into the following occupations:

    3111 Laboratory technicians
    2119 Natural and social science professionals
    2113 Biochemists and biomedical scientists
    1211 Managers and proprietors in agriculture and horticulture
    2112 Biological scientists
    9112 Forestry and related workers

    Course Details

    Qualification
    Master of Research - MRes
    Study Mode
    Full-time
    Duration
    1 Year
    Start Date
    2025
    Academic Year
    2025
    Campus / Location
    Southampton
    Scheme
    Postgraduate
    Subjects
    Biology