Ecology, Evolution and Conservation
Train in ecology, evolution and conservation concepts and study their applications to biodiversity.
Train in ecology, evolution and conservation concepts and study their applications to biodiversity
Build your appreciation of ecological and evolutionary models and their use in guiding population dynamics
Carry out a five-month project and specialise in an area of research interest
Course key facts
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Qualification
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MSc
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Duration
1 year
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Start date
October 2023
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Study mode
Full-time
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Fees
£14,300 Home
£28,300 Overseas
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Delivered by
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Location
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Silwood Park
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Course overview
Deepen your understanding of key concepts in ecology, evolution and conservation on this Master's course.
You'll receive broad research training that examines fundamental concepts and theory, and their application in biodiversity science.
Based at Silwood Park - a centre of excellence for ecological research - you'll explore a range of interdisciplinary topics guided by leading researchers in their field.
You'll benefit from their own research insights and model systems to understand the fundamental scientific principles that underpin the study topics.
External conservation specialists will also highlight the key issues involved with applying science to practical conservation.
A research project forms the major component of this course.
Over five months, you'll apply research techniques from the course to a topic of your choice.
Structure
This page is updated regularly to reflect the latest version of the curriculum. However, this information is subject to change.
Find out more about potential course changes.
You’ll take all of these core modules.
Core modules
Module description coming soon.
Build your quantitative and analytical skills in computing.
Understand data analysis and how to use key insights from statistics and machine learning.
Learn about recent developments in Ecology, Evolution and Conservation to get a good overview of the fields.
Deepen your understanding of the application of ecological and evolutionary theory.
You'll receive extensive training in research skills on an extended five-month project.
This will see you apply the quantitative and analytical techniques obtained from the taught element of the course.
Projects are arranged in discussion with academic staff after the start of the programme, allowing you to explore options before committing to a topic.
Your work will be assessed by a thesis, oral examination (viva) and presentation.
Many projects are based in a lab or in the field with academics at Silwood, but some projects can be taken in partnership with external organisations.
Previous partner organisations have included the Royal Botanic Gardens Kew, the Natural History Museum, the Institute of Zoology, and the Durrell Wildlife Conservation Trust.
Teaching and assessment
Balance of teaching and learning
Key
- Lectures, practicals and fieldwork
- Independent study
- 10% Lectures, practicals and fieldwork
- 90% Independent study
Teaching and learning methods
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Lectures
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Tutorials
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Seminars and formal presentations
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Practical classes
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Field work
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Workshops
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Group work
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Computer-based work
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Virtual learning environment
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Lecture recordings
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Individual research project
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Independent study
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Work placement opportunity
Assessment methods
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Coursework
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Examinations
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Projects
Entry requirements
We consider all applicants on an individual basis, welcoming students from all over the world.
How to apply
Apply online
You can submit one application form per year of entry. You can choose up to two courses.
Application deadlines – Round 3 closes on Friday 31 March 2023
We operate a staged admissions process with several application rounds throughout the year.
Apply by midnight (UK time) on the relevant application round deadline to ensure that you receive the outcome of your application by the decision date.
We recommend applying as early as you can – we cannot guarantee that places will be available, or that courses will remain open, in later rounds.
Application rounds
Round 1
- Apply by 4 November 2022
- Decision by 19 December 2022
Round 2
- Apply by 20 January 2023
- Decision by 10 March 2023
Round 3
- Apply by 31 March 2023
- Decision by 12 May 2023
Round 4
- Apply by 26 May 2023
- Decision by 27 July 2023
Round 5
- Apply by 7 July 2023
- Decision by 4 August 2023
If you are applying for a taught Master’s course, you will need to pay an application fee before submitting your application.
The fee applies per application and not per course:
- £80 for all taught Master's applications excluding those to the Imperial College Business School
- £100 for all MSc applications to the Imperial College Business School
- £150 for MBA applications to the Imperial College Business School
There is no application fee for MRes courses, Postgraduate Certificates, Postgraduate Diplomas or research courses, such as PhDs and EngDs.
If you are facing financial hardship and are unable to pay the application fee, we encourage you to apply for our application fee waiver.
Find out more about how to apply for a Master's course, including references and personal statements.
An ATAS certificate is not required for students applying for this course.
Tuition fees
Home fee
2023 entry
£14,300
You should expect and budget for your fees to increase each year.
Your fee is based on the year you enter the College, not your year of study. This means that if you repeat a year or resume your studies after an interruption, your fees will only increase by the amount linked to inflation.
Find out more about our tuition fees payment terms, including how inflationary increases are applied to your tuition fees in subsequent years of study.
Whether you pay the Home or Overseas fee depends on your fee status. This is assessed based on UK Government legislation and includes things like where you live and your nationality or residency status. Find out how we assess your fee status.
If you're a UK national, or EU national with settled or pre-settled status under the EU Settlement Scheme, you may be able to apply for a Postgraduate Master’s Loan from the UK government, if you meet certain criteria.
For 2022-23 entry, the maximum amount is £11,836. The loan is not means-tested and you can choose whether to put it towards your tuition fees or living costs.
Overseas fee
2023 entry
£28,300
You should expect and budget for your fees to increase each year.
Your fee is based on the year you enter the College, not your year of study. This means that if you repeat a year or resume your studies after an interruption, your fees will only increase by the amount linked to inflation.
Find out more about our tuition fees payment terms, including how inflationary increases are applied to your tuition fees in subsequent years of study.
Whether you pay the Home or Overseas fee depends on your fee status. This is assessed based on UK Government legislation and includes things like where you live and your nationality or residency status. Find out how we assess your fee status.
If you're a UK national, or EU national with settled or pre-settled status under the EU Settlement Scheme, you may be able to apply for a Postgraduate Master’s Loan from the UK government, if you meet certain criteria.
For 2022-23 entry, the maximum amount is £11,836. The loan is not means-tested and you can choose whether to put it towards your tuition fees or living costs.
Your future career
Develop the essential core knowledge and skills for a conservation or biodiversity science career.
Gain a clear insight into your own research interests from among current research topics.
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Our graduates often pursue further study in master's programs or doctoral research.
Life Sciences graduates from Imperial are highly sought after in a variety of employment sectors.
These include business and consultancy, health and social work, banking/finance, education, and manufacturing.
Further links
Contact the department
- Email: c.scott@imperial.ac.uk
Course directors: Dr Julia Schroeder.
Visit the Department of Life Sciences website.
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Terms and conditions
There are some important pieces of information you should be aware of when applying to Imperial. These include key information about your tuition fees, funding, visas, accommodation and more.
You can find further information about your course, including degree classifications, regulations, progression and awards in the programme specification for your course.
Programme specifications