
Ecosystems and Environmental Change
Study the latest developments in the conservation of ecosystems and the environment and build interdisciplinary skills.
Study the latest developments in the conservation of ecosystems and the environment and build interdisciplinary skills
Carry out high-level training encompassing various physical, life and social sciences
Understand how research has real-world impact on an extended project
Course key facts
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Qualification
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MRes
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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
Receive high-level training in the latest developments in the conservation of ecosystems and the environment on this Master's course.
You'll enhance your research skills on this cutting-edge interdisciplinary programme, which spans the physical, life and social sciences.
This course will provide you with a solid theoretical grounding in ecosystems and environmental research.
You’ll be equipped with the skills and hands-on experience required for a career in this field and build an appreciation for how this research has real-world impact.
Offered full-time or part-time, this course is also suitable for those already in employment in a relevant field.
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 the core modules below:
- Global Change and Policy
- Core Skills
Carry out an extended project and contribute to essential research which will provide a real-world impact on an active project.
Topics can be theoretical, mathematical, computationally intensive, field-based and practical, or a combination of these.
Many projects are carried out at Silwood with a supervisor from another department, providing opportunities to develop new collaborations and strengthen existing ones.
Your work will be assessed by a briefing paper, dissertation and oral examination.
Teaching and assessment
Teaching and learning methods
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Computer-based work
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Seminars and presentations
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Group work
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Individual research project and dissertation
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Work placement opportunity
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Lectures
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Practical classes
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Field work
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Virtual learning environment
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Lecture recordings
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Independent study
Balance of assessment
Key
- Taught modules
- Research project
- 25% Taught modules
- 75% Research project
Assessment methods
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Coursework
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Presentations
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Dissertation
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Briefing paper
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Oral exams
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.
Unless you are from an exempt nationality, you will need an ATAS certificate to obtain your visa and study this course.
Nationals from the following countries are exempt: Switzerland, Australia, Canada, Japan, New Zealand, Singapore, South Korea, USA and EEA members.
Use this information when applying for an ATAS certificate to study this course:
- CAH code: CAH03-01-03
- Descriptor: ecology and environmental biology
- Supervisor name: Professor Daniel Davis
Get guidance and support for obtaining an ATAS certificate.
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
With specialised knowledge, you'll be highly sought after in a range of sectors.
You'll be ideally suited to work for an international NGO or a small local organisation once you graduate.
Previous students have gone on to contribute to the work of international organisations such as the UN and World Bank, or advise government policy.
You’ll also acquire the skills to undertake further study at PhD level and pursue a career in academia.
Life Sciences graduates from Imperial are also highly sought after in a variety of alternate 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 Christina Banks-Leite.
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