MSc Zoo Management and Conservation*

Modules of study include: 

• Postgraduate Project

This module is designed to allow students to undertake a significant piece of research which will culminate in a written article prepared according to submission guidelines of a chosen tutor-approved journal. Students will choose a research project relevant to their area of study and will involve a literature review, hypothesis-testing, original data collection and analysis of results. Students will develop high-level research and analytical skills and contribute to the existing knowledge base.

• Sustainability Within Zoos

This module is designed to equip students with the knowledge and understanding to promote sustainability within their chosen careers. Moreover, there is an increasing need for zoos to conduct their business in a sustainable way and students will need to equip themselves with the relevant knowledge and analytical tools to be able to assess sustainability options and critically evaluate their impact. In order for zoos to ‘meet the needs of the present without compromising the needs of future generations’ a generation of zoo employees conversant with the policies and practices of sustainability is vital.

• Research and Analysis

This module will ensure students can produce work that is of a level 7 standard as well as further their skills in quantitative data analysis. Students will gain an appreciation of how scientific research is conducted and reported in their field. Methods of evaluating what students read and how information from the literature is synthesised and assembled to give new insights will be considered. Software to analyse quantitative data will be introduced to the students. Students will be encouraged to find out about statistical tests themselves to continue life-long learning. This will help them complete research projects during their degree and in their future careers.

• Applied Ethology

This module provides the learner with an in-depth theoretical understanding and practical awareness of both non-companion and companion animal ethology and allows them to explore the relationship between these groups of species and behaviour. Learners will develop skills in recording and analysing animal communication.

• Animal Welfare Science

This module aims to allow students to critically think about animal welfare in a range of situations. Students will be asked to identify a range of welfare concerns and to think deeply about the impact these concerns have on the animals and our interactions with them. throughout the module students will assess animal welfare issues and appraise a range of animal welfare assessments that can be used to identify poor welfare. Students will develop their observational skills by implementing a range of welfare assessments on a chosen species, and critically evaluating their usefulness in industry.

• Biodiversity and Conservation

This module aims to facilitate students with critical awareness and evaluation of the threats relating to global biodiversity. Students will critically appraise the connections between the diverse roles of human decision-making and setting conservation aims with particular attention to moral dilemmas and conflict between conservation and development

• Animal Health, Physiology and Behaviour

Students will widen their understanding of the role of animal health and physiology on animal behaviour. Students will explore how common conditions and medical diagnosis techniques influence and contribute to behaviour disorders. Reproductive and Digestive physiology will be examined with a links to the Endocrine and Nervous Systems. A range of different therapies including the role of psychopharmacological intervention in the treatment of common behavioural disorders.

• Ecosystems Analysis

This module aims to provide students with both practical and theoretical knowledge of ecosystems analysis. Students will learn to apply practical knowledge of how to measure and model ecosystem structure and function. Through the field report, students will critically evaluate the diversity of ecosystem functions and expressions across a chosen community. This module is imperative for any student wishing to pursue a career in industries such as; national parks, wildlife, environmental consultancy, construction, forestry etc.

• Management of Modern Zoos

The aim of this module is to demonstrate how management decisions in zoos are evidence-based. Using current zoo-related research, this module will build on, and sometimes challenge, the students’ existing zoo knowledge and any experience gained in the industry. Multiple theories will be explored surrounding the latest research that has been carried out on animals ex- and in-situ, as well as research surrounding the human aspects of zoos such as visitors, staff or associated organisations.