Future Students

Conservation Biology

As humans change the environment at increasing rates, our need to understand the impact of these changes on biodiversity, as well as how to mitigate these changes, increases also.  The southwest of Western Australia is one of only 34 'Biodiversity' Hotspots' worldwide, making WA an ideal laboratory for the study of this area.  In addition, the course has three units which each involve at least one week of work in the field. 

There are three ways to study Conservation Biology at UWA:

The three-year Conservation Biology named program allows you to combine your specialisation in conservation biology with another area such as Botany; Marine Biology; Land, Soil and Water, or zoology. You will graduate with the degree Bachelor of Science (Conservation Biology).

The three-year Conservation Biology major is a less prescribed program than the named program, allowing you the flexibility to pursue your interest in conservation biology in a combined degree, such as conservation biology/arts (under the Science/Arts combined degree). You can also study conservation biology in the combined degrees Science/Commerce, Science/Economics, Science/Education, Science/Engineering, or Science/Law. As a major you study the conservation biology core units only. In the second year you choose units towards a second major.

The four-year Conservation Biology and Management course builds on the three-year named program by including a strong background in risk management and decision-making in fourth year, as well as a supervised research project worth 50 per cent of your mark for fourth year

Level 1
In Level 1 your studies will vary depending on which program you have chosen, but in general will include Core Concepts in Biology; Plant and Animal Biology; Cell Biology; and Earth and Environment: Dynamic Planet.  You may also need to study chemistry and mathematics (if you have not studied TEE Chemistry or Applicable Maths). Students in the four-year Conservation Biology and Management course will also study Environmental Economics and Terrestrial Ecosystems.   Students in combined degrees will also study units toward their second degree.

Level 2
In Level 2 you will begin to study conservation-related units, including Global Climate Change and Biodiversity; the field-based unit Conservation Biology, and Introduction to Ecology.   You may also study  Environmental Policy and Law; Vertebrate Zoology; Climate and Environment, Land Plant Diversity, and Genetics.  Students in the three year program will study units toward a second major or second degree.

Level 3
Level 3 will include units such as Conservation Biology: Saving Endagered Species; Land and Water Management Case Studies; Wildlife Conservation and Management; Animal Ecology, Australian Vegetation, and Conservation Biology & Restoration Ecology, as well as elective units .

Level 4
In Level 4 (Conservation Biology and Management) you will undertake a research project which represents 50 per cent of the year's work. This research is supplemented with advanced units in Management Decision Tools; Project and Risk Management, as well as elective units.

You may earn Honours, based on your marks for level-three and -four units and your research project.

Find out which subjects you will study by looking at the Course Outline. This will show you the core units and the options for the course, along with course rules. Each semester you will normally have at least one elective unit.

Each unit has a unit code, for example BIOL1130. The first number in the unit code indicates the level of the unit - in this case level one. For a more detailed description of a particular unit, click on the unit code.

Educational Qualifications

Structure

Career Opportunities

Graduates will be employed by government agencies responsible for the environment, conservation, natural resource management and agriculture, as well as Federal and State research agencies. Your skills in management will make you attractive to employers who are in need of graduates capable of both analysing and solving conservation-related problems. Also, because you will be a well-trained scientist, your skills will be sought after by many employers, allowing graduates to be employable in areas outside conservation biology