BSc Ecology and Wildlife Conservation with Foundation

University of Reading

United Kingdom, Reading

University RankQS Ranking

173

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University of Reading

United Kingdom , Reading

Key Facts

Program Level

Bachelor

Study Type

Full Time

Delivery

On Campus

Course Code

CD95

Campuses

Main Site

Program Language

English

Start & Deadlines

Next Intake DeadlinesSeptember-2026

Apply to this program

Go to the official application for the university

Duration 4 year(s)

Tuition Fee

GBP 23,000 / year

Next Intake September-2026

BSc Ecology and Wildlife Conservation with Foundation

About

With BSc Ecology and Wildlife Conservation with Foundation you will learn about the ways in which living things interact with their environment and apply this knowledge to tackling the biggest challenges facing the world today.

BSc Ecology and Wildlife Conservation with Foundation is a four-year programme that includes a year of foundational study and leads directly into the three-year course.

This course will equip you with the skills you need for a career in ecology or wildlife conservation through a combination of classroom learning and hands-on experience in the field. You will learn to apply knowledge of ecosystems to environmental issues such as habitat conservation, the biological control of diseases, and the protection of the world's rarest plants and creatures.

Most of our staff are actively engaged in research, and our work on wildlife ecology and conservation feeds into undergraduate teaching. 97% of School of Biological Sciences students said teaching staff are good at explaining things (National Student Survey 2024, 97.31% of responders). You will also have the opportunity to take part in original research with a potentially global impact.

The University of Reading’s award-winning campus is home to more than a thousand different animal species and is extremely useful for learning fieldwork skills. It offers multiple habitats for study, including lakes, hay meadows and woodlands, and allows you to step straight from the laboratory to the field. Additionally, the University owns a number of large farms, which can be used as sites for final-year projects.

Our £60m Health and Life Sciences building is the home of the School of Biological Sciences. It offers state-of-the-art research and teaching laboratories, seminar rooms, and plenty of study and social space, including a café. The building also houses the Cole Museum of Zoology. The collection, featuring over 3,500 natural history specimens, provides a fantastic resource for biological scientists and the wider community.

You will also be able to practise species identification and ecology skills through field trips to Spain and the tropics. These will also enable you to study biodiversity in other habitats such as arid landscapes, forests and oceans.

Furthermore, you can carry out a year-long industrial placement between the third and final years, in order to gain valuable industrial experience. You can also choose to do a short summer placement module. We have strong links with a number of ecological organisations including the RSPB, Environment Agency, and a range of wildlife trusts.

Placement

Students in previous years have worked at the Wildfowl and Wetlands Trust, RSPB and Environment Agency. You can also choose to spend a year abroad, typically carrying out research for an academic institute.

Our department has a dedicated academic in charge of placements, who can provide you with advice and support.

Requirements

Entry Requirements

Select Reading as your firm choice on UCAS and we'll guarantee you a place even if you don't quite meet your offer. For details, see our firm choice scheme.

Our typical offers are expressed in terms of A level, BTEC and International Baccalaureate requirements. However, we also accept many other qualifications.

Typical offer

BBB - for applicants without a science subject
CCC - for applicants with a science subject

Acceptable science subjects: Biology, Chemistry, Physics, Mathematics, Further Mathematics, Statistics, Psychology, Geography, Environmental Science, Applied Science, Geology, Computer Science.

International Baccalaureate

30 - for applicants without a science subject
24 - for applicants with a higher level science subject

If you would like to receive personalised advice on your eligibility for our Foundation courses, please ask us a question.

BTEC

DMM

GCSE

Grade 4 (C) in Science if not studying science at A level

Extended Project Qualification

In recognition of the excellent preparation that the Extended Project Qualification (EPQ) provides to students for University study, we can now include achievement in the EPQ as part of a formal offer.

English language requirements

IELTS 6.5, with no component below 5.5

For information on other English language qualifications, please visit our international student pages.

Further requirements

If you are an international student planning to apply for one of our degree programmes, you may need to take a foundation course or pre-sessional course if you do not have qualifications that are equivalent to British A levels or if you need to improve your English language level.

English Program Requirements

IELTS 6.5, with no component below 5.5

Career

This programme has been accredited by the Royal Society of Biology (RSB) following an independent and rigorous assessment.

Accredited degree programmes contain a solid academic foundation in biological knowledge and establish a profile of key skills that bioscience employers can recognise in accredited graduates, including technical and transferable skills.

Your practical and scientific knowledge, combined with teamwork, communication skills, numeracy, problem-solving ability, and the ability to adapt to changing circumstances, will make you highly desirable to a wide range of employers. Career options related to your degree include environmental protection, renewable energy, sustainable transport, water, environmental consultancy, conservation biology, geological consultancy, or even applying your specialist expertise within the media. Our graduates have gone on to work for a range of major organisations including the Environment Agency, Sustrans, Thames Water and the Atomic Weapons Establishment.

You will also have opportunities to take part in original research with a potentially global impact. There are also plenty of opportunities to get involved with local wildlife and conservation groups including Conserve Reading on Wednesdays (CROW) and the Berks, Bucks and Oxon Wildlife Trust (BBOWT). You can become a member of the Society of Biology and can apply for Chartered Biologist status following graduation. Finally, you will be well-placed to move into research or academia, or pursue further studies.

Overall, 91.4% of graduates from the School of Biological Sciences are in work or further study within 15 months of graduation.*

Past BSc Ecology and Wildlife Conservation graduates at Reading have gone on to work for employers such as AECOM Game, Wildlife Conservation Trust, Natural England, WSP, and Lidl.**

*based on our analysis of HESA data (c) HESA 2024, Graduate Outcomes Survey 2021/22, includes all School of Biological Sciences responders).

**Based on HESA data © HESA 2020 - 2024, Graduate Outcomes Survey 2017/18 - 2021/22; includes BSc Ecology and Wildlife Conservation responders.

Fee Information

Tuition Fee

GBP 23,000

Application Fee

GBP

How to Apply

You can apply online for all of our courses, including courses with an Integrated Foundation Year, via the national admissions service, UCAS. You can choose to apply for up to five courses in total, including more than one course at the same institution.

1. Find a course

Browse our undergraduate courses and identify which ones you'd like to apply for. Make sure to check your course's entry requirements before you apply.

2. Begin your application

Our UCAS code is R12. The University does not have a campus code.

3. Write your personal statement

As part of your application, you'll be asked to submit a personal statement to support your application. This is your opportunity to tell us more about why you want to study the course and what interests, skills and experience you have that demonstrate your passion for the subject.

4. Submit your application

When you're happy with your application and have added the required information such as qualifications, personal statement and reference, you can submit your application.

A small charge is made by UCAS for applying to university. The application fee for 2024 entry is £27.50 for up to five choices.

Make sure to check the UCAS website for the most up-to-date application deadlines. If you have missed the January deadline, there is still the opportunity to apply (via UCAS), and we are happy to consider late applications until 30 June 2024 (all applications received after 30 June are entered into Clearing). Please be aware that some of our courses may be full after the January UCAS deadline, so we recommend early applications where possible.