Direct entry to second year Ecology and Conservation BSc (Hons)

It is possible for students applying for the single Honours BSc in Ecology and Conservation to enter directly into the second year of study, meaning you will complete your degree in only three years instead of four.

This option is offered to students with excellent Advanced Higher, A-Level or International Baccalaureate qualifications.

Students who enter directly into second year will take modules required by the Ecology and Conservation BSc programme from the second year on, bypassing first-year modules entirely.

Direct entry students will have the opportunity to study abroad during their second year of study.

To find out more information, or to discuss the possibility of direct entry to second year, please contact the School of Biology.

Entry requirements

The University offers different entry requirements, depending on your background. Find out more about Standard and Minimum entry requirements using academic entry explained and see which entry requirements you need to look at using the entry requirements indicator.

For degrees combining more than one subject, the subject with the higher entry requirements determines the grades you need. You will also need to meet any further subject-specific entry requirements as outlined on their pages.

• Advanced Highers:

  AB, Including Biology (or Human Biology) and one other science from the following: Chemistry, Mathematics, Physics.

  Highers:

  AAAB

• Standard entry grades:

  AAA, including Biology and one other science from the following: Chemistry, Mathematics and Physics.

• Standard entry grades:

  38 (HL 6,6,5), including HL6 in Biology and HL6 in one of the following subjects: Chemistry, Mathematics, Physics.

General entry requirements

All applicants must have attained the following qualifications, or equivalent, in addition to the specific entry requirements for individual programmes.

• SQA National 5 (B) in English and one SQA National 5 (B) from the following:

  • Biology
  • Chemistry
  • Computing science
  • Geography
  • Applications of Mathematics
  • Mathematics
  • Physics
  • Psychology.

• GCSE (5) in English language or English literature, and one GCSE (5) from the following:

  • Biology
  • Chemistry
  • Computing Science
  • Geography
  • Mathematics
  • Physics
  • Psychology.

Other qualifications

We accept a wide range of qualifications for entry on to our programmes. Please see our entry requirements for more information.

More information on how to apply via other entry routes or accreditation of prior learning and experience can be found on the University’s entry requirements web page.

Do I need to have studied this subject before?

Students must have studied Biology (or Human Biology) at SQA Advanced Highers, GCE A-Level or equivalent. Preference will be given to candidates offering strong science qualifications over and above the stated minimum requirements.

International applicants

If English is not your first language, you will need to provide an English language test score to evidence your English language ability.

Careers

Graduates from the School of Biology are in high demand and are keenly sought after by institutions including the government, universities, research centres and major companies.

Graduates have gone on to find success in a wide variety of careers including:

• professional biologists in biological research, conservation, higher education, and the pharmaceutical and biomedical industries
• researchers and advisers in government
• journalists
• advisers, researchers and managers in the National Health Service
• teachers
• forensic scientists
• management consultants
• marketing and advertising experts.

The Careers Centre offers one-to-one advice to all students as well as a programme of events to assist students to build their employability skills.