Reasons to study this course
- The course has been designed to give students background knowledge, technical expertise and industrial experience to enter the industry.
- Brackenhurst estate, a working arable and sheep farm, provides real life opportunities for students to become involved in practical estate management, conservation and land management issues.
- You can participate in residential field trips, wildlife and environmental surveys, and wildlife monitoring such as badger watching.
- Successful graduates can progress on to the full-honours BSc (Hons) Environmental Conservation degree.
About the course
This foundation degree programme aims to prepare students with the necessary background knowledge, technical skills and problem solving abilities to enter the industry. Although academic, the vocational focus of the programme, gives students the opportunity to develop and apply their skills through site based scenarios and industrial experience with a countryside employer.
The Brackenhurst estate provides an ideal learning environment for this course.
DEFRA Environmental Stewardship Scheme
The estate is part of the DEFRA Environmental Stewardship scheme that supports effective environmental management of farm land and countryside estates. Initiatives include the establishment of six metre field margins of permanent grass to protect hedgerows and ditches from fertilizer sprays and soil leaching. Over the years species of wildlife have flourished at Brackenhurst including Barn Owls, Lapwings, Yellowhammers, butterflies and moths.
Please note the following information for applicants
Brackenhurst campus
The Brackenhurst campus is set in rural Nottinghamshire and the University has close links with a range of countryside organisations within the county. We have over 200 hectares of farm and woodland estate that acts as an outdoor classroom and the perfect learning environment for environmental courses.
Assessment
This is by project, coursework and examination.
Progression
Recent graduates have progressed into employment with a variety of organisations including Nottinghamshire Wildlife Trust and Forestry Commission. Foundation degree graduates who wish to continue with their studies have the opportunity to progress to the final year of the BSc (Hons) Environmental Conservation and Countryside Management on successful completion of a qualifying summer school.
Modules
Year One
- Applied Animal and Plant Science: Understanding how plants and animals are classified and how they interact with their environment are basic essentials for all countryside managers. Whether putting up a fence, clearing scrub or surveying a new nature reserve it is important to understand how wild plants and animals function and affect each other.
- Biodiversity Conservation: This module is an exploration of the biological diversity on earth, focusing on the abundance and distribution of species.
- Ecology - Terrestrial and Water: This module studies the abundance and distribution of species, providing a scientific basis and understanding for current nature conservation strategy, policy and management. It also underpins many second and third year modules.
- Land Use and Rural Issues: Students relate landscape evolution to the influences of human activity past, present and future. Students will examine the value, opinions and policy aims of different stakeholders in the countryside and examine contemporary issues, which may have a profound effect on rural and urban areas.
- Personal Development Skills: This module is concerned with the development of transferable skills necessary in writing reports; managing meetings; teamwork; and managing career development.
- Rural Skills: Practical skills training forms a valuable and enjoyable part of the first year of this course. The activities undertaken include a wide variety of practical skills such as coppicing; hedge laying; stock fencing; brush cutter and hand tool use.
Final Year
- Applied Habitat Management: This module is delivered as a series of site-based habitat and species evaluations on and off-campus. These include surveys and assessments; data analysis; discussion workshops; seminars; and lectures.
- Countryside Recreation: Introduces the broad range of legal and financial issues that affect those engaged in protecting the environment. Students have the opportunity to identify sources of finance; develop financial bids; and write business plans through case studies.
- Countryside Law and Business introduces the broad range of legal issues that affect those engaged in protecting the environment, including countryside access and wildlife conservation. Through case studies, students have the opportunity to identify sources of finance; develop financial bids; and write business plans.
- Environmental Science: The study of aspects of environmental science enables students to understand complex environmental issues such as global warming and eutrophication and to assess some of the methods available to mitigate these effects.
- Forestry Strategy and Policy: Students will develop skills to understand the policies and strategy that guide the forestry industry in the UK and internationally. Husbandry techniques in silviculture are developed whilst considering the multipurpose use of forests within the UK.
- Industrial Placement: Students undertake a short industrial placement within the sector. This module is complemented by a series of external speakers from conservation organisations, giving insight into possible career opportunities.
- Integrated Project: Students select a site and carry out research in order to prepare a management plan for nature conservation. The module helps students to develop a range of transferable skills including communication; presentation and; report writing.
- Wildlife Surveying: Sessions involve off-site surveys and data analysis workshops with the aim of teaching students a range of common survey techniques.
Your future career
The foundation degree programme opens up a diverse range of career opportunities within all sectors of the industry. Typical employment opportunities include:
- project leading for voluntary groups
- ranger posts for charitable organisations
- warden work for local authorities
- surveying work for environmental consultants.
Work placement
Some students opt to take a sandwich placement between years one and two providing them with the opportunity to spend an additional year working in industry. This is an excellent chance to explore an aspect of countryside conservation that might interest students as a career and at the same time significantly increase employment prospects.
Giving you competitive advantage
In today's competitive job market graduates often find that a degree is no longer enough to attract employers. A work placement is a valuable addition to your education. You'll gain vital real-life work experience that will make you stand out from the crowd and enhance your employability in your chosen field of work.
How to apply
Applications for this course should be directed through the UCAS application system.
Part-time applicants need to complete a direct entry form available from our Student Administration team. Just give us a call and we'll put one in the post for you straight away.
UCAS code: D455 FdSc/ECCM
Full entry requirements
- You will need 120 UCAS tariff points minimum achieved from one subject at A-level, which does not include General Studies. A BTEC Diploma in a relevant science subject will be considered.
- You will also need GCSE Maths and English at Grade C or above.
Applications are encouraged from mature students who may not have formal entry qualifications, but who can demonstrate commitment or have relevant experience.
International student entry requirements
We welcome students from all over the world on this course.
Tier 4 visa applicants - English language requirements
Applicants requiring Tier 4 visas will need to have a minimum score of either:
- IELTS 6.0 (with at least 5.5 in reading, listening, speaking and writing skills),
- TOEFL iBT 87 (with at least 21 in reading, 22 in listening, 23 in speaking and 21 in writing),
- or equivalent language qualification
For further information, please visit our English language requirements web page for International applicants
EU applicants and non-Tier 4 international applicants - English language requirements
You will require:
- GCSE English Grade C, IELTS 6.0 or TOEFL iBT 76 or equivalent.
For further information, please visit our English language requirements webpage for EU applicants.
Contact us
If you want to speak to us about this course, open days or how to apply - then get in touch using the following details:
Email us
Telephone: +44 (0)1636 817099 (Brackenhurst campus)
Telephone: +44 (0)115 848 4200 (Admissions)
