Enviromental Science or Conservation and Ecology

Hi there,
I am looking to study a degree next year but a bit unsure which to choose. I would say I'm slightly more interested in Conservation and Ecology but know this is a slightly more narrowed area. However the Enviromental Science Degree is acrredited whereas the other is awaiting accreditation.

Also has anyone expereinced a placement abroad with their course?

Could anyone advise?

Thanks

Reply 1

ExeterStudentRep

Official Rep

Hi ScienceLover98, I'm not sure which university you are interested in, but can answer from the perspective of the University of Exeter where I studied Zoology for my undergraduate degree (which has a strong overlap with our Conservation Biology and Ecology degree).

My advice would be to closely check the specific modules that are offered as part of the courses you're interested in. For example, at Exeter you can see these here for Conservation Biology and here for Environmental Science (both taught at our Penryn Campus in Cornwall). You can see that even within the Conservation Biology degree there are a mix of modules on diverse topics like 'Oceans and Human Health' or 'Remote Sensing for Environmental Management', which are actually taught by departments outside of Biology. This means that you can actually study a lot more than just Conservation Biology and Ecology within that degree. This idea of studying outside your main discipline, often referred to as modularity, is not exclusive to the University of Exeter and true of lots of other institutions, so it's worth checking to see how narrow the course really is once you dig into the details of the specific modules.

I'd also recommend you look at other differences between the courses, such as the opportunity for field trips, which are often an important component of environmental science or ecology courses.

I hope this is helpful, but please let me know if you have any questions - especially if you are considering these courses at Exeter (but even if not, I hope the advice is transferable to other institutions too).

Kingsley
University of Exeter Student Ambassador