Ecology and Conservation Biology

Ecology and conservation biology is a discipline that addresses the urgent challenge of understanding and protecting biological diversity at a time of unprecedented environmental change. Ecology examines how organisms interact with each other and with their physical environments, asking how populations are regulated, how communities are structured, and how energy and nutrients flow through ecosystems. Conservation biology applies that understanding to the practical challenge of protecting species, habitats, and ecological processes in the face of habitat loss, climate change, invasive species, and overexploitation.

At the University of York, this three-year full-time programme draws on expertise from across the Department of Biology and the Department of Environment and Geography, giving you an interdisciplinary foundation that reflects the genuinely cross-cutting nature of conservation challenges. You will gain knowledge through hands-on field courses and research projects, building the skills needed to address urgent conservation problems in real ecological contexts. A sandwich year is built into the programme, giving you the opportunity to work in a conservation or research organisation before your final year.

A year abroad is also incorporated, and work placement is additionally available. These features ensure that you graduate with both theoretical knowledge and applied professional experience.

You will study population ecology, community ecology, ecosystem science, conservation genetics, environmental policy, and research methods, developing both the scientific depth and the analytical and communication skills that careers in conservation demand.

Graduates go on to work in conservation organisations, wildlife trusts, environmental consultancy, national and international agencies, nature reserves, research, and policy. Many continue to postgraduate study in ecology, conservation biology, environmental management, or related fields. The combination of scientific training and applied experience the programme provides is highly valued in the conservation sector, where competition for roles is significant.