Professional/Short course Conservation Business and Finance

Entry year
2025/26
Course code
USSYHD30M
Application
University
Level
Professional/Short Course
School
School of Applied Sciences
Duration
Approximately eight months
Delivery
Online
Course Director
Tim Bray (Bristol Zoo Gardens)

Page last updated 25 April 2025

30 credit level 7 module

Introduction

In partnership with Bristol Zoo Gardens

This 30 credit module, Conservation Business and Finance, is designed to develop your skills in conservation programme management at a leadership level. This module will also help you understand how an organisation's overall budget and accounts link to viability of specific programme development as well as financial reporting. It will also cover a discussion and critical review of the growing industry of sustainable, revenue-generating mechanisms for conservation funding.

On successful completion of the module, you will be able to:

  • critically assess how to strategically lead and manage a conservation programme financial plan.
  • critically evaluate the risks and issues facing a conservation programme as part of a project business case development.
  • design and critically review business cases for conservation initiatives.
  • develop a well-reasoned budget and budget justification for conservation initiatives.

Careers / Further study

This module can contribute towards the MSc Conservation Leadership.

Structure

Content

The module syllabus typically includes the following:

  • Strategic planning for a conservation programme, financial viability and sustainability
  • Determining your conservation programme business needs
  • Importance of a sound business case
  • Finance management (e.g., account understanding, adaptation to different project types, handling multiple budgets) and project accounting (e.g., profit vs. non-for-profit)
  • Budget forecasting
  • Raising money – fundraising, grants, trusts, private donors, as well as crowdfunding and funding from corporate organisations and philanthropists; identifying funding partners
  • Financial reporting - including discussing the link between actual staff costs and reporting to funders.
  • Ethical investing
  • Working across borders – international organisations
  • Working efficiently and reducing costs – budgeting
  • Responding to emergencies
  • Contracts and agreements
  • Managing a budget with various stakeholders, paying staff, bookkeeping and handling expenditures and finance/business on the ground
  • Partnerships development and engagement– corporate, government, NGOs, civil societies, local communities, individuals
  • Business and financial sustainability

Learning and Teaching

This level 7 (Masters level) module will be delivered through a combination of recorded lectures and asynchronous activities, including contributions to forums, wikis and guided reading. You will also be offered live, interactive tutorial classes and facilitated group work.

Assessment

Assessment for this module comprises the development of a detailed business case for a new conservation project/initiative.

Features

Study facilities

The College of Health, Science and Society has an excellent reputation for the quality of its teaching and the facilities it provides.

Take a personalised virtual tour of the Health Professions facilities and experience what a typical day could look like here for you.

Prices and dates

Supplementary fee information

Please visit full fee information to see the price brackets for our modules.

Dates

Please click on the Apply Now button to view dates.

How to apply

Please click on the Apply Now button to apply for your CPD module, which you can take as a stand-alone course or as part of an undergraduate or postgraduate (Masters level) programme.

Please read our Terms and Conditions.

Extra information

If the course you are applying for is fully online or blended learning, please note that you are expected to provide your own headsets/microphones.

For further information