Professional/Short course Conservation Impact

Entry year
2025/26
Course code
USSYHE30M
Application
University
Level
Professional/Short Course
School
School of Applied Sciences
Duration
Approximately seven+ months
Delivery
Online
Course Director
Dr Aimee Oxley

Page last updated 25 April 2025

30 credit level 7 module

Introduction

In partnership with Bristol Zoo Gardens

Being able to design evidence-based, feasible projects that will deliver positive conservation impacts is crucial in conservation leadership. Yet often projects fail to deliver, making conservation interventions either ineffective or at times even counterproductive. 

This 30 credit module, Conservation Impact, will cover the theoretical and practical elements necessary to avoid these issues, including scoping knowledge gaps and determining appropriate methodology to assess impact depending on both internal and external factors, such as organisation's budget and capacity, or logistics.

The module will include teaching from conservation practitioners. Content will also be supported by case studies, emphasizing the need to use evidence-based approaches to achieve success in conservation projects.

Careers / Further study

This module can contribute towards the MSc Conservation Leadership.

Structure

Content

The module syllabus typically includes the following:

History of conservation, lessons learned from past projects (failures and successes)

Project design, strategic planning, vision and mission

  • Conservation project design
  • Project plan
  • Key Performance Indicators (KPI)
  • Logframe design
  • Budget
  • Capacity
  • Project constraints and opportunities
  • Method selection (complexity vs pragmatism in achieving goals in a challenging environment)

Working with local communities

  • Ethics (including indigenous people)
  • Integrating local communities in conservation project
  • First prior and informed consent

Situation analysis and Theory of change

  • Threats
  • Contributing factors
  • Drivers of change

Defining the impact

  • Processes
  • Threats, contributing factors and behaviour results

Measuring conservation impact

  • Objectives, tolerance, indicators
  • Methods (e.g. population estimate, density, presence/absence, occupancy modelling)

Adaptations of project to risks

  • Identifying and evaluating risks to project success
  • Priority setting and re-evaluations

Learning and Teaching

This level 7 (Masters level) module will include teaching from conservation practitioners. Content will also be supported by case studies, emphasising the need to use evidence-based approaches to achieve success in conservation projects.

This 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.

Teaching will include case studies and scenario-based teaching. Teaching will be practice-led, using case studies and UWE Bristol and/or Bristol Zoological Society projects as examples.

Assessment

Assessment for this module comprises a written assignment (1,500 words) on the topic of conservation project design and impact assessment.

There will be a formative assessment in the form of peer critical analysis of elements of the draft submission. 

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

For information on fees, managing your money and determining your fee status, please go to our fees and funding pages.

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