FdSc Conservation and Ecology

Duchy College awarded £1m to spearhead net zero farming project

1st March 2021

Duchy College has been awarded over £1.2 million from the Climate Action Fund to run a project tasked with helping the farming community of East Cornwall reach net zero carbon emissions.

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New video to showcase the young people protecting Cornwall’s coastline

9th February 2021

More than 16,000 young people have been given the opportunity to boost their employability thanks to a collaboration between Cornwall Wildlife Trust and The Cornwall College Group (TCCG). 

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Newquay students reach shark app crowdfund target

2nd February 2021

A team of marine zoology students from Cornwall College have raised more than £2,000 to help develop a new smartphone app alongside the Shark Trust. 

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FdSc Wildlife Education & Media

Level 5 • Part-time • Cornwall College Newquay

Take a look at your smart phone, your tablet, your laptop, your computer. In your hand, under your fingers, is the final result of mathematical theory, engineering know-how, scientific understanding and technological inspiration. It is fused with design and art so it appeals to your sense of aesthetic and to your emotions. It allows you to be creative. So should a degree course. Single subject courses made sense in the twentieth century but in the twenty-first, life, employment, is a lot more complex and inter-disciplinary. Global problems require an ability to understand a range of subjects and combine them to propose global solutions. This is the case for conservation. Understanding the conservation science is one thing but explaining the issues and proposing the solutions to the general public is quite another. Most conservation science jobs require these skills: educators in zoos, aquariums and nature reserves, science journalists, wildlife media creators, wildlife guides, wildlife campaign managers, project coordinators, fundraisers for charities. The FdSc Wildlife Education and Media course does just that. It teaches you the zoological conservation science that makes you a conservation scientist but it also provides skills in educating a range of audiences, both in person and through a range of media. It is a theoretical course but it is also a practical and applied course: Pop-Up Nature Centres, British Science Week activity, interpretation development, storytelling, writing journalistic copy, producing films and podcasts. You don’t just learn but do. Employers like that and this is why this small course has been successful in getting graduates into jobs, especially if you complete the one-year top-up in BSc (Hons) Applied Zoology. You produce a portfolio to evidence your skills. You learn industry standard software. We guide you to become more employable. Other skills and knowledge you’ll gain include: • Learning subjects like ecology, zoology, biodiversity, evolution, animal behaviour and species/habitat conservation • Developing environmental interpretation for use by the public • Learning how to teach through running our dedicated pop-up nature centre • Planning and running an educational event for British Science Week • Learning how to use digital cameras for wildlife photography/film-making and industry-standard specialist software for media creation • Developing independent research skills in a second year project in conservation science, education and/or media. The course can be carried out on a full time basis, which is two years at our Newquay campus adjacent to Newquay Zoo, or on a part time basis over 3 or 4 years, where you will be infilled with full time students. During the course you will have the opportunity to visit various science communication centres and also to gain first-hand experience of teaching in the classroom. Overseas field work The college also organises trips further afield, at your own cost. These trips are a fantastic opportunity to learn new skills and practise your skills learnt at the college. They could also be considered highly valuable if you are looking to pursue a career in ecotourism, as a wildlife tour guide. Past trips have visited the forests of Borneo, the reefs of Egypt, nature reserves in Portugal and the beautiful island of Mull in the Inner Hebrides. More recently, we have run fantastic trips to the Kruger National Park in South Africa and to the cloud forests and coral reefs of Honduras. Both of these trips offer great opportunities for a wildlife educator or a wildlife media creator to practice what you have learned in the class room.

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FdSc Conservation and Ecology

Level 5 • Full-time • Cornwall College Newquay

Are you interested in wildlife and nature conservation? This is an inspirational, field-based practical course situated on the Cornwall College Newquay campus, adjacent to Newquay Zoo. On this programme you will learn about ecology (how organisms interact with each other and with their physical environment) and how we conserve species and habitats. This requires knowledge about how to observe, survey, monitor and manage species and where they live. You will develop skills in Geographical Information Systems (GIS) and other relevant field and research skills. Teaching will be through traditional lectures, fieldwork, labwork and workshops. All our lecturers are experts in their particular field with wide-ranging qualifications, interests and experience. Some topics will be delivered by experts from organisations such as the Cornwall Wildlife Trust and the National Trust. Guest speakers play an important role in your learning and they are used regularly to provide more expert knowledge in some of the specialised modules. Work-related learning is a valuable part of the programme and you will undertake work experience locally or overseas. In this way, you will gain experience and develop graduate-level skills in the type of work that you hope to do, and learn about the expectations of those who may employ you. The contacts you make during your work experience may well be your link to future employment. During the programme, you will have plenty of opportunity to visit the broad range of habitats and environments in Cornwall. This course is also available with Science Gateway, perfect for you if you would like to study any of the science-based Foundation Degrees (FdSc) we offer, but don’t have the right qualifications or grades to do so. At the end of the programme you will be equipped with the academic qualifications, personal qualities, vocational skills and techniques essential for a career in the ecological or environmental sector.

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BSc (Hons) Applied Zoology and Conservation

Level 6 • Full-time • Cornwall College Newquay

This degree equips you with the necessary skills and knowledge to work within the field of conservation. There is an emphasis on practical application using both national and international examples, and utilising field specialists within the institute and externally as guest speakers to discuss current issues and research in conservation. Modules cover a range of subjects from anatomy and physiology to specific animal behaviour and population management. A range of optional modules in the second and third years allows you to personalise your degree programme. The programme is delivered at Cornwall College Newquay with a range of lectures, workshops, seminars, laboratory and field-based practical sessions. There will be some modules taught in situ utilising the surrounding environment, for example habitat and wildlife surveys within the first year Fieldwork module. These will involve a mix of day or residential field trips to develop and apply survey techniques in the field.

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