Uni advice

[Dominic Phillips]

Hi everyone

I was just wondering if someone could give me some pointers on universities.

 

The sort of Uni courses i am looking at doing are Ecology, Countryside Management or Countryside Conservation.

 

I was just wondering if i could get some advice on what Universities have a good reputation for these sort of courses, and what kind of jobs i could get after a degree in one of these areas and what sort of pay these are.

 

The student life and sports/outdoor activities are quite important to.

 

I have looked at some Uni booklets and thought Aberystwth looked very good

 

Any advice welcome

Cheers Dom

[HBW]

Lancaster is supposed to be hot on ecology.

[Billy]

Most of those degree's don;t lead to jobs with typical 'graduate salries' i know people with simlar degree's who still work onthe tools because its better money. However Hadlow college in Kent do Countryside and Landscape management courses the Landscape Managment is a BSC degree countryside management is a more practical course and is a ND or something not as academic, and missed alot ofthe arboriculture, soil science plant idents and focussed more on teaching you to be some sort of estate gardener/farm labourer/game keeper

[Saw-sick Steve]

A good few years since my student days, but an awful lot more choice now. Be prepared to use a degree as a starting point, so many people have them now that very often an MSC is almost a prerequisite for a job in Conservation.

MSc Habitat Creation and management, Staffordshire Uni,

MSc Countryside Conservation / Management, Bristol Uni. (Good one!)

Msc Veg. Survey / Assessment, Reading Uni,

Msc Biodiversity Survey, Sussex Uni.

These are just a few to give you an idea.

If yer serious about a career in Conservation be prepared to put in a lot of voluntary work to get your name around, be prepared for a lot of short term contracts, oh, and don't for a minute think yer going to get rich in the industry!

Sorry if I sound a bit negative, it can be an immensely rewarding and fulfilling career, but theres a lot of competition for decent jobs. 'British Wildlife' is a great magazine to subscribe to for the latest developments in Conservation.

Still keen? Then I wish you all the best, and hope you find what you're looking for - good luck!

[owain]

Hi everyone

I was just wondering if someone could give me some pointers on universities.

 

The sort of Uni courses i am looking at doing are Ecology, Countryside Management or Countryside Conservation.

 

I was just wondering if i could get some advice on what Universities have a good reputation for these sort of courses, and what kind of jobs i could get after a degree in one of these areas and what sort of pay these are.

 

The student life and sports/outdoor activities are quite important to.

 

I have looked at some Uni booklets and thought Aberystwth looked very good

 

Any advice welcome

Cheers Dom

 

I studied a HND in conservation at Aberystwyth and i would throughly recommend it although i would also recommend you dont do work experience with the RSPB. aber is a great town with plenty to do if you like the outdoors, it also boasts the best reputation for the type of course they offer. oh yeah and join the rugby league team and you cant go wrong.

 

All the best mate Owain:thumbup:

[josharb87]

i have a ND in countryside management, i instantly got a job with the rspb (although my felling experience was a large part in getting the job) i was fencing, coppicing and herding, pay was 13k per year. the people on the conservation side of our reserve had degrees in ecology ect, and were on 13k-17K per year, reserve manager around 25K

 

people i went to college with who went on th the HND and degree, one has gone back to the family farm, one works in tescos, and the other is desperatly trying and getting knocked back for teaching jobs whilst working behind a bar

 

its a lifestyle choice imo, as the pay is quite frankly rubbish, although the rent of £20 a week was a bonus!

[Lancstree]

I started Environment Economics and Ecology at York and was a broken man by the end of the first year due to the amount of heavy mathematics, statistics and calculus. Other parts of the course were great and interesting but I spent most of my time trying to get up on the tricky stuff. I ended up doing Archaeology which was easier in comparison with that but its not got me anywhere as yet. Can't beat the uni experience though but think seriously about how much debt you want to get into. A student loan is the best loan you'll ever get but you could end up paying it back for the rest of your working life like myself!

[sylvestris stew]

Go for ecology, Aberdeen is pretty good, I'd stay away from countryside/conservation courses, the old sciences are still in demand, i wish I did ecology , big demand worldwide

[Dominic Phillips]

Thanks for all the advice everyone.

 

I will have a look on these unis websites.

 

I'm at Capel Manor College finishing an ND in arb and have done and ND in Hort already, so have some of the basic knowledge, and hopefully i can go on to a uni course and to alright.

 

again, thanks for all the advice