Ecological Survey Techniques

Postgraduate Certificate in Ecological Survey Techniques

Course Code | 000099

The Postgraduate Certificate is a one year, part-time, modular programme offered under the direction of Dr Jocelyne Hughes (and supported by a range of tutor specialists). Drawing on the University’s excellent record in teaching ecology, environmental conservation and wildlife management, this new programme has been designed to appeal to busy professionals from both within the UK and overseas, and will be of interest to conservationists, students and practitioners working in wildlife management, for statutory nature conservation organisations, environmental consultants, NGOs, planners and educators in all biomes and geographical regions.

The course aims to equip students with the techniques to survey, measure, quantify, assess and monitor biodiversity and ecosystems in the field; provide comprehensive training to collect and analyse field survey data in order to understand, interpret and, therefore, make informed decisions in environmental conservation.

The course is made up of a number of online modules as well as two face-to-face modules. Two of the online modules are core modules (Field Techniques for Surveying Vegetation and Data Analysis), and students choose two out of four of the remaining optional Field Techniques modules. In addition, there is one core face-to-face module taught in Oxford at the start of the course, and a core field survey project module at the end of the course.  

The teaching is conducted by a team of practitioners and academics and all the online modules are tutor-led. The module titles are as follows:

• Introduction to ecological survey techniques
• Field techniques for surveying vegetation
• Field techniques for surveying mammals and reptiles
• Field techniques for surveying invertebrates
• Field techniques for surveying fish and amphibians
• Field techniques for surveying birds
• Data analysis
• Field project
  

The programme is co-ordinated from the University’s Professional Development Centre and forms part of a wider portfolio of courses on the theme of Environment and Sustainability.

• Length of programme: Twelve months

Students have access to all the University’s electronic resources and full access to all library facilities when they are in or away from Oxford.

There is a Virtual Learning Environment (VLE) for the programme, created and supported by the Department’s award-winning Technology-Assisted Lifelong Learning team, and individual module VLEs used for tutorials, teaching, discussions, study skills, staying in touch with students and tutors.

A key strength of the programme is its ability to draw on a rich pool of expertise: The teaching is conducted by a highly knowledgeable and diverse team of practitioners and academics, and all the online modules are tutor-led.

• Dr Jocelyne Hughes, Department for Continuing Education
  
  • Departmental Lecturer in the Department for Continuing Education since 1998, and Course Director
• Dr Christina Beusching, Wildlife Conservation Research Unit
• Dr Thomas Hesselberg, Department of Zoology
• Dr Roger Key, Environmental Consultant
  
• Dr Chris Newman, Wildlife Conservation Research Unit
• Dr Jonathan Shrives, Jersey Department of the Environment and University of Oxford
  
• Dr Ben Woodcock,
  • Centre for Ecology and Hydrology
  • Centre for Agri-Environment Research (University of Reading)

• PGDip in International Wildlife Conservation Practice
• MSc in Sustainable Urban Development

The PGCert in Ecological Survey Techniques is a new programme for 2012/13 admissions, and there are no graduates from the course as yet.

However, the PGCert is suitable for professionals in the environmental conservation sector who need CPD and skills training, and conservation and survey volunteers who wish to improve their survey techniques.

The programme will also facilitate those who wish to change the direction of their career into the environmental conservation sector and require a relevant qualification at this level.