Ecology and Wildlife Conservation

Most of our staff are actively engaged in research, and our work on wildlife ecology and conservation feeds into undergraduate teaching. 92% of School of Biological Sciences students said teaching staff are good at explaining things (National Student Survey 2025, 92.3% of responders). You will also have the opportunity to take part in original research with a potentially global impact. All graduates are eligible for membership of The Royal Society of Biology and can apply for Chartered Biologist status. The University of Reading’s award-winning campus is home to over a thousand different animal species and is extremely useful for learning fieldwork skills. It offers multiple habitats for study, including lakes, hay meadows and woodlands, and allows you to step straight from the laboratory to the field. Additionally, the University owns a number of large farms, which can be used as sites for final year projects. You will also be able to practise species identification and ecology skills through a choice of field trips in the UK and beyond. Our Ecology and Conservation Field Course takes place in South Africa, exposing students to diverse conservation and development issues, while our Marine Biology Field Course explores South Africa's incredible marine biodiversity. Closer to home, our UK Biodiversity Field Course takes students to Devon to explore the UK's diverse habitats and the animals that call them home. Furthermore, you can carry out a year-long industrial placement between the second and final years, in order to gain valuable industrial experience. You can also choose to do a short placement module. We have strong links with a number of ecological organisations including the RSPB, Environment Agency, and a range of wildlife trusts.