Postgraduate Diploma in Wildlife Conservation (Recanati-Kaplan)

Course details

The Postgraduate Diploma in Wildlife Conservation (Recanati–Kaplan) is an eight-month, full-time, residential course designed for early-career wildlife researchers and conservation practitioners. Delivered by the Department of Biology’s Wildlife Conservation Research Unit (WildCRU), the course equips students with cutting-edge techniques for monitoring and managing wildlife and their habitats, with a particular focus on terrestrial mammals and conservation challenges in the developing world.

Teaching is structured around five core modules covering wildlife ecology and behaviour, species and biodiversity monitoring, population management, habitat assessment, and human populations and conservation. These are followed by a two-part, customised research project in which students analyse their own data to investigate specific conservation questions. Alongside rigorous training in field survey methods, data analysis, and reporting, students develop a broad range of practical skills, including first aid, fundraising, and scientific writing. The small cohort size ensures close interaction with staff and one-to-one supervision throughout the research project.

The course draws on more than three decades of WildCRU’s leadership in conservation research and practice and is jointly managed with Oxford Lifelong Learning. It is made possible through the support of the Recanati–Kaplan Foundation through Panthera.

Please visit the WildCRU website for further details of the Postgraduate Diploma in Wildlife Conservation.

Accommodation

Student housing is facilitated by Pembroke College, while a dedicated room for teaching is located at the Life and Mind Building in Oxford. This teaching location offers students enhanced academic and social opportunities within the wider Biology Department.

Scholarships

 

Various scholarships are available for Global South students. These include scholarships from the Arabian Leopard Fund for Middle Eastern students, a Tang Scholarship for a Chinese National, and Burnett Scholarships for African students. Depending on the amount of own or third party funding secured by candidates, applications can be made for any or all of the following costs:

• Course fees
• International travel, to and from the UK
• Accommodation
• Living expenses for the duration of the course

Please visit the WildCRU website for further details regarding the available scholarships.

Course fees and how to apply

The deadline for applications is in early March each year.

Conservationists working in biodiversity-rich developing nations are particularly welcome to apply. Please see the WildCRU website for more on the applications process.

Due to the specialist nature of the course and its entry requirements, it is recommended that you send your CV to the Course Co-ordinator using the email address wildcru.diploma@biology.ox.ac.uk before you start your application with the University.

Applications must then be made through University of Oxford Graduate Admissions. Please see the course page on the Graduate Admissions website for information about entry requirements, fees and how to apply.