Biology and Zoology postgraduate courses

Take your ambition to the next level with our postgraduate courses designed to equip you with invaluable skills that support your career development and employability.

• State-of-the-art facilities: Hone your practical skills in our recently modernised facilities that include a Glasshouse featuring plants from diverse habitats, an Insectary housing many different species, specialist laboratories, student research lab for pursuing your independent studies and the Aquatic Research Facility, developed in collaboration with the Sealife Centre, Birmingham
• Exciting fieldwork: Bring an extra dimension to your studies with fascinating fieldwork opportunities. With the Peak District National Park right on our doorstep, you have the chance to studying close to stunning landscapes and diverse habitats. Some students have ventured overseas to conduct investigations, one of the destinations being Singapore, in order to explore the primary rainforest, mangrove communities and seashore wildlife
• Real-world learning: Focus on practical experience and enhance your employability with training-based placements with employers in a range of settings such as local authority, environmental consultancy, zoo or educational institution to undertake real-world scenarios
• Experienced teaching team: Be supported by a highly qualified team conducting national and international research and consultancy work in the field of environmental assessment. The team includes specialists with high professional standing, such as Chartered Scientist, Chartered Environmentalist, full member of Institution of Environmental Management and Assessment (IEMA) and Senior Fellow/Fellow of Higher Education Academy
• High professional standards: Our MSc Conservation Biology and MSc Environmental Assessment and Control are accredited by the Institution of Environmental Sciences, which reflects the high standards, ethics and values expected of environmental professionals

Filmed in our Aquatic Research Facility, Till Roethig, Postdoctoral Researcher, discusses his involvement in the coral reef assist research project and its importance in protecting coral reefs from rising water temperatures as a result of climate change:

Facilities

You will have the chance to hone your practical skills in everything from species identification to ecological surveys, sampling methods to statistical analyses, using our facilities that have been recently modernised to provide you a first-rate learning environment:

• Glasshouse featuring plants from diverse habitats
• Insectary housing many different species
• specialist laboratories
• student research laboratory
• Aquatic Research Facility, which has been developed in collaboration with the Sealife Centre, Birmingham

"The course really helped to provide me with a range of practical and real-world skills, particularly statistics, learning how to write a research paper, and developing presentation skills (amongst many others). 

"I would highly recommend it, I am so glad that I studied this course and I will always have very fond memories of my studies at Derby."

Ben Mcilwaine, MSc Conservation Biology graduate

What our Biology and Zoology graduates do

Postgraduate education extends your knowledge, skills and confidence in ways which enhance your employability and open doors to new career prospects. Our previous students have gone into different career pathways, based on the skills and qualifications gained during their programme, such as:

• rewarding roles in habitat management or environmental consultancy
• careers with government bodies like the Environment Agency and DEFRA
• international organisations such as the UN
• local authorities
• water companies
• conservation agencies or with local or national government
• a wide range of industries where environmental assessment and control is vital
• bridge environmental management with broader conservation issues in areas such as waste management, energy efficiency or recycling
• combine it with relevant experience and follow the pathway to full membership of professional accreditation bodies such as the Chartered Institute of Water and Environmental Management (CIWEM) or the Institution of Environmental Sciences (IES)
• achieve professional status such as Chartered Environmentalist (CEnv)
• get a firm basis for higher-level qualifications including MPhil/PhD research degrees