Conservation and Sustainability Education PGCert

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Course Summary

In response to the wider conservation and sustainability agenda, including the World Association of Zoos and Aquariums (WAZA) education and the launch of the Department of Education sustainability and climate change strategy, Chester Zoo and the University of Chester have developed a collaborative Postgraduate Certificate in Conservation and Sustainability Education.

This course will support those seeking a career in conservation and sustainability education to deliver initiatives and programmes that meet long-term goals and improve their organisation’s impact in tackling global conservation and sustainability priorities.

Our partnership is born out of the need for increased access to quality education that supports conservation and sustainability education both in schools and across the environmental sector.

This online course makes use of the latest technologies to deliver an innovative and interactive learning experience that will allow you to connect with educators from across the globe whilst learning from the leading experts to develop your understanding of how to develop, implement and evaluate programmes.

You will be joining a growing network of expert conservation and sustainability educators equipped with professional skills and a like-minded community who will support you and your professional development to become a force for change in our sector.

We are passionate about using our individual expertise to champion the need for quality educators and are interested in you as individuals, not in the degree you hold. There is no expectation for you to have a science-based degree to apply for this course, and we welcome those with arts and humanities backgrounds.

What You'll Study

Learning will be organised into three modules over the course of one academic year. These will include: How to make a difference in your organisation; how to demonstrate impact; how to create programmes and initiatives that empower participants to be the change needed to tackle the challenges we all face.

Module content:

  • An introduction to programme design within the fields of conservation and sustainability education with an exploration of approaches to design and planning for different demographics
  • An exploration of conservation and sustainability education overarching goals and outcomes in relation to global conservation threats with contextualisation of conservation threats for education delivery
  • To explore a range of planning tools including the importance of collaboration in designing conservation and sustainability education programmes.
  • To develop an in-depth understanding of using conservation and sustainability to support learning across a curriculum
  • An understanding of the requirements of monitoring and evaluation of a conservation, sustainability and climate change education

Module aims:

1.To develop a critical understanding of the relationship between curriculum, current conservation goals and sustainability measures on programme development
2. To provide an understanding of the elements required to design, develop and produce a conservation, climate or sustainability education programmes for a range of needs and situations.
3. To give an insight into how to contextualise the current threats and link them to curriculum design.
4. To provide the potential planning tools, which give a theoretical framework to planning a holistic conservation, climate and/or sustainability education programme, including an understanding of success in the context of conservation education.

 

Module content:

  • An Introduction to barriers and benefits to learning in formal and informal settings that includes online, onsite and community based settings.
  • To develop a critical awareness of drivers for engagement in conservation, sustainability and climate change activities from both individual and organisational perspectives.
  • To critically explore personal assumption and bias which may influence the practitioner
  • An exploration of inclusion, diversity, cultural, equality and accessibility considerations, relevant to the delivery of conservation, sustainability and climate change education.
  • Using global, national and local conservation case studies to develop a strategic understanding of how programmes and initiatives are adapted to take into account cultural and environmental contexts.
  • Review and analysis of participation models relevant to co-creating and building communities.

Module aims:

1. To critically explore the range of audiences and participants potentially involved in conservation education, and consider the range of participant motivations and preparedness to be involved in conservation education.
2. To critically examine barriers and challenges to learning in regards to engagement with conservation education from a variety of groups, and how these can be planned for and mitigated for.
3. To review, analyse and implement appropriate strategies to ensure a critically reflexive approach to engagement and understanding of wider organisational priorities.

Module content:

  • An exploration and critique of the range of pedagogical and andragogical methods used to promote connectedness to nature, climate change awareness, conservation and sustainability.
  • Determine and analyse source material, quality, selection and reliability of content that is robust and supported by scientific evidence.
  • A critical analysis of exhibitions, talks, tours, workshops, campaigns, play and gaming across a range of sectors. Including future proofing, free choice learning and use of technology in education.
  • Critique of evaluation tools including qualitative and quantitative methods to improve development and delivery of impactful programmes.

Module aims:

• To critically explore a wide range of tools and methods available to educators whilst also reviewing the efficacy of these for different environments
• To cultivate a strategic understanding of the importance of activity design and selection such as free choice learning within different scenarios in relation to learning impact.
• To critically review new technology being utilised within the sector and how aspects such as gamification and play can be utilised.
• To appraise and critically reflect on the importance of measuring programme outcomes on participants and cohorts in the context of both immediate and long-term conservation and sustainability goals.

 

Postgraduate Certificate in Conservation and Sustainability Education

Postgraduate Certificate in Conservation and Sustainability Education

Who You'll Learn From

Una Meehan

Senior Lecturer
Uná Meehan

How You'll Learn

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Online sessions delivered over two weekends per term

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Coursework assignment that encourages reflection and links to professional practice

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This course does not involve in-person study

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This course is taught online

This course will be delivered live and online to allow us to bring together likeminded people. Some online streams will also be subsequently available as a series of videos, which you will be able to access and view at any time for personal use only.

There are three compulsory modules delivered annually.

The course will run over two weekends per term and will require you to attend both Friday (twilight) and Saturday (all day) lectures, seminars and workshops.

On this course, you’ll spend time out on placement where you’ll apply what you have learnt to real scenarios in the workplace, giving you genuine experience and insight that will prepare you for your future career.

Entry Requirements

2:2honours degree

A 2:2 honours degree in any subject, and be engaged in, or aspire to work in, teaching and learning or public engagement with conservation and/or sustainability. Applicants with other degree classes and significant experience may be considered through interview and if they can demonstrate, on application, their ability to work at Level 7.

Applicants whose first language is not English must provide evidence of proficiency to IELTS 6.5 with no less than 5.5 in each band or equivalent.

This is a practical course that could be undertaken as part of full-time employment to develop the professional skills of those currently working in a related field including zoo/aquarium/conservation and sustainability and/or education.

Ability to access the internet to study remotely is essential.

2:2honours degree

Students from countries outside the UK are expected to have entry qualifications roughly equivalent to UK A Level for undergraduate study and British Bachelor's degree (or equivalent) for postgraduate study. To help you to interpret these equivalents, please click on your country of residence to see the corresponding entry qualifications, along with information about your local representatives, events, information and contacts.

We accept a wide range of qualifications and consider all applications individually on merit. We may also take into account appropriate work experience.

See below for your country specific requirements. Please note, some programmes have special entry requirements and if applicable, these are listed below.

English Language Requirements

For more information on our English Language requirements, please visit International Entry Requirements.

Fees and Funding

£2,925 for full-time course (2025/26)

Guides to the fees for students who wish to commence postgraduate courses are available to view on our Postgraduate Taught Programmes Fees page. Here you will also find information about part-time fees and project/placement year fees.

£15,000for a full-time course (2025/26)

The tuition fees for international students studying Postgraduate programmes in 2025/26 are £15,000.

Please note: For MSc programmes where a placement or project year is undertaken there will be an additional charge of £2,750 for the placement/project year (due at the start of the second year of the course).

The University of Chester offers generous international and merit-based scholarships for postgraduate study, providing a significant reduction to the published headline tuition fee. You will automatically be considered for these scholarships when your application is reviewed, and any award given will be stated on your offer letter.

For more information, go to our International Fees, Scholarship and Finance section.

Irish Nationals living in the UK or ROI are treated as Home students for Tuition Fee Purposes.

Your course will involve additional costs not covered by your tuition fees. This may include books, printing, photocopying, educational stationery and related materials, specialist clothing, travel to placements, optional field trips and software. Compulsory field trips are covered by your tuition fees. 

The University of Chester supports fair access for students who may need additional support through a range of bursaries and scholarships. 

Full details, as well as terms and conditions for all bursaries and scholarships can be found on the Fees and Finance section of our website.

Your Future Career

Job Prospects 

Conservation and Sustainability Education happens in a vast and diverse range of settings, including zoos, national trust, wildlife trust, forestry commission, as well as schools in both formal and informal manners.

This Postgraduate Certificate in Conservation and Sustainability in Education has been designed to meet the training and development needs outlined within the WAZA conservation education strategy (PDF).

Careers service

The University has an award-winning Careers and Employability service which provides a variety of employability-enhancing experiences; through the curriculum, through employer contact, tailored group sessions, individual information, advice and guidance.

Careers and Employability aims to deliver a service which is inclusive, impartial, welcoming, informed and tailored to your personal goals and aspirations, to enable you to develop as an individual and contribute to the business and community in which you will live and work.

We are here to help you plan your future, make the most of your time at University and to enhance your employability. We provide access to part-time jobs, extra-curricular employability-enhancing workshops and offer practical one-to-one help with career planning, including help with CVs, applications and mock interviews. We also deliver group sessions on career planning within each course and we have a wide range of extensive information covering graduate jobs and postgraduate study.

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