Do You Want to Work in the Environmental Sector?

Flexible, career-changing courses at the University of Oxford.

Oxford’s Department for Continuing Education runs part-time and online courses in ecology and environmental conservation that can change your life without you having to give up the day job. They are ideal if you are already working in the environment field and seeking further professional development, or if you are currently a volunteer aiming to become more proficient.

Over the 21 years that the Undergraduate Diploma and Undergraduate Advanced Diploma in Environmental Conservation have been running, numerous students have successfully used their course as a springboard into a career within the environment sector.

Two such students who qualified recently are Richard and Anja.
Until a year ago Richard worked for a telecoms company, but always had a long-term goal to make a career change into countryside and conservation management. Following successful completion of the Undergraduate Diploma, Richard is now working as a Project Manager, managing conservation volunteers with the National Trust

Richard commented “the course played an important part in making my career change; it was fundamental in me getting my new role and was particularly beneficial in my interview preparation for questions about public participation, engagement and the voluntary movement. The course was great for me, although nobody should underestimate the amount of work which is involved and the time students need to dedicate to it to get the most from the modules. The course was excellent and some of the guest speakers were quite inspirational”.

Anja took the Advanced Diploma to develop her career within the conservation sector. After completing the Advanced Diploma she worked for her local Wildlife Trust and the Cheetah Conservation Fund before being accepted onto a full-time master’s course at another university. Having now completed her MSc, Anja works for the RSPB and is applying for academic research positions and PhD funding. Anja says, “Without this qualification I would not have achieved this level of success and would still be dreaming about a career in conservation”

Both the Undergraduate Diploma and Advanced Diploma in Environmental Conservation still have a few places for September 2011.

The Department also offers a series of online courses in Ecological Survey Techniques focusing on: Mammals and Reptiles; Fish and Amphibians; Birds; Invertebrates; and Vegetation. These modules will also form part of the new Postgraduate Certificate in Ecological Survey Techniques (from September 2012). Related courses include the Postgraduate Diploma in International Wildlife Conservation Practice and MSc in Sustainable Urban Development. Coming soon is the popular Oxford Energy Futures Conference (10 June), and the free online Introduction to the Science of Climate and Climate Change is a must for anyone with an interest in climate change modelling!