MSc Evolutionary and Behavioural Ecology
Duration 12 months full-time
Entry requirementsApplications are considered individually on merit. Normally an Upper Second Class Honours degree or above (or equivalent) in a science subject is required. Applicants from non-science backgrounds will also be considered, provided that the first degree contained some empirical component, or if applicants have had work experience in behavioural or evolutionary ecology or conservation. All international students whose first language is not English will need to satisfy our English Language requirements; for further information see the Postgraduate Prospectus at: www.ex.ac.uk/study/postgraduate
Fees (2009/10) UK/EU students: £6,500; International students: £12,250. Both UK/EU and International fees include costs of the overseas field course.
Funding opportunities Generous bursaries are available each year from the School. There are also opportunities for University Full-Fee Masters Scholarships. Visit www.exeter.ac.uk/biosciences/postgraduate for further information.
Apply online at www.exeter.ac.uk/postgraduate
Programme information
- Programme specifically designed for Master’s level ensuring excellent and relevant training that maximises graduate future research opportunities and employability
- In the first year of operation 78 per cent of our students had secured a PhD position before finishing the programme
- Modules target future research potential by providing practical skills and theoretical background
- Exemplary training in current research techniques
- High quality research supervision to develop and nurture the scientific potential of all graduates
- Excellent research facilities including state-of-the-art biochemical and genetics labs, with a full range of microscopy
- World class School research reflected in over 1,000 peer-reviewed papers since 2001 including 48 in Nature, Science or the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the USA
This MSc is taught by the Centre for Ecology and Conservation (CEC), whose evolutionary and behaviour research groups are amongst the most dynamic in the UK. As an MSc student you will be integrated into these groups and conduct cutting-edge research projects that aim to make genuine contributions to the field of evolutionary and behavioural ecology. The goal is to prepare you for a future research career. In its first year of operation 78 per cent of our students landed a PhD position before they had finished the programme!
The Centre is the fastest growing institute of its kind in the UK and an integral part of the School of Biosciences at the Cornwall Campus. Research is almost exclusively organismal, with particular emphasis on social mammals, birds, turtles and insects. We also specialise in modelling animal behaviour and species interactions and see this as essential and complementary to our whole approach. The other area of emphasis, underpinning much of our work, is quantitative and molecular genetics; fundamental to the evolutionary process and to conservation biology and policy issues.
Core modules
- Research Project (90 credits)
- Professional Skills Development (15 credits)
- Quantitative Biology (15 credits)
- Evolutionary and Behavioural Ecology (30 credits)
- Africa Field Course (30 credits)
