Pathway Profile: Ecology, Evolution and Conservation Biology
Welcome to EES 15 July 2019
Dr Giles Johnson spoke to us about the Ecology, Evolution and Conservation Biology Pathway within our undergraduate Environmental Science degree.
Environmental Science Degree
Environmental Science sits at the interface between different traditional academic subjects taught in schools. It involves elements of chemistry, physics, maths, geography and biology to name just the more obvious ones. The great thing about the degree in Environmental Science at Manchester is that it allows you to explore this multidisciplinary subject in a way that matches your own interests. I am a biologist by training, but was drawn to environmental science by a fascination for the ways in which living organisms are affected by their environment. This has allowed me to develop an understanding of a broad range of subjects, whilst still focussing on my first scientific love.

Ecology, Evolution and Conservation Biology
The Ecology, Evolution and Conservation Biology (EECB) pathway provides a route to specialise in biology, but in an environmental context. Students in this pathway take many of their units alongside straight biologists, but develop a distinct expertise, focussing more on the complex systems that plants and animals form, looking in particular at how humans have affected these. An important part of this training is the opportunity to take some fantastic field courses, including to Italy and Costa Rica, where we teach you essential skills in field science. This pathway also opens up important career opportunities. For example, there is currently a national shortage of experts capable of carrying out ecological surveys required by the building industry, as well as there being great openings available in organisations such as English Nature and the Environment Agency and in water companies. Students on our degrees also have the opportunity to carry out research alongside some of the world’s leading researchers in ecology, evolution and conservation biology, with students going on to take further degrees in different areas of environmental biology.
Read more about our undergraduate pathways on course profiles and the Department website.

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