Conservation Biology
Aims
of our ProgrammeConservation Biology is offered as a Master of Science (MSc) or Postgraduate Diploma in Science (PGDipSc). Both include coursework worth 120 credits (taking 1 year), and the MSc includes a thesis worth 120 credits (taking an additional year). 60 of the 120 credits are made up from a seminar-style paper in Conservation Biology (232.701), and a choice of Freshwater Ecosystem Management (232.702) or Wildlife Management (232.703), both of which have a strong field emphasis. The remaining points are made from a choice of 232.704 Wildlife Disease, 232.705 Captive Management of New Zealand Wildlife, 196.712 Aquatic Ecology, 196.726 Plant Ecology, 194.709 Conservation Endocrinology and Reproductive Biology, 132.733 Conservation Policy and Planning, 132.735 Natural Resource Planning, 132.738Geographic Information Systems, 132.739 Assessing Environmental Impacts, 235.701 Maori Values and Resource Management, 188.705 Natural Resource Policy, 188.706 Participatory Resource Management, 188.763 Advanced Natural Resource Management, and 211.750 Enviromental Education: Policy and Practice. Some related papers may be substituted with approval from the Graduate Subject Advisor. Most papers are taught at the Palmerston North Campus, and run for about 7 months starting in late February. However, some are taught in extramural mode, and two papers are taught in block mode at Albany Campus. Information on paper prescriptions and modes of delivery can be accessed by clicking on the paper numbers. Master of Science students also do 232.897 and 232.898 (thesis done over two years) or 232.899 (thesis done in one year).
Thesis
Topics
Master of Science students address a range of different questions we
need to answer to improve our management of threatened species and
ecosystems.
The majority of students do field projects, which may be on offshore
islands,
mainland reserves, or on private land. Some do primarily
theoretical
projects, such as modelling population dynamics or ecosystems.
Some
do primarily lab projects, involving genetic analysis, physiology, or
post-mortem
work. Recent projects at Massey have involved a range of
threatened
species, including many species of birds (eg., kiwi, kakapo, hihi,
saddlebacks),
tuatara, lizards, frogs, bats, marine mammals, freshwater fish,
terrestrial
invertebrates, and plants (e.g., mistletoes, orchids). There has
also been a strong emphasis on freshwater and terrestrial
ecosystems.
Prospective MSc students should consult academic staff at Massey to
discuss
potential research topics (you may want to check out some of the
current
research being conduceted by the Wildlife
Ecology
Group and the Centre
for Freshwater Ecosystem Management and Modelling). Students are
welcome
to suggest their own topics, but we often have of research projects
available,
some of which have funding in place.
Entry
Requirements & Enrolment
Students must have completed a Bachelor of
Science
or equivalent in Ecology, Zoology, Environmental Sciences, Natural
Resource
Management, Veterinary Science, or another approved subject.
Click
here
to see how to enrol if you are a New Zealand student, or here
if you are from another country.
Fees,
Scholarships
& Support
Fees for domestic students in 2007 will be approximately $6986 or a
Master of Science in Conservation Biology (over two years) or $4878 for
a Postgraduate Diploma in Conservation Biology. The exact fees depend
on
the papers selected, and the fees for each paper can be viewed at http://fees.massey.ac.nz.
There are many potential sources of funding available to meet your
costs.
To find out about scholarships available, check out the Massey
University Awards website and the Breakout
External Awards website. It is also worthwhile asking potential
supervisors
about sources of funding as they may have grants available. There
are also a range of other support
services available through Massey.
Opportunities
for International Students
Students from Australia, France and Germany pay the same domestic fees
paid by New Zealand students due to special arrangements with these
countries.
Fees for students from other countries are approximately NZD 44,000
over
two years for a Master of Science or NZD 22,000 over one year for a
Postgraduate
Diploma. Students from some developing countries can apply for
scholarships
through the
New Zealand Agency for
International Development, and students from Commonwealth countries
can apply for scholarships under the Commonwealth Scholarship and
Fellowship
Scheme. Contact the International
Students Office at Massey for further information.
Contact
Information
Potential students are encouraged to contact:
Professor Doug Armstrong (Graduate Subject
Advisor,
Conservation Biology)
Wildlife Ecology Group, Institute of Natural
Resources, Massey University
Phone: +64 6 350 7599 ext 7801 (International); (06) 350 5799
ext 7801 (National)
Fax: +64 6 350 5623 (International); (06) 350 5623 (National)
Click HERE to send
an email