Conservation Biology major

Human activity and population growth are increasing the pressure on natural ecosystems and many biologists believe we are currently experiencing the sixth global mass extinction. Conservation biologists work to prevent the extinction of the world's plant and animal species. According to Conservation International, the South West of Western Australia is one of the world's 25 'biodiversity hotspots' making WA an ideal living laboratory for your studies. If you are interested in field work and want to help mitigate this trend by actively participating in the management and research of threatened species and communities, and understanding the principles and policies behind their recovery, then Conversation Biology is the major for you.

Outcomes

Students are able to (1) understand global biodiversity and its distribution, the evolutionary history of biodiversity in Australia, and particular species and communities that are highly threatened; (2) appreciate the crucial relationship between species biology and ecology and vulnerability to environmental change; (3) discuss major threats to biodiversity, their causes, and management and research mitigating them; (4) explain the role of different stakeholders in shaping policy and decision-making; (5) demonstrate the necessary analytical and communication skills to participate in modern conservation research; and (6) apply relevant employability skills for conservation biology.

Broadening guidelines

All students studying towards a Bachelor's Degree at UWA are required to Broaden their studies by completing a minimum of four units (24 points) of study outside their degree specific major. Broadening is your opportunity to explore other areas of interest, investigate new disciplines and knowledge paradigms and to shape your degree to suit your own aspirations and interests. Many of you will be able to undertake more than this minimum amount of broadening study and we encourage you to do so if this suits your aspirations. Over the next few months you will find here some broadening suggestions related to your degree-specific major. While we know that many students value guidance of this sort, these are only suggestions and students should not lose sight of the opportunity to explore that is afforded by your Broadening Choices. Advice can also be sought from your Allocated Student Advising Office.

Prerequisites

Mathematics Methods ATAR or Mathematics Applications ATAR with a mathematics unit taken in the first year. Students without ATAR mathematics will take two first year mathematics units.

Conservation Biology can be taken as a degree-specific major in the following degree courses:

BP004 Bachelor of Science
BH005 Bachelor of Philosophy (Honours)

Overview of unit sequence

Conservation Biology is a degree-specific single major comprising:

  • four Level 1 units
  • four Level 2 units
  • four Level 3 units
Key to availability of units:
S1 = Semester 1; S2 = Semester 2; NS = non-standard teaching period

Level 1

Degree-specific major units
Take all units (24 points):
Availability Unit code Unit name unit requirements
S1 BIOL1130 Frontiers in Biology
Prerequisites:
Nil
Co-requisites:
Nil
Incompatibility:
Nil
S2 BIOL1131 Plant and Animal Biology
Prerequisites:
Nil
Co-requisites:
Nil
Incompatibility:
Nil
S1, S2 SCIE1104 Science, Society and Data Analysis
Prerequisites:
Nil
Co-requisites:
ATAR Subject Mathematics Applications ATAR
Or
MATH1720 Mathematics Fundamentals (ID 5107)
Incompatibility:
Unit STAT1520 Economic and Business Statistics (ID 397)
S1 SCOM1101 Communicating Science
Prerequisites:
ATAR Mathematics Applications
or
WACE Mathematics 2C/2D
or
TEE Discrete Mathematics
or
equivalent
or
higher
Co-requisites:
MATH1720 Mathematics Fundamentals (only required if students haven't completed Maths Applications
or
WACE Mathematics 2C/2D
or
TEE Discrete Mathematics
or
equivalent
or
higher). Please note that there will be a delay in validating your enrollment in SCOM1101 after you have enrolled in MATH 1720.
Incompatibility:
Nil
Bridging units
Bridging units must be successfully completed within the first 48 points of study. Students who have not achieved a scaled mark of at least 50 in Mathematics Methods ATAR or equivalent or higher are required to complete MATH1721. Students who have not achieved a scaled mark of at least 50 in Mathematics Applications ATAR or equivalent or higher are required to complete MATH1720 and MATH1721.
Availability Unit code Unit name unit requirements
S1, S2 MATH1720 Mathematics Fundamentals
Prerequisites:
Mathematics Applications ATAR (with a scaled score of less than 50)
or
with permission.
Co-requisites:
Nil.
Incompatibility:
Mathematics Applications ATAR (with a scaled score of 50
or
greater)
or
equivalent
or
higher.
S1, S2 MATH1721 Mathematics Foundations: Methods
Prerequisites:
Mathematics Applications ATAR
or
MATH1720 Mathematics Fundamentals
or
Mathematics Methods ATAR (with a scaled score of less than 50)
or
equivalent .
Co-requisites:
Nil.
Incompatibility:
WACE Mathematics: Specialist 3A/3B; MATH1038 Calculus and its Applications; MATH1045 Intermediate Calculus; Mathematics Specialist ATAR; MATH1001 Mathematical Methods 1; MATH1002 Mathematical Methods 2; MATH1011 Multivariable Calculus; MATH1012 Mathematical Theory and Methods;
or
STAT1520 Economics and Business Statistics.

Level 2

Degree-specific major units
Take all units (24 points):
Availability Unit code Unit name unit requirements
S1 BIOL2261 Conservation Biology
Prerequisites:
6 Points Unit BIOL1130 Frontiers in Biology (ID 1254)
Or
BIOL1131 Plant and Animal Biology (ID 1244)
Co-requisites:
Nil
Incompatibility:
Nil
S2 ENVT2221 Global Climate Change and Biodiversity
Prerequisites:
6 Points Unit BIOL1130 Frontiers in Biology (ID 1254)
Or
BIOL1131 Plant and Animal Biology (ID 1244)
Or
EART1105 Dynamic Planet (ID 1247)
Or
ENVT1104 Environmental Science and Technology (ID 5950)
Co-requisites:
Nil
Incompatibility:
Nil
S1 ENVT2250 Ecology
Prerequisites:
BIOL1130 Frontiers in Biology (formerly BIOL1130 Core Concepts in Biology)
or
BIOL1131 Plant and Animal Biology
or
ENVT1104 Environmental Science and Technology
Co-requisites:
Nil.
Incompatibility:
Nil.
S1, S2 GEOG2201 Geographic Information Systems
Prerequisites:
36 points of prior study
Co-requisites:
Nil.
Incompatibility:
Nil

Level 3

Degree-specific major units
Take all units (24 points):
Availability Unit code Unit name unit requirements
S2 ANIM3353 Wildlife Conservation and Management
Prerequisites:
6 Points Either ENVT2250 Ecology (ID 1228)
Or
ENVT2221 Global Climate Change and Biodiversity (ID 1293)
Co-requisites:
Nil
Incompatibility:
Course Enrolment 72520 Master of Biological Science (ID 165)
Or
Unit BIOL2261 Conservation Biology (ID 1250)
S1 ANIM3362 Evolutionary Processes
Prerequisites:
6 Points Unit BIOL1130 Frontiers in Biology (ID 1254) And Any Level 2 Units ANIM2xxx
Or
Level 2 Units BIOL2xxx
Or
Level 2 Units ENVT2xxx
Or
Level 2 Units GENE2xxx
Co-requisites:
Nil
Incompatibility:
Nil
NS BIOL3360 Saving Endangered Species
Prerequisites:
6 Points Unit BIOL2261 Conservation Biology (ID 1250)
Or
ENVT2250 Ecology (ID 1228)
Or
ENVT2221 Global Climate Change and Biodiversity (ID 1293)
or
Equivalent Approval of Unit Coordinator
Co-requisites:
Nil
Incompatibility:
Nil
S2 GEOG3303 Environmental Policy and Planning
Prerequisites:
Completion of 72 Points Course Enrolment MJD-CONBI Conservation Biology (ID 256)
Or
MJD-NRMGT Natural Resource Management (ID 1237)
Or
MJD-GGRPY Geographical Sciences (ID 1240)
Or
MJD-HGYPL Human Geography and Planning (ID 1550)
Or
MJD-WLCDM Wildlife Conservation (ID 4836)
Or
MJD-ENVDM Environmental Science and Management (ID 4842)
Or
MJD-ENVMT Environmental Management (ID 4847)
Or
MJD-ENGEO Environmental Geography and Planning (ID 4869)
Or
MNR-SAPEP Science and Policy: Environmental Planning (ID 59)
Or
MNR-SPCEU Science and Policy: Climate Change, Environmental Planning and Urban Environments (ID 60)
Or
MNR-ENVST Understanding the Environment (ID 73)
Co-requisites:
Nil
Incompatibility:
Unit PLNG2203 Environmental Policy and Planning (ID 1313)

Choosing your degree-specific major

General degrees

You must satisfy the requirements of a degree-specific major before you complete your course. The flexible structure of an undergraduate course allows you to try out a number of different subjects to see what interests you before nominating your degree-specific major. You have the choice to either nominate your degree-specific major when you first enrol in the course or delay nominating it until your second year.

To plan the first year of your study without nominating a degree-specific major, you are advised to choose units that will pave the way to two or more degree-specific majors that are of interest to you. For examples of the choice of units available in first year, search the first-year study plans .

To fully understand the structure of an undergraduate course, read the course structure information and the Undergraduate Degree Course Rules.

The following example illustrates how the Conservation Biology degree-specific major can be included in the Bachelor of Science course.

Example 1:
Course Study Plan: CSP004-CONBI

There are more choices open to you. For more examples, search the study plans .

Specialised degrees – Bachelor of Advanced Computer Science (Honours), Bachelor of Automation and Robotics, Bachelor of Environmental Design, Bachelor of Music

You must satisfy the requirements of the degree-specific major in your degree before you complete your course.

Bachelor of Philosophy, Politics and Economics

This comprehensive degree does not require you to choose a degree-specific major.

Choosing a second major

You also have the option to choose a second major from those available in the Bachelor of Arts, Bachelor of Biomedical Science, Bachelor of Commerce, Bachelor of Design Only available to re-enrolling students. and Bachelor of Science courses, giving you the opportunity to pursue your interests no matter how different they are.

The following example illustrates how the Conservation Biology degree-specific major can be combined with a second major in the Bachelor of Science course.

Perth
Course Study Plan: CSP004-CONBI-Generic-1
Albany
Course Study Plan: CSP004-CONBI-Generic-2

For more examples of combinations of majors, search the study plans .