Honours in Conservation Biology
As human pressures on our natural environment are at an all-time high, the need for experienced conservation biologists to attempt to reverse the declines in ecosystem functioning and health, and in species population sizes, is increasing. You will undertake rigorous scientific research related to the conservation of threatened flora, fauna or ecological communities. Research projects can vary from studying aspects of a rare species biology or ecology, to experiments investigating different threat mitigation strategies, or an economic analysis of the costs and benefits of different management techniques. You will develop your practical and theoretical skills in conservation-related research by conducting your own research project, and participating in units on conservation genetics, conservation planning, restoration ecology, and data analysis. Honours in Conservation Biology leads to many careers including (restoration) ecologist, conservation biologist, environmental impact assessor, DEC flora or fauna officer, government policy writer and consultant, consultant for mining companies, science journalist, laboratory technician or field research officer.
Outcomes: Students are able to (1) critically identify gaps in knowledge in the field of conservation biology; (2) design and implement a research project that fills an identified gap in knowledge; (3) critically analyse results and draw evidence-based conclusions; (4) manage and analyse research data sets using appropriate statistical tests; (5) present research outcomes orally and in the form of a scientific paper; and (6) convey specialist knowledge in the field of conservation biology.
Entry requirements: the equivalent of a UWA weighted average mark of at least 65 per cent in the Level 3 units of the Conservation Biology major.
Intake periods: Beginning of year and mid-year
Honours sequence
| Key to availability of units: |
|---|
| S1 = Semester 1; S2 = Semester 2; N/A = not available in 2021; NS = non-standard teaching period |
Note: Units that are indicated as N/A may be available in 2022 or 2023.
Take all units (42 points):
| Availability | Unit code | Unit name | Unit rules |
|---|
| S1, S2 | BIOL4441 | Honours in Biological Sciences Research Development | - Prerequisites:
- enrolment in Botany, Conservation Biology, Marine Science
or
Zoology specialisation in the Bachelor of Science (Honours) (BH004)
or
Bachelor of Philosophy (Honours) (BH005)
|
| S1, S2 | BIOL4446 | Honours in Biological Sciences Research Presentation Skills | - Prerequisites:
- enrolment in Botany, Conservation Biology, Marine Science
or
Zoology specialisation in the Bachelor of Science (Honours) (BH004)
or
Bachelor of Philosophy (Honours) (BH005) - Co-requisites:
- BIOL5445 Honours in Biological Sciences Research Dissertation Part 4
|
| S1, S2 | BIOL5442 | Honours in Biological Sciences Research Dissertation Part 1 | - Prerequisites:
- enrolment in Botany, Conservation Biology, Marine Science
or
Zoology specialisation in the Bachelor of Science (Honours) (BH004)
or
Bachelor of Philosophy (Honours) (BH005) - Co-requisites:
- BIOL4441 Honours in Biological Sciences Honours Research Development
|
| S1, S2 | BIOL5443 | Honours in Biological Sciences Research Dissertation Part 2 | - Prerequisites:
- enrolment in Botany, Conservation Biology, Marine Science
or
Zoology specialisation in the Bachelor of Science (Honours) (BH004)
or
Bachelor of Philosophy (Honours) (BH005) - Co-requisites:
- BIOL4441 Honours in Biological Sciences Honours Research Development, BIOL5442 Honours in Biological Sciences Honours Research Dissertation Part 1
|
| S1, S2 | BIOL5444 | Honours in Biological Sciences Research Dissertation Part 3 | - Prerequisites:
- enrolment in Botany, Conservation Biology, Marine Science
or
Zoology specialisation in the Bachelor of Science (Honours) (BH004)
or
Bachelor of Philosophy (Honours) (BH005) - Co-requisites:
- BIOL4441 Honours in Biological Sciences Research Development, BIOL5442 Honours in Biological Sciences Research Dissertation Part 1, BIOL5443 Honours in Biological Sciences Research Dissertation Part 2
|
| S1, S2 | BIOL5445 | Honours in Biological Sciences Research Dissertation Part 4 | - Prerequisites:
- enrolment in Botany, Conservation Biology, Marine Science
or
Zoology specialisation in the Bachelor of Science (Honours) (BH004)
or
Bachelor of Philosophy (Honours) (BH005) - Co-requisites:
- BIOL5442 Honours in Biological Sciences Honours Research Dissertation Part 1, BIOL5443 Honours in Biological Sciences Honours Research Dissertation Part 2, BIOL5444 Honours in Biological Sciences Honours Research Dissertation Part 3
|
| S1, S2 | SCIE4402 | Data Management and Analysis in the Natural Sciences | - Prerequisites:
- enrolment in a postgraduate course
or
honours; STAT1400 Statistics for Science
or
STAT1520 Economic and Business Statistics
or
STAT2210 Biometrics 1
or
SCIE1104 Science, Society and Data Analysis
or
SCIE4401 Data Use in the Natural Sciences
or
ENVT4422 Research Methods in Environmental Science
|
Take unit(s) to the value of 6 points:
| Availability | Unit code | Unit name | Unit rules |
|---|
| S2 | BIOL4406 | Vertebrate Zoology | - Prerequisites:
- enrolment in the Master of Biological Science (72520)
or
the Bachelor of Science (Honours) (BH004)
|
| S2 | BIOL4407 | Marine Conservation and Fisheries Management | - Prerequisites:
- enrolment in the Master of Biological Science (72520)
or
the Master of Science (70630)
or
the Master of Biomedical Science (71520)
or
the Master of Biotechnology (71580)
or
the Master of Geographic Information Science (71570)
or
the Bachelor of Science (Honours) (BH004)
or
the Master of Ocean Leadership (62540)
|
| NS | BIOL4408 | Marine Ecology | - Prerequisites:
- enrolment in the Master of Biological Science (72520)
or
the Master of Science (70630)
or
the Bachelor of Science (Honours) (BH004); ANIM3361 Animal Populations
or
ENVT3363 Ecological Processes
or
SCIE3304 Field Techniques in Marine Science
or
equivalent
|
| S1 | BIOL4410 | Environmental Genomics | - Prerequisites:
- Second year UWA genetics
or
equivalent
|
| S2 | BIOL5502 | Managing Threatened Species and Ecological Communities | - Prerequisites:
- enrolment in Master of Biological Science (72520)
or
Master of Science (70630)
or
Bachelor of Science (Honours) (BH004)
|
| S2 | BIOL5542 | Conservation Genetics | - Prerequisites:
- enrolment in the Master of Biological Science (72520)
or
the Master of Biotechnology (71580)
or
the Master of Geographic Information Science (71570)
or
Bachelor of Science (Honours) (BH004)
and
GENE4002 Integrated Topics in Genetics I
or
GENE2250 Principles of Inheritance
or
equivalent.
|
| S1 | ENVT4401 | Advanced Land Use and Management | - Prerequisites:
- enrolment in the Master of Environmental Science (72530)
or
the Master of Agricultural Science (72510)
or
the Master of Hydrogeology (72540)
or
Bachelor of Science (Honours) (BH004)
or
Master of Environmental Science (72530)
or
Master of Geographic Information Science (71570)
|
| S1 | ENVT4402 | Analysis for Environmental Management | - Prerequisites:
- enrolment in Master of Agricultural Economics (73530)
or
Master of Environmental Science (72530)
or
Master of International Development (71550)
or
Master of Economics (42620)
or
honours in the Faculty of Science - Incompatibility:
- ECON3320 Analysis for Natural Resource Economics
|
| S1, S2 | ENVT4411 | Geographic Information Systems Applications |
|
| S1 | ENVT5310 | Biodiversity on Country | - Prerequisites:
- enrolled in Master of Environmental Science (72530)
or
enrolled in the Master of Biological Science (72520) - Incompatibility:
- ENVT3310 Biodiversity on Country
|
| S1 | ENVT5512 | Ecosystem Biogeochemistry | - Prerequisites:
- enrolment in the Master of Biological Science (72520)
or
the Master of Biotechnology (71580)
or
the Master of Science (70630)
or
the Master of Agricultural Science (72510)
or
Bachelor of Science (Honours) (BH004)
or
Master of Hydrogeology (72540)
or
Master of Environmental Science (72530) - Incompatibility:
- ENVT3305 Ecosystem Biogeochemistry, ENVT8305 Ecosystem Biogeochemistry
|
| N/A | PLNG5511 | Climate Change Policy and Planning |
|