Delivered by UWE Bristol and Bristol Zoological Society staff, this online course offers a rich learning experience.

This 30 credit module, Conservation Project Management, will give you the expertise to design, implement, and monitor wildlife conservation projects at a strategic level. You will master key project management principles tailored to conservation, enabling you to create robust project plans and trackers, adapt to changing conditions, and effectively manage diverse teams across cultures. The project management components of this module are grounded in the Project Management for Wildlife Conservation (PMWC) framework, ensuring that your learning aligns with best practice in the field. By the end of the course, you will be equipped to lead conservation initiatives with greater impact, balancing project objectives with real-world challenges to achieve meaningful results in wildlife conservation.

On successful completion of this level 7 (Masters level) module, you will be able to: 

• understand the project life cycle, and demonstrate critical awareness of different project management frameworks to maximise conservation impact.
• create and implement a range of project management frameworks in order to plan and deliver complex conservation projects.    
• demonstrate how to interpret challenges and analyse scenarios in order to react to identified risks and issues, and evaluate the project based on lessons learned.    
• critically assess the challenges involved in the management and training of project staff in a transcultural environment and propose solutions to ensure effective and timely completion of activities and production of deliverables. 

Careers / Further study

This module can contribute towards the MSc Conservation Leadership and Professional Development Awards. If you have any queries, please contact the Professional Development team using the enquiry form below.

For further information

Email: cjohnson@bzsociety.org.uk

Telephone: +44 (0)117 32 81158

Content

The module syllabus typically includes the following:

• Introduction to objective setting, timeline and management of different project phases (pre-project design, project implementation, and project closure) ensuring the different sections of project management to ensure that conservation activities start with adequate documentation, funds and staff in place, and to make certain that there is a clear path for undertaking and completing the project once it has been initiated.
• Project management types and management flexibility.
• Leadership styles and understanding own strength and weaknesses.
• Assignment of roles within the project to ensure clear decision-making, efficient project control.
• Recruiting, training and managing staff; as well as establishing system of works to ensure staff engagement (regular meetings, appraisal and monthly work plan) and team cohesion in a transcultural environment (e.g. innovative ways to recruit staff, HR management and planning, handling difficult situations with discretion and conflict resolution).
• Managing partner, stakeholders and third parties: relationships, communication, conflict resolution, cultural differences, etc.
• The monitoring and control processes required to ensure that the project remains on track to achieve the impact, within budget and on schedule, to manage risks and issues effectively, and to identify and adapt to lessons learned.
• Methods and processes to ensure effectiveness of communication and maximisation of quality of required documentation and deliverables.
• The creation and utility of standardised documentation and administrative processes required for successful planning, implementation, evaluation, and reporting of a project.
• Implementing and monitoring safeguarding and whistleblowing processes as well as Equality, Diversity and Inclusivity (EDI) training.

Learning and Teaching

This course is delivered 100% online. Creating a flexible learning environment to suit your needs.

This level 7 (Masters level) module will be delivered through a combination of recorded lectures and asynchronous activities including, but not limited to, contributions to forums, wikis and guided reading.

Each teaching week will include live, interactive tutorial classes and facilitated group work to support your learning.

This module will make draw on the extensive expertise extensive use of Bristol Zoological Society and UWE Bristol's expertise in managing conservation programmes both in the UK and internationally, incorporating real world project management of conservation programmes in the UK and around the world, and will provide real-world case studies to support enhance student learning.

You will have access to learning materials a few days prior to the first live online session.

Assessment

The single assessment for this module is comprised of a mock interview (20 minutes) for a hypothetical conservation project manager job role, where you will be evaluated on your ability to apply the theoretical concepts learned during the course into an applied real-world scenarios. 

Your interview will be assessed by a panel of two academic staff, and two weeks prior to the assessment, you will be provided with the salient information about an imaginary existing conservation project, including the aims, objectives, budgets, and personnel involved.