Im interested in doing a degree in an environmental subject, preferably animal/wildlife related. Does anyone know of any distance learning courses, not just degree, but HNC etc etc.

Cheers

Do you need the qual or just want to learn the stuff?

What’s your motivation for studying? Is it a general interest thing or more work / continuing professional development?

I did a BSc in Zoology at Durham and am now on an MSc in Sustainability and Environmental Studies at Strathclyde. Both interesting and will be useful for my career but a few people I know have done environmental courses (not necessarily degree) and they weren’t quite at the level they were looking for.

Edit: Beaten to it by CM

I just finished a part time MSc in ecology.

Really enjoyed it, but experience talking to others on the course showed that each person has their own aims & expectations. As the other folks said, you have to be clear about what you want it to do for you & go through the course specification and module options in some detail to check it will meet it.

Where abouts in the country are you? No distance learning courses jump to mind immediately, but places do offer different options for part time study. It might be worth considering that most courses in the fields you describe will likely have a significant taught fieldwork & taxonomy aspect, which may limit the number of places offering a full-on distance learning course. Hope you find something to suit you though.

Open University – I am doing a environmental science degree, it is hard work but am enjoying it.

Plenty of courses but very few jobs ( that pay anything like a decent wage).

Thanks all,

Well, Im a very keen lover of nature, mainly birdwatching or dare I say ornithology. I would love a complete change of career. At the moment Im a systems integration engineer in the military sat comms field. But my passion lies with the nature/wildlife/ conservation etc etc….

My problem is, is that I live in Ludlow, but I work away from home mon to fri every week, and its no set location! Basically whenever any military sat comms system that im responsible for breaks down , I go to it!

Im aware that wages are low in the environmental job sector, but even just for interest I would like to study the area I love, and maybe an opportunity may arise in the distant future!

Any advice is welcome 🙂 cheers

Any advice welcome

+1 for Open University.

There are various ways of study and ways in. Not so aware of bird related stuff, but on the ecology side;

You can do practical survey training with people like Field Studies Council or Denmark Farm / Aberystwyth Uni’ lifelong learning – mostly short courses in ID or survey.

Not aware of any distance qualifications unless working in the sector, particularly at the hands on end of things.

From the ecologists I meet through work, those that survey tend to be very interested, but unqualified though very knowledgeable.

Those that right the reports are the same or those that get there on qualifications. They make the links and the future management plans, still knowledgeable, but in a more theoretical, visionary way.

The latter is better paid, but most people wish they were back in the field rather than in the office.

I am doing a Bsc Hons in Environmental science at UHI, and it is basically an online degree. There are large elements based on lab practice. and it would obviously require you to turn up for those. The course is tutored by some fantastic lecturers ( and some not so it has to be said), but it is engaging and covers a lot of ground. However, and it is a big concern, is that while UHI place a large emphasis on analytical chemistry, I still feel that we are only scratching the surface. If I had my time again I would study a single science such as chemistry/biology/ecology. It would make it far easier for you to specialise with a solid background in one subject. So while I find the course very rewarding, I will most likely have to study at post grad level in the field of my choice.

There could be other options apart from having a degree to work in the sector, for example doing a recognised MMO course would probably open doors into that area of work without requiring a degree, though I’m not 100% certain on that. If you have ornithological experience to a level that would enable you to get work based on that skill that could be worth pursuing without the degree – lots of ornithologists are needed to do bird surveys for onshore and offshore developments like windfarms. I’m pretty sure not all of them will necessarily have a relevant degree. If you do go down the degree route it would be good to build up relevant field experience that you can demonstrate – lots of people have environmental degrees but if you have relevant field experience that will put you in good favour over everyone else.

Do something like accounting or computer programming.. as you’ll really struggle to get a job after. I have a degree in Environmental Biology and a Diploma thing in Environmental Education and I cant get a job in my field. Studying also made me realise that nearly everyone is completely apathetic about environmental issues and there isnt much long term hope for the parasitic like human population.

Definitely agree with getting loads of experience

have a look at http://www.shropshirebirds.com/ for local stuff, don’t worry it’s safe for work

also local wildlife trusts, RSPB and National Trust are good places to start.

Unfortunately, loads of this sort of thing is voluntary and relies (exploits) those with a genuine interest in the field.

Have you been bird ringing?
Usually early hours so can be fitted in before work and you’ll meet some very dedicated people. Some of the big consultancies will also take people ad-hoc over the survey season for bird surveying.

Interestingly, my wife who when asked what her job is, classifies herself as ecologist because it is far easier than explaining what she really does, rather cynically labels ecologists as ‘the enablers of development’ through experience of commercial practice.

Have a look here to get an idea

http://www.environmentjob.co.uk/

If you haven’t already, try the IEEM (Institute of Ecology and Environmental Management) website section for students & careers http://www.ieem.net/students-careers.

There is some useful information there on what to reasonably expect looking looking at different approaches. They are also generally very helpful, so maybe send them an email?

Wow, thanks all for the input.

Another concern, is that im too old to make the move, I’m 38 and by the time id have completed an online course, Id be 45 ish! Bearing in mind I have a young family and a mortgage etc etc, I feel I may be wasting my time with a bit of a dream!
I notice Oxford college do an online HND in Env Science. I may do this, as its at least some form of qual to go with plenty of field experience, and I know that from my current profession, degrees are not everything.

I work in environmental consultancy and as per the comments above, ecology isn’t the best payer although with longer experience (10 plus years) it gets a bit better.

My suggestion would be to stick with what you do but explore opportunities for getting involved with organisations such as the Shropshire Wildlife Trust, BTO, RSPB etc in a voluntary capacity (you may do this already) with a view to seeing what jobs might be there (few and far between but worth looking out for) or at least scratching the itch through voluntary involvement. On balance I would tend to agree that a wholesale change of career into an environmental based one might be tricky at your age with a family and mortgage etc especially if you have to fork out for college fees and hence the suggestion of trying a more gradual change based on an organisation such as SWT.