Master of Science in Biodiversity and Conservation Biology

• Provide learners with specialised knowledge, specific skills and applied competence in the field of Biodiversity and Conservation Biology that provide opportunities for continued personal intellectual growth, gainful economic activity and rewarding contributions to the sustainable management, utilisation and conservation of Biodiversity.
• Provide South Africa with significant numbers of postgraduates in the field of Biodiversity and Conservation Biology in order to ensure that the local leadership base of innovative and knowledge-based economic and scholarly activity is widened. To increase national and regional capacity for research and decision-making in the field of Biodiversity and Conservation Biology.
• Provide the skills and intellectual capacity needed to ensure that South Africa has the capacity to implement the International Convention on Biodiversity, to which it is a signatory.

Entry Requirements

The minimum entry requirement for this qualification is

• Bachelor of Science Honours: Biodiversity and Conservation, NQF Level 8.

1. Display specialised scholastic and supervised research skills in the field of Biodiversity and Conservation Biology and perform a full range of standard and non-standard procedures, often in non-standard combinations across the sub-disciplines in Biodiversity and Conservation Biology.
2. Possess specialised knowledge of the field of Biodiversity and Conservation Biology, be capable of information processing at the level of analysis, transformation and evaluation of abstract data and concepts, and be able to formulate hypotheses and design research projects and qualifications to test and evaluate hypotheses in collaboration with a supervisor.
3. Communicate effectively, in both oral and written modes, with peers, using the appropriate structure, style and graphics support, including the joint publication of research in peer-reviewed journals and presentation of research at international conferences with the assistance of a supervisor.
4. Communicate effectively with the broader community of stakeholders, including the press and the public via popular articles.
5. Assume responsibility for planning, resourcing and managing research and other projects in the field of Biodiversity and Conservation Biology and assume complete accountability for determining, achieving and evaluating personal and group output.
6. Carry out advanced research under the supervision.

Integrated assessment

At Master's level, assessment is based on the presentation of a thesis based on research conducted under the direct supervision of a supervisor or supervisory committee.