Study Wildlife Management

Postgraduate Diploma in Wildlife Management Course Outline

At University of Otago postgraduate papers (units) are each worth 24 points. The Postgraduate Diploma in Wildlife Management requires completion of a total of 144 points at 400-level, i.e. 6 postgraduate papers. The six papers will be made up of two core papers, and some combination of recommended and optional papers. The intention is to allow you the flexibility to choose the course structure that best suits your future aspirations.

Core papers

All Diploma students must take the WILM 401 Principles of Wildlife Management paper, and WILM 402 Techniques of Wildlife Management.

Recommended papers

For students lacking undergraduate training in conservation biology it is recommended they take WILM 406 Conservation Biology for Wildlife Management, on approval by the Course Director.

If you have not completed ZOOL 316, or an equivalent undergraduate biostatistics paper, then you must take WILM 404 Biostatistics for Wildlife Management.

You can also choose WILM 403 Practice in Wildlife Management, if you seek to develop your research skills with a host organization.

Optional papers

 

Students have completed course requirements by selecting from a wide variety of postgraduate papers, including those hosted by the following University of Otago Departments:

Futher information

Further information regarding the regulations for the Postgraduate Diploma in Wildlife Management (PGDipWLM) is available elsewhere on the University website.

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Other papers taken by Wildlife Management Students

In recent years students doing the Postgraduate Diploma in Wildlife Management have completed the following optional papers as part of their course requirements. Paper timing and availability may vary from year to year.

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MSc study option

Many incoming postgraduate students face a choice of whether to continue on to do a Master of Science (MSc) or only a Postgraduate Diploma. If you have a strong interest in wildlife ecology, research and management, the combination of Diploma and MSc offers several advantages over taking a standard BSc Honours or MSc course.

Diploma graduates can take several fourth year papers with a specialist wildlife focus that are not available to other students. Diploma graduates can go on directly to do a Masters by-thesis-only (i.e., your Diploma year counts for the papers part of an MSc). In addition, Diploma graduates have the choice of doing an MSc in Wildlife Management, or in Zoology, Ecology, or even Marine Science, depending on their thesis topic. This will entail one-year of full-time research and thesis writing. Accordingly you can graduate with both a postgraduate Diploma and a MSc in the same time as those pursuing a standard MSc course.

If you intend to go on to MSc by-thesis-only, you need to complete the Diploma year with good grades. You should start thinking about suitable MSc projects and potential supervisors during your Diploma year. If your Diploma grades are good enough you may be eligible for University of Otago postgraduate funding. It may be possible to undertake field work for your MSc while based overseas.

Some recent MSc theses by Wildlife Management (PGDipWILM) graduates:

2008

2007

2006

2005

2004

 

2003

 

© Department of Zoology
340 Great King Street
PO Box 56
Dunedin 9054
New Zealand

Tel 64 3 479 7986
Fax 64 3 479 7584
Email wildlife.management
@otago.ac.nz

 

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