Conservation Biology and English Literature (with Foundation Year) BA (Hons)

This is a four year degree taught at our Hope Park campus. The Foundation Year aims to develop your skills so that after a year, you will be equipped with the necessary skills needed for studying the full BA Hons degree programme.<br/><br/>**Conservation Biology**<br/>Conservation biology is concerned with the protection and management of nature and the Earth’s biodiversity. It involves an evaluation of human and other factors that affect all living organisms with the aim of protecting and conserving species, their habitats and ecosystems. It is an interdisciplinary subject that draws on natural sciences to devise satisfactory processes and approaches by which to sustain and protect plant and animal biodiversity in the UK and abroad.<br/><br/>This course mainly focuses on conservation in terrestrial environments. It develops knowledge of key areas such as the principles and practices of ecology, habitat management, nature conservation and the functioning of natural systems, particularly with regard to different points of view including scientific, ethical and philosophical perspectives. Opportunities are provided to apply knowledge and understanding of conservation biology during field courses within the UK and abroad giving first-hand experience of a range of ecosystems.<br/><br/>**English Literature**<br/><br/>Study with us and you will encounter a wide variety of texts from medieval right through to contemporary literature. As much as possible we try to make the experience of literature come alive by not only studying texts in classrooms, but also going on various local and national field trips.<br/><br/>During your degree, you will gain a sound grasp of the contexts and approaches within which English literature can be studied, as well as gaining a sense of the development across periods of English literature. You also develop a critical appreciation of the ways in which knowledge of other disciplines and their relationships to English literature can contribute to a deeper understanding of literary texts. The academic staff teaching the degree have research expertise in a broad range of fields. We pride ourselves on offering a challenging and stimulating degree, and our commitment to small group teaching allows us to help each individual student to develop sophisticated analytical and communication skills through working both independently and in groups.