We have developed our degree accreditation scheme to recognise those undergraduate and postgraduate degrees that offer students the knowledge and practical skills most valued by employers. The need for such a scheme was identified by research published in 2011 into the ecological skills gap and skills shortages in the UK and Ireland.

The purpose of our degree accreditation is:

• To support higher education institutes in developing graduates that can help the profession address the skills gap and skills shortage issue.
• To promote the importance of mandatory practical fieldwork as part of taught degree courses.
• To help students make informed choices about what different courses are available and the skills that they provide, to help them with their future career prospects.

Our degree accreditation scheme is focused on core ecological and environmental theory and significant practical experience, much of which should be in the form of fieldwork. We firmly believe that experience ‘in the field’ is essential to gaining skills that are crucially important to employers seeking to recruit graduates. These include:

• the application of theoretical knowledge in ‘real world’ situations;
• the teaching of some skills (e.g. species identification) that can only be taught, or can best be taught, in the field;
• exposure to uncontrolled, unpredictable field situations; and
• the development of scientific interpretation, analytical and report writing skills.

Benefits of Accreditation

Studying a CIEEM accredited degree or degree pathway has many significant benefits:

• Our accreditation is underpinned by feedback directly from employers – we have designed the scheme around what we know they are looking for in candidates.
• The course content and achievement of key learning outcomes has been rigorously assessed for quality and relevance.
• Students studying on accredited degrees or degree pathways are eligible for FREE student membership, for the duration that the course is accredited.
• During their course, students will have the opportunity to attend relevant CIEEM events, meet practising ecologists and environmental managers, and access careers advice from employers within the sector.

Here is what accredited students have to say:

“Choosing a CIEEM accredited degree assured me of the quality of education that I would receive and that future employers would recognise this as well”. – Matthew, Nottingham Trent University, BSc (Hons) Biological Sciences (Ecology and Environmental Management)

Undergraduate Accredited Degrees

Institution	Course	Valid from	Valid until
	BSc Ecology and Conservation	2023	January 2029
	BSc (Hons) Environmental Land Management	2013	April 2028
	BSc (Hons) Wildlife Conservation and Environmental Management	2017	April 2028
	BSc Environmental Science	2016	October 2026
	BSc (Hons) Environmental Science	2014	May 2029
	BSc (Hons) Biological Sciences (Environmental Biology)	2013	June 2025
	BSc (Hons) Animal Biology and Conservation	2014	June 2024
	BSc (Hons) Natural History	2017	June 2026

Postgraduate Accredited Degrees

Institution	Course	Valid from	Valid until
	MSc Biodiversity Conservation	2018	August 2028
	MSc Conservation Management	2019	March 2024
	MSc Wildlife Biology and Conservation	2018	May 2029
	MSc Ecology and Environmental Management	2016	April 2027
	MSc Biodiversity Conservation	2014	February 2025
	MSc Conservation Ecology	2014	July 2024
	MSc Wildlife and ConservationManagement	2017	March 2025

Accredited Degree Pathways

 

BSc (Hons) Zoology

2016

March 2027

If a degree or degree pathway becomes accredited by CIEEM before or during your time on that course, you are entitled to apply for FREE CIEEM Student Membership (CIEEM Accredited Degree), until the accreditation ceases.