The Cambridge Masters in Conservation Leadership is a ground-breaking course that equips students with the applied leadership and management skills needed to create positive change in conservation.
A unique feature of the course is its delivery by a collaboration between the University of Cambridge and nine leading conservation organisations, which together comprise the Cambridge Conservation Initiative.
The Masters is hosted by the Department of Geography and delivered in the David Attenborough Building.
The curriculum combines taught modules with hands-on experiential learning through a group consultancy and an individual professional placement hosted by a conservation organisation.
Scholarships partial and fully-funded
Two scholarship programmes have been established to support students to attend the Masters, one of which is the Miriam Rothschild Scholarship Programme in Conservation Leadership, generously supported by Arcadia.
Scholarships can either be awarded partially, to cover specific aspects of funding required by students, or awarded in full. Full scholarships include fees and a stipend to cover living expenses. Offers of scholarships will be made competitively based on academic quality, professional experience and conservation leadership potential. Priority will be given to applicants from countries rich in biodiversity but poor in financial resources, and who are not able to fund their studies from other sources.
Once a formal application for a place on the course has been made via the Graduate Admissions Office, scholarship applicants should write and submit a financial case of a maximum 200 words explaining the funds that they have available, and any further funds required to take up a place on the course.
Please note that we can only award scholarship funding to candidates who can provide evidence that they have met the university English language requirements. It is not necessary to have met the requirement at the point of application, but meeting the requirement as soon as possible will improve the chances of scholarship funding. Decisions about scholarship funding are made each year in the period of February to May for the cohort beginning in October
Other sources of funding
Applicants are encouraged to seek diverse sources of funding to maximise their chances of success. Many applicants will be eligible to apply for scholarship support from the Cambridge Trusts and/or the Gates Cambridge Scholarships. Applications for these schemes are made as part of the Graduate Admissions process. The deadline to be considered for these scholarships is usually in early December of each year.
Requirements
Expected Academic Standard
Applicants for this course should have achieved a UK II.i Honours Degree.
If your degree is not from the UK, please check International Qualifications to find the equivalent in your country.
At least a UK II.i honours degree or equivalent and with at least three years of relevant postgraduate work experience.
University Minimum Academic Requirements
Language Requirement
IELTS (Academic)
| Element | Score |
|---|---|
| Listening | 7.0 |
| Writing | 7.0 |
| Reading | 7.0 |
| Speaking | 7.0 |
| Total | 7.0 |
TOEFL Internet Score
| Element | Score |
|---|---|
| Listening | 25 |
| Writing | 25 |
| Reading | 25 |
| Speaking | 25 |
| Total | 100 |
CAE
Score: Grade A or B (with at least 193 in each individual element) plus a language centre assessment.
CPE
Score: Grade A, B, or C (with at least 200 in each individual element).
How to apply
Apply using the Applicant Portal
The Apply Now button on the right will take you to the Applicant Portal. There, you can create and submit your application and supporting documents, and you can also request your references.
An application is only complete when:
- you have submitted your application and supporting documents via the Applicant Portal
- you have paid the £70 application fee. Further information on application fees see here.
- your referees have provided their references.
If you miss the deadlines specified in this section, you will not be able to submit your application.
Selection Process
Applications are considered as part of a gathered field after the closing deadline. Interviews take place in January. Decisions about conditional offers are usually made in January and February.
Further information on How To Apply
Things You’ll Need
In order to apply for this course you’ll need to think about getting a few things ready before you apply.
- Two academic references
- Transcript
- CV/resume
- Evidence of competence in English
If required – you can check using our tool - Conservation Leadership
• A statement of no more than 500 words entitled “Why I would like to enrol in the MPhil in Conservation Leadership and how my background provides the relevant leadership experience for this course” should be submitted with the application. • An academic essay of no more than 500 words entitled “An analysis of the most important conservation leadership challenge facing XXX and how it should be solved”, where XXX can be either your country (e.g. Botswana) or a conservation organisation with which you are familiar (e.g. Conservation Intl.).Gates Cambridge Scholarships
If you wish to be considered for a Gates Cambridge Scholarship you will also need to provide the following:
- Gates Cambridge Reference
- Research Proposal (PhD applicants only)
Source / More information: Official Website
