Primate Conservation
MSc or PGDip or PGCert
Key facts
Start dates
September 2025 / September 2026
Location
Course length
Full time: MSc: 12 months; PGDip: 8 months; PGCert: 4 months
Part time: MSc: 24 months; PGDip: 16 months; PGCert: 8 months
Department
Overview
Focus on the area of Primate Conservation that you’re passionate about - and learn directly from internationally renowned conservation researchers.
On this course, you’ll gain a deep knowledge of conservation biology and primates. You’ll shape your learning experience around your interests - whether that’s habitat loss, the illegal wildlife trade or population management. You’ll collaborate on meaningful conservation projects and you’ll undertake fieldwork on a topic you care about - within our network of field sites in over 40 countries.
You’ll work directly with internationally acclaimed tutors who carry out world-leading research across Asia, South America and Africa, including Madagascar. Your tutors have unparalleled expertise on primates, and you can specialise in the topic of your choice within species like:
- Great apes
- Gibbons
- Asian, African and American Monkeys
- Lorises and galagos
- Lemurs
- Tarsiers
You’ll emerge with the skills to start or accelerate your career in conservation biology.
How to apply
Entry requirements
Specific entry requirements
You will normally be required to have, or be expecting, a good honours degree in anthropology, biology, ecology, psychology or an acceptable related discipline.
If you are not a graduate, or if you have graduated in an unrelated discipline, you will be considered for entry to the course if you can demonstrate in your application, and at an interview, that you are able to work at an advanced level in the discipline. You may also be asked to write a short essay and/or present evidence of original work in support of your application.
We will consider appropriate credits obtained elsewhere. Accreditation of prior learning (eg a conversion course or an advanced research training course) will be considered on a case-by-case basis by the course manager.
Transfer between part-time and full-time modes, transfer from the diploma to the MSc, or deferral of study may be possible in certain circumstances at the discretion of the examination committee.
Please also see the University's general entry requirements.
English language requirements
IELTS 6.5 with 6.0 in reading, writing, listening and speaking.
Please also see the University's standard English language requirements.
English requirements for visas
If you need a student visa to enter the UK you will need to meet the UK Visas and Immigration minimum language requirements as well as the University's requirements. Find out more about English language requirements.
Pathways courses for international and EU students
We offer a range of courses to help you meet the entry requirements for your postgraduate course and also familiarise you with university life in the UK.
Take a Pre-Master's course to develop your subject knowledge, study skills and academic language level in preparation for your master's course.
If you need to improve your English language, we offer pre-sessional English language courses to help you meet the English language requirements of your chosen master’s course.
Terms and Conditions of Enrolment
When you accept our offer, you agree to the Terms and Conditions of Enrolment. You should therefore read those conditions before accepting the offer.
Application process
Tuition fees
Questions about fees?
Contact Student Finance on:
Tuition fees
Fees quoted are for the first year only. If you are studying a course that lasts longer than one year, your fees will increase each year.
The following factors will be taken into account by the University when it is setting the annual fees: inflationary measures such as the retail price indices, projected increases in University costs, changes in the level of funding received from Government sources, admissions statistics and access considerations including the availability of student support.
How and when to pay
Tuition fee instalments for the semester are due by the Monday of week 1 of each semester. Students are not liable for full fees for that semester if they leave before week 4. If the leaving date is after week 4, full fees for the semester are payable.
- For information on payment methods please see our Make a Payment page.
- For information about refunds please visit our Refund policy page
Financial support and scholarships
There are also opportunities to apply for a scholarship which covers the fees for a student from a primate habitat country. Applicants must indicate on their application that they would like to be considered for this scholarship.
Because of the urgent need for the study of conservation, some private agencies offer scholarships with very particular eligibility criteria relating to gender, age, nationality, and domicile. Ask your local librarian for a guide to funding within your country. You could also try the following agencies:
- Conservation Leadership Programme
- Charlotte Conservation Fellows Program
- Commonwealth Masters Scholarship
- Russel E Train Education for Nature Program Fellowship
- TWOWS Postgraduate Training Fellowship
- Martha J Galante Award
Also available is the Dean's Postgraduate Scholarship
The Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences believes strongly in the importance of making a difference to the world of our students, and in the ability and potential of our students to make a difference in the world. The Dean's Scholarship is one small way in which we make that belief tangible. Please click on the button above to find out more.
Additional costs
Please be aware that some courses will involve some additional costs that are not covered by your fees. Specific additional costs for this course are detailed below.
All students across the Primatology and Conservation courses are invited to participate in field trips to the Monkey Sanctuary, and Twycross Zoo - with whom we have special links. These trips are optional, or are part of optional modules and therefore not included within the course fees.
Students are expected to consider and manage the cost of their own research and fieldwork, whether this is abroad or at home. As well as carrying out projects across the globe, our students have carried out research in museums and zoos closer to home, as well as laboratory and library-based studies. Research has been undertaken in more than 50 countries either in the field (Argentina, Costa Rica, Nicaragua; Morocco, The Gambia, Sierra Leone, Uganda; Madagascar; India, Sri Lanka, Myanmar, Thailand, Indonesia, Japan), in rescue centres (Indonesia, Vietnam, South Africa), zoos (UK, Netherlands, Italy) or in our primate lab in Oxford.
Learning and assessment
You’ll examine conservation biology and explore strategies for primate protection and welfare. You’ll also explore issues like:
- Human-primate interactions
- Environmental decline and habitat loss
- Captive management and translocations
- Genetics and population management
You’ll be able to carry out captive studies or fieldwork, which you can shape around your interests. As a long-established course, we have strong relationships with field sites, zoos and rescue centres in over 40 countries - many of which are run by our alumni. You’ll be able to join well-established projects, with expert staff and professional equipment. You need to apply for funding for optional international fieldwork - but we’ll support you with grant applications and fundraising.
You’ll learn from renowned tutors, many of whom are internationally celebrated. Our teaching staff sit on the IUCN Primate Specialist Group and on editorial boards for major journals - like Folia Primatologica. We also have a rare specialism in nocturnal primates - that includes lorises, lemurs, galagos, tarsiers and night monkeys.
Study modules
The modules listed below are for the master's award. For the PGDip and PGCert awards your module choices may be different. Please contact us for more details.
For the MSc Primate Conservation trajectory, it may be possible in exceptional circumstances for students to do an independent study module in lieu of another module only with staff approval.
Please note: As our courses are reviewed regularly as part of our quality assurance framework, the modules you can choose from may vary from those shown here. The structure of the course may also mean some modules are not available to you.
Learning and teaching
You’ll experience a range of teaching methods, that include:
- Lectures
- Seminars
- Training workshops
- Tutorials
- Case studies
- Site visits
- Independent reading
- Supervised research.
You’ll also be able to carry out an outreach project that brings primate conservation issues to a wider, public audience. In a scientific, university society or school environment, you might deliver:
- Academic posters
- Artistic exhibitions
- Presentations
You’ll take part in group discussions, which are a regular part of the course. You’ll constantly examine conservation issues, and share perspectives in a group. You’ll also have the option to write your dissertation specifically for scientific publication.
Field trips
All students across the Primatology and Conservation courses are invited to take part in field trips to:
- the Monkey Sanctuary
- Twycross Zoo.
These trips are optional, or are part of optional modules and therefore not included within the course fees. Please see the Additional costs section of this page for details.
Assessment
Assessment methods used on this course
You’ll be assessed by methods such as:
- written coursework and scientific articles
- presentations
- practical assignments or projects, including grant writing
You’ll tackle your coursework with growing knowledge and skill, supported by your tutors. And your assignments can reflect your interests and play to your strengths.
You’ll also work on a final research project, in an area of primate conservation that you're passionate about. You’ll be supported all the way through by a tutor with specialist expertise in your chosen topic.
Research
Our vibrant research culture is driven by a thriving and collaborative community of academic staff and doctoral students.
Our Research clusters include:
- the Nocturnal Primate Research Group (NPRG)
- the Oxford Wildlife Trade Research Group (OWTRG)
- the Human Origins and Palaeo Environments (HOPE)
- Humans, Animals or the Environment
- Primatology and Conservation.
Find out more by browsing our staff profiles.
After you graduate
Career prospects
You’ll graduate with the skills and knowledge to launch or accelerate your career in animal conservation - as a practitioner, advocate or researcher.
You’ll benefit from our close links with conservation organisations and NGOs, in the UK and globally.
Our graduates progress to careers ranging from starting their own NGOs, to Education Officers in zoos or researchers at universities. And during your course, you’ll be able to connect with leading specialists and alumni from organisations like the BBC Natural History Unit, Great Apes Survival Partnership, and the International Union for Conservation of Nature.
When you finish your course, you’ll join a supportive network of Oxford Brookes graduates who work across all areas of conservation. You’ll also have the option to continue your studies by enrolling on our own PhD programme, or others in the UK or globally.
Student profiles
Our Staff
Professor Giuseppe Donati
Over the last twenty years Giuseppe has conducted research on behaviour, ecology, and conservation of lemurs and New World monkeys, and produced numerous publications in peer-reviewed journals or books.
Read more about GiuseppeRelated courses
Programme changes:
On rare occasions we may need to make changes to our course programmes after they have been
published on the website. For more information, please visit our
changes to programmes page.