To protect life on land, students must understand how ecosystems function and have the practical skills to conserve biodiversity, manage landscapes sustainably and respond to pressures from climate change, pollution and food production.
At ARU, this learning stretches from specialist degrees in ecology, wildlife conservation, agriculture and horticulture to interdisciplinary sustainability education available across the University. Our students combine scientific knowledge with fieldwork, practical experience, industry collaboration and real-world environmental challenges, preparing them to contribute to the protection and restoration of terrestrial ecosystems locally and globally.
Training the next generation of conservation professionals
Our MSc Applied Wildlife Conservation equips students to tackle real-world biodiversity challenges through conservation biology, fieldwork and data analysis. Students develop practical expertise in biodiversity assessment, field survey techniques and GIS, alongside conservation communication and quantitative research skills. Importantly, learning extends beyond the classroom: students can collaborate with conservation organisations on live briefs, environmental projects and research challenges, providing direct experience of applying ecological knowledge to conservation practice.
Learning to manage land and biodiversity sustainably
Across ARU's undergraduate environment and land-management provision, students can study subjects including agriculture, horticulture, biology and zoology, gaining practical experience through laboratories, field trips and placements. This breadth allows students to understand the connections between food production, land use, ecological processes and conservation, while developing practical skills relevant to managing landscapes and protecting biodiversity.
Developing sustainable horticulture at ARU in Writtle
At ARU in Writtle, horticulture students explore how plant production can respond to major challenges including climate change, food production and sustainable urban futures. The BSc Horticulture programme combines plant science and sustainable horticultural practice with hands-on experience on ARU's 150-hectare Writtle campus, including its plant collections, laboratories and research glasshouses. Students also encounter research into vertical, hydroponic and advanced growing systems, developing the green skills required to manage plants, productive landscapes and green spaces more sustainably.
Our MSc Horticulture takes this learning further, focusing on sustainable practices, emerging technologies and the science needed to produce plants and crops in the context of population growth and climate change. Students have access to ARU Writtle's research glasshouse, campus farm and Postharvest Unit, which undertakes research and trials with commercial companies, while visits to growers and post-harvest facilities connect academic learning with current industry practice.
Bringing biodiversity and environmental protection into interdisciplinary learning
SDG 15 learning also reaches students beyond specialist environmental degrees through ARU's award-winning Ruskin Modules. The Sustainable Futures pathway includes modules such as How can we protect water, land and air? and How can we connect more deeply to our environment?, giving students from different academic disciplines opportunities to examine environmental protection and society's relationship with nature. Ruskin Modules are framed by the UN Sustainable Development Goals and form part of most undergraduate degrees, helping make environmental responsibility part of the wider educational experience at ARU.
Last updated: October 2026
To request additions, corrections or changes to the information in these pages, please contact: Dr Zareen Bharucha: [email protected]. Please use the subject line ‘ARU SDG’.