Primatology and Conservation
Key facts
UCAS code
P060462
Location
Course length
Full time: MRes: normal expected duration full-time 1 year, maximum possible duration 5 years. PGCert: normal expected duration 1 semester
Part time: 24 months
School(s)
Overview
Our MRes in Primatology and Conservation is a research-intensive course. It combines the expertise of anthropologists and biologists.
You will develop the skills, knowledge and confidence to help stop and reverse the devastating destruction of natural habitats and the loss of the species that live in them.
You will be part of an international and multidisciplinary forum. Our aims are to:
- understand ecology, evolution and conservation issues
- promote effective action
- make leading advances in research topics.
Whether working in the lab, with zoos, museums, non-governmental organisations (NGOs), or in the field, you will find yourself in a collaborative and supportive environment. You will work with international scholars in primatology, biological anthropology and primate conservation. In this environment you will gain the experience to develop advances in the fields of primatology and primate conservation.
There will be regular contact with tutors and feedback from assessed coursework. We encourage you to raise issues for discussion and consider the views of others.
How to apply
Entry requirements
Specific entry requirements
Please also see the University's general entry requirements.
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
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
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.
Optional costs
| Additional costs | Amount (£) |
|---|---|
You may have the opportunity to visit a zoo or animal sanctuary in the UK or mainland Europe. |
£40-150 |
UK field trip |
Typically £150-400 |
| You will have the opportunity to visit a Monkey Sanctuary in Cornwall | Typically £0 |
It’s your responsibility to cover print / binding costs where coursework submission is required. Please note that a lot of the coursework is now submitted online. |
From £30 |
| You may choose to purchase books to support your studies. Many books on our reading lists are available via the Library, or can be purchased secondhand. | £20-60 per book |
Accommodation fees in Brookes Letting (most do not include bills) |
£107-301 per week |
Accommodation fees in university halls (bills included, excluding laundry costs) |
£139-248 per week |
Graduation costs include tickets, gowning and photography. Gowns are not compulsory but typically students do hire robes, starting at £41. |
Typically £0-200 |
Students are responsible for their own travel to and from university for classes with single bus fares in the UK costing £3. Oxford Brookes has committed to funding a heavily discounted bus offer for students for at least three years from July 2026 with further information on our Travel webpages. |
From £3 |
Funding your studies
Financial support and scholarships
Featured funding opportunities available for this course.
There are 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:
All financial support and scholarships
Research
Our vibrant research culture is driven by a thriving and collaborative community of academic staff and students.
Staff in the department work on a wide range of taxa, including:
- African and Asian great apes
- gibbons
- Neotropical primates
- Old World monkeys
- African and Asian lorises
- the lemurs from Madagascar.
All lecturers are active in research and publish in a wide range of journals. Over 50 students have published the results of their research in scientific journals. We aim for a significant proportion of our MRes students to be able to submit the results of their research to international scientific journals.
Our research is recognised internationally for excellence and we host the following research groups:
- the Nocturnal Primate Research Group
- the Oxford Wildlife Trade Research Group
- ACCEnD (the Anthropological Centre for Conservation, Environment and Development).
Find out more about the research interests of our staff.
After you graduate
Career prospects
You will be joining a supportive global network of former students working across all areas of conservation. Our graduates work in a range of organisations, from the BBC Natural History Unit through to the International Union for Conservation of Nature.
They work in roles from keeper and education officer in zoos across the UK and North America to paid researchers at institutes of higher education. Some of our students have gone on to run their own conservation-related NGOs.
Typically about ten to twenty percent of our MSc graduates continue their studies by enrolling on a PhD programme in the UK or abroad.
Our Staff
Professor Catherine (Kate) Hill
Kate's research focuses on people-wildlife interactions and the human dimensions of conservation.
Read more about Catherine (Kate)Related 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.