Bachelor of Science (Hons) in Applied Biological Sciences

at University of Stirling United Kingdom

If you have aspirations of working in the heritage, conservation or tourism sectors, our dedicated Heritage and Tourism degree is the perfect starting point. This course is a fully integrated degree taught in conjunction with Forth Valley College. You'll spend the first two years studying at the college and the final two studying at the University of Stirling campus, whilst benefitting from dual registration and the full range of their combined resources and facilities.

The course is supported and shaped by leading organisations such as Historic Environment Scotland, VisitScotland and Scottish Canals, and delivered jointly by the University of Stirling and Forth Valley College. Your studies will reflect the importance of combining academic knowledge with a firm grasp of management and business. You’ll learn about heritage, tourism, history, exhibition design, sociology, marketing and environmental studies – as well as the challenges facing the management and promotion of historic and natural environments in Scotland and beyond.

Every aspect of the course is informed by the internationally-recognised expertise of our academic staff and their extensive networks with professional partners, helping to distinguish our programme from other heritage and tourism courses. You can be confident that everything you’re learning is rooted in the latest academic and applied industry thinking, and designed to prepare you for a career in the heritage and tourism sectors. You’ll also apply your skills in real-world settings while you study – further sharpening the skills you’ll put to use when you transition into the exciting professional world of heritage and tourism.

People have an enormous impact on their environment through resource use, habitat loss and degradation, and climate change. Understanding how our actions impact the ecological balance across the planet has never been more important.

Our BSc (Hons) Ecology and Conservation course will teach you the science of ecology and conservation and provide practical training in field and laboratory techniques. You will understand how animals, plants, fungi and microorganisms interact with their environment, as well as the relationship between people and the rest of the biosphere. It will also provide you with a deep understanding of the complex relationships between environments and their inhabitants. You’ll learn about the policies and management strategies that aim to safeguard our biodiversity and the ecosystem services upon which humans depend.

Stirling is a superb place to study Ecology and Conservation. We’re near to diverse landscapes and can link up with more environmental and conservation organisations than anywhere else in the UK. Several organisations have offices on our campus, including the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds, British Trust for Ornithology and the Bumblebee Conservation Trust. We work closely with these and other organisations, including conservation charities and Government agencies in conducting research, arranging placements and field training for our students.

This course offers Spanish for all – from complete beginners to advanced speakers – and equips you to read, write and speak the language on an advanced level appropriate for the demands of today’s job market. You will also have the chance to acquire a critical awareness of the societies and cultures of Spain and Latin America, as well as transferrable skills that can be applied in a number of professional and academic settings.

In order to truly immerse yourself in Spanish and Latin American culture, you will spend an extended period studying abroad in Spain, Mexico, Chile or Argentina. This opportunity to refine your language skills will be enhanced by the research-led teaching you will enjoy in Stirling.

If you would like to explore multiple subjects, Spanish and Latin American Studies can be combined with a number of other courses. From Education or Business Studies to Law and Journalism, each combination is designed to help you work towards your vision for the future right from the outset of your studies.

With our Business Computing course, you’ll examine how critical computers are to business and learn how you can create computing solutions to support a range of business needs. As part of your studies, you’ll develop basic knowledge of designing and building software systems and grow a broad base of skills through a combination of theory and practice.

The skills you’ll learn will be highly valued by employers - whether in the software industry itself, or in a wider and more strategic context developing IT solutions for any business.

We’ll help you build strong links with industry, and, during Year 3, there are opportunities to take part in either a three-month summer placement or a one-year placement. You’ll also have the opportunity to study abroad through our exchange programmes.

The University of Stirling’s MSc Media Management course is constantly evolving in order to keep up with the rapidly changing global media landscape. It also prepares media managers to meet the challenges posed by unprecedented change and increased competition across the media environment.

As a student, you’ll benefit from being taught by highly qualified, international-standard tutors, and will graduate with strong management skills and an analytical perspective on the media industry. You’ll also develop a firm understanding of the evolving regulatory and policy environment in which the media operates.

This course provides a theoretical and case-study-based foundation in media economics, finance and business strategy – with advanced study in contemporary media, cultural theories and training in appropriate research methodologies.

With the rise of new communication channels, predominantly online, and the ability of consumers to impact on brand perception, more businesses than ever are identifying value in effective brand management strategies to protect and enhance their brand reputation. It’s reported that job opportunities in brand management were expected to grow by 14% in 2020 as a result (fastcompany.com).

The MSc Marketing and Brand Management course is accredited by the Chartered Institute of Marketing (CIM). CIM accreditation means that when you successfully complete the course, it's easier to gain a Professional Diploma in Marketing. Two of the Diploma modules will be waived and to gain the CIM Professional Diploma you will only need to undertake two CIM modules rather than the usual four, giving you a competitive edge in your career.

Our Masters in Marketing and Brand Management gives you a thorough and in-depth understanding of marketing and brand management within commercial and non-commercial organisations. You will learn about the practice and theory of sustainable marketing, strategic brand management and digital marketing and advertising. Our course also gives the choice to further explore the role of brands and branding in specialist marketing areas such as supply chain marketing, retailing, or social marketing.

Our research-led teaching combined with a focus on practical applications is a key strength of this course and you will be taught by top researchers. In addition to consistently engaging in academic literature through weekly readings and module assessments, the course gives you opportunities to apply concepts, theories and frameworks to practical aspects. You will collaborate during your studies with a wide variety of organisations including not-for-profit, third sector and small and medium sized enterprises.

Business Analytics focuses on understanding the data generated by individual organisations, and how it can be used to improve business practices.

As a conversion course developed in close partnership with industry, we welcome students from any academic discipline and you will learn to use powerful visual programming and scripting tools, such as Orange, R, Power-BI and Python. These tools will enable you to learn how to deploy statistical analysis, predictive analytics, text analytics and data-mining tools to provide clear actionable solutions for business leaders and influence business strategy.

The growing pressure on natural resources has prompted a search for new and renewable energy forms. Alongside other significant impacts upon the environment, energy production, distribution and use have become a priority area for governments, businesses and non-governmental organisations across the world. With a growing demand for employees with specialised global legal knowledge in energy and environmental law, we’ve designed this course specifically to meet that need.

On this Masters course, you’ll explore the intersections between energy, environment and regulation. Expert staff have come together to provide graduates with an in-depth understanding of international energy and environmental law, as well as of key areas of energy management, environmental policy and economics.

You’ll be taught by expert staff in law, politics, economics and environmental science. They’ll give you clear insight into the relevant legal, political and economic issues related to energy and environmental law at the national, regional and, particularly, the international level.

Our course will teach you the full scope of life through multiple biological disciplines: from bacteria to blue whales, from enzymes to ecosystems. For the first two years you’ll develop an in-depth understanding of the general processes that govern life on Earth, before specialising according to your interests in the latter half of the degree programme. As you develop your practical skills you’ll become involved with research, giving you the opportunity to contribute to biological discoveries.

If you want a highly respected degree in Environmental  Science that also provides you with outdoor teaching and guiding activities, this unique degree has been designed for you.

The University of Stirling is a superb place to study Environmental Science, with our history of innovation in environmental research and study. This course blends the academic elements of our Environmental Science degree with practical training in navigation and outdoor safety. You’ll learn how to design, lead and deliver outdoor programmes with environmental and ecological learning outcomes.

You’ll explore global environmental issues, contemporary environmental science, landscape evolution, and scientific techniques.

Our leading mountaineering instructors and outdoor specialists will teach you outdoor leadership, mountain skills and environmental education.You'll have the opportunity to complete a work placement module and gain the Mountain Leader Award, endorsed by the Mountain Training Association. This is a physically demanding course requiring a certain level of health, fitness and mobility.