The MSc in Conservation Biology is a 2 year (120 ECTS) Masters of Science programme.

The first year is dedicated to course work. The core courses of the programme run in modules, one at a time, where a 6 ECTS course lasts for 3 weeks and a 3 ECTS course for 1,5 weeks.

This organization provides students the opportunity to focus on one subject at a time and to build up knowledge and training as they go from course to course. Furthermore, since students are dedicated to one course at a time, they receive continuous practical hands-on training, involving computational training, data processing and analytical methods. In the second semester this organization allows for field courses that take up to one-week and guarantee training in a natural setting. The evaluation of student performance is done during or at the end of each module. Participation in the field work is mandatory.

Optional courses (6 ECTS per semester) run either in modules or for half or full semesters.

For a typical first year organization, see the organization of the 2015/16 academic year (timetable) below.

In the second year, students work on their Dissertation (57 ECTS) where students engage in a research project. This project can be pursued either within or outside ULisboa. In the first semester of this second year, and simultaneously with the start of their research project, students develop and present their MSc project on the course of a 3 ECTS discipline “Project in Conservation Biology”.

At the end of the second year, students write up a Masters thesis and defend their work in a public defense.