Universitat de Barcelona

The study of biodiversity is an emerging area of biology that is of growing importance in the public and political spheres. Understanding the diversity of living organisms, their origin and evolution and ensuring their conservation is not only of academic interest but is also crucial to ensuring the sustainable development of our society and a sound management of land and the environment.

The master's degree Biodiversity is intended primarily for holders of bachelor's degrees or equivalent undergraduate degrees in branches of life sciences, environmental sciences or related disciplines, and for professionals in education, public administration, NGOs, environmental consulting, etc., who are interested in the latest high-quality training in the study and conservation of biodiversity.

This master's degree offers two possible specializations:

• Evolutionary Biology. This specialization is designed for future researchers in the field of biodiversity, providing the knowledge and tools needed to reconstruct evolutionary relationships and population histories from genus and species to community and to use this information to draw inferences about the origin and maintenance of biodiversity, the processes of evolution, adaptation and diversification, and the relationship between organisms and the environment.
• Conservation Biology and Biodiversity Management. This specialization is designed for future researchers and managers of natural heritage, providing knowledge and tools that address the mechanisms regulating biodiversity, its course and evolution; to assess human impact and to manage and evaluate biodiversity.

The program also offers students a wide range of highly specific optional subjects.

To acquire advanced multidisciplinary training designed to begin research in the area of biodiversity, its conservation and management.

Number of ECTS credits awarded:  60
Language(s) of instruction:  Catalan, Spanish and English
Number of places available:  60
Faculty or school:   Faculty of Biology
Master's degree course homepage:  http://www.ub.edu/estudis/mastersuniversitaris/biodiversitat/