Ecology

The program is aimed at training of highly-qualified specialists possessing theoretical and practical knowledge in the field of modern ecological science, its theoretical and applied aspects.
The program curriculum combines broad fundamental training of specialists, personalized approach to the requests of the students and practical demand. The logic of studying the academic disciplines suggests a journey from general theoretical disciplines through more specialized areas of knowledge, related to the areas of scientific research of the department of ecology, botany and nature protection, to the applied disciplines which acquaint the students with the practice of application of ecological principles and concepts in organization of contemporary management of nature and ecological monitoring of the environment.
The program pays special attention to the development of relations to the national academic ecological science, ensuring advanced research and methodological level of the students’ works.
Upon graduation from the Master’s program, the students have a choice to either proceed with their studies in postgraduate programs, or be employed in professional scientific, educational, manufacturing, administrative or public organizations.
 
Brief characterisation of the programme
The program is aimed at training of highly-qualified specialists possessing theoretical and practical knowledge in the field of modern ecological theoretical science and its application.
A comprehensive training combining general theoretic and practice-oriented courses in scope of the Master’s program allows the students to solve a wide range of research and practice-oriented tasks related to such fields as biotechnology, nature protection, air and space, medicine and education.

Features (advantages) of the programme

• The program combines broad fundamental training of specialists, personalized approach to the requests of the students and practical demand.
• It places a special emphasis on development of scientific competencies of students in the course of preparation of graduation thesis in form of Master’s dissertation.
• The program pays a separate attention to development of relations to the national academic biological science (namely, the Institute of Ecology of the Volga River Basin of the Russian Academy of Science, I.I. Sprygin Zhiguli State Reserve, Samarskaya Luka National Park, the Research Institute of the Biology Center of the Russian Academy of Sciences and other national academic institutions), enabling advanced research level of the students’ works.
• High level of training of Masters in biology is ensured by distinguished academic staff which includes doctors and candidates of science, along with practicing specialists. 
• The training process extensively uses up-to-date educational technology, including multimedia and IT methods.

Academic programme structure (curriculum features)
The Program curriculum fully implements the requirements of Federal State Educational Standards in 06.04.01 Biology, whereas its logic of learning the academic disciplines implies the journey from general theoretic and fundamental disciplines to specialized biological and then practice-oriented subjects. The curriculum comprises the total of all types of academic activities (lectures, laboratory and practical classes, practical training, state final certification), their sequence and types of reporting. 
The academic program consists of four blocks with an overall volume of 120 credit course units (CCU):

• Disciplines – 60 CCU;
• Practices, research work – 51 CCU;
• Graduation qualification paper – 9 CCU.

The logic of learning the academic disciplines implies the journey from general theoretic and fundamental disciplines (humanities, natural sciences and biological sciences) to specialized biological and then practice-oriented subjects.
A special focus of training the Masters in biology is the practical academic, specialized, industrial and pedagogical studies, which mostly have an individual trajectory and take into account the topic of the Master’s dissertation.

Future profession
Professional competencies developed in the course of training allow the graduates of the program to successfully fulfill themselves and quickly adapt to various types of professional activity:

• research and development;
• academic work.

Upon graduation from the Master’s program, the students have a choice to either proceed with their studies in postgraduate programs, or be employed in professional scientific, educational, manufacturing, management or public organizations.