C&G Level 1 Award in Land-based Studies - Introduction to Wildlife & Conservation January 2026

This 10 week course will cover the health and safety relevant to working in the land-based sector along with the characteristics of common plants and animals found in a range of UK habitats.

By the end of the course you will be able to
- recognise a range of habitats from their characteristics,
- recognise species of plant & animal commonly found in the UK
- understand the energy links between plants and animals.

This course is designed to give learners a taster of working in the environmental conservation sector. It will help you prepare for volunteer roles, however, further training would likely be required to enter employment in this sector.

Level 1 Certificate in Land & Wildlife (Part time, evening course)
Level 2 Technical Certificate in Land & Wildlife Management (2-3 days per week, day time)
Level 3 Advanced Technical Diploma in Land & Wildlife Management* - part time and full time options available

*free for adults eligible for funding under the National Skills Fund.

No formal entry requirements - You must be physically capable of completing all assessments without support after training and have literacy skills sufficient to access the course materials. This will be assessed by a short 10 min initial assessment. You cannot complete this course if you have already completed a C&G Level 1 Award/Certificate/Diploma in Land-Based Studies.

The course is only available for those aged 19 years or older and are not currently studying at Level 3 or above which is being funded through a student loan or similar.

Our entry requirements are in place to support our students in achieving the qualifications they have chosen to study. In addition to the entry requirements, all students will be regularly assessed by East Durham College at an early stage in their study programme. This is to ensure that students are enrolled onto courses which suit their abilities – following assessment, there may be occasions when students are transferred to a relevant course at a higher or lower level in order to ensure they are enrolled on to the right course for them to achieve and progress.

Entry onto any course at EDC may have entry requirements in addition to exam results; this includes but is not limited to DBS checks, references, fitness to practice and at times physical requirements to be capable of achieving the practical elements of the course without assistance. Entry onto any course at East Durham College is subject to final approval from the Assistant Principal.

East Durham College's Houghall Campus is committed to providing a supportive and welcoming environment for all our students. The campus, some of which is over 80 years old, has seen over £40m invested in new facilities over recent years. However, there are still some aspects of the site which are not fully accessible and would cause an issue for those with limited mobility or wheelchair users and due to the nature of the site, adjustments may not always be reasonable at this stage. The College is committed to further investment and improvements of the site, as we work towards ensuring the campus is as accessible as possible. If you have limited mobility or are a wheelchair user and wish to undertake a course at the Houghall Campus, please contact Student Services on 0191 375 4710 in the first instance to discuss your needs and options.

multiple choice exam & written/practical assessments

January 2026

This course is run over ten weeks for three hours per session, from 6pm to 9pm.