Nature Conservation – a new course of study at the UW Faculty of Biology

06 06 2025

Nature Conservation is a new undergraduate degree program at the Faculty of Biology, University of Warsaw, launching in the academic year 2025/2026. This program combines natural sciences and law, equipping graduates with the tools necessary for the real-world protection of the biosphere. Over the course of three years, students will acquire the knowledge and skills needed for socially impactful careers or further development in this vital field!

“In the face of a deepening climate crisis and a dramatic decline in biodiversity, the need for specialists who can not only identify threats but also design effective conservation strategies is more urgent than ever,” said Dr. Takao Ishikawa, Vice-Dean for Student Affairs at the Faculty of Biology, UW. “Our new Nature Protection program combines rigorous natural science education with legal and administrative training, enabling graduates to pursue careers in public administration, NGOs, and the education sector,” he assured.

Vice-Dean Ishikawa emphasized that “a key feature of the program is its interdisciplinarity – students gain competencies in biology, environmental science, law, and spatial planning, and also participate in fieldwork.” “The academic profile ensures a solid theoretical foundation while also developing practical skills such as planning conservation actions, preparing legal documentation, and conducting nature inventories,” he added.

Pursuing a degree in Nature Conservation offers tangible benefits:

• Science in action – Combine nature and law to make a real impact on biosphere protection.
• Practice over theory – Collaborate with experts, organizations, and conservation institutions during your studies.
• A career of the future – Climate change is making specialists in this field more needed than ever.
• Outdoors over classrooms – Engage in field trips, research, and activities in national parks and environmental organizations.
• A world of opportunities – Work in Poland or abroad – nature conservation is a global mission!

Completing the Nature Conservation program is the first step toward a career as an expert in institutions dedicated to environmental protection, including both public administration and non-governmental organizations. The curriculum includes the option to pursue a pedagogical module, allowing graduates to obtain qualifications to teach biology and nature in schools. While this requires completing a second-cycle degree, it is a crucial path – effective nature conservation needs not only field specialists but also educators who will raise ecological awareness in future generations.

Nature Conservation is a program focused on the broad development of students and the acquisition of interdisciplinary knowledge and experience. The curriculum includes lectures and practical classes conducted primarily by lecturers from the Faculty of Biology at the University of Warsaw, but also by faculty members from the Faculty of Law and Administration, the Faculty of Geography and Regional Studies, and the Faculty of Geology at the University of Warsaw. Lecturers conducting classes in the field of Nature Conservation can be sent to the Faculty of Biology, University of Warsaw channel on YouTube – Nature Conservation playlist.

The Nature Conservation program is designed for engaged, curious individuals who are ready to act for the common good. By studying at the Faculty of Biology at UW, you gain access to outstanding academic staff, modern infrastructure, and broad opportunities for personal development – and you become part of a community that truly influences environmental policy in Poland and Europe. We warmly invite you to join this ambitious and meaningful initiative!

When creating the new degree program at the Faculty of Biology, University of Warsaw, the long-standing teaching, research, and academic experience of the Environmental Protection program was drawn upon. This program will be suspended in the 2025/2026 academic year. Over the years, Environmental Protection consistently ranked among the top positions in the Perspektywy national rankings—reaching first place in Poland in 2024. Building on this legacy, a modern degree program has been developed to address today’s environmental challenges.

Moreover, the program is unique nationwide—Nature Conservation is offered as a first-cycle (Bachelor’s) degree only at the University of Warsaw. At Adam Mickiewicz University in Poznań (UAM), it is offered at the Master’s level, while similar programs at the University of Agriculture in Kraków (UR) and the Siedlce University of Natural Sciences and Humanities (UPH) are available only as postgraduate studies.

Registration for the first-cycle Nature Conservation program in the Online Candidate Registration system (IRK) opens on June 5. The recruitment schedule is available on the University of Warsaw website.

If you have any questions, feel free to contact us at: rekrutacja.biol@uw.edu.pl