Master in Wildlife Management, Conservation, and Control at University of Sassari
Two-year English-taught LM-86 master's at the University of Sassari on wildlife conservation, genetics, parasitology, GIS and human-wildlife conflict, with field and lab practice and a semester for traineeship and thesis.
Master
2 years
Sassari
English
University of Sassari
Wildlife Management, Conservation, and Control is a two-year, 120 ECTS master's degree (class LM-86) taught fully in English by the Department of Veterinary Medicine of the University of Sassari. It trains wildlife managers through fieldwork, lab practice and a traineeship semester. Non-EU students pay no contribution in year one, so it can be tuition-free for eligible students.
Entry requirements
- A bachelor's degree in biology, natural sciences, environmental sciences, forestry, animal breeding or veterinary medicine (Italian classes L-13, L-25, L-32, L-38 or LM-42), or an equivalent foreign degree.
- Graduates in other fields can be admitted if a commission finds enough background in anatomy and physiology, microbiology, zoology, ecology and genetics, judged from English-language transcripts.
- English at B2 level, shown by an international certificate, university English courses or the admission interview.
- An entry test: a 25-question multiple-choice paper that checks starting knowledge and does not decide admission, plus an interview on experience, motivation and spoken English.
- Non-EU applicants follow the department's non-EU enrolment procedure and pre-enrol on Universitaly; no more than 15 non-EU students are admitted.
About the programme
Wildlife Management, Conservation, and Control (WMCC) is a two-year international master's degree (laurea magistrale, class LM-86, animal production science and technology) worth 120 ECTS. It is taught entirely in English by the Department of Veterinary Medicine of the University of Sassari, on the veterinary campus in Via Vienna, Sassari, in north-west Sardinia.
The course trains wildlife managers who study, conserve and monitor animal populations and handle conflicts between people and wildlife, looking at populations from a demographic, genetic and health point of view. It suits graduates in biology, natural or environmental sciences, forestry, animal science or veterinary medicine, and the classroom brings together students from many countries.
What you will study
The 2026/27 study plan mixes management, genetics, veterinary and ecological units with a long block of practical training. Course units include:
- Wildlife Management (8 ECTS) and Wildlife Management Techniques (6 ECTS)
- Animal Conservation Genetics and Genomic Data Analysis for Conservation and Risk Assessment
- Wildlife Parasitosis and Wildlife Nutrition and Feeding (6 ECTS each)
- GIS Applications in Wildlife Management and Statistics for Wildlife Ecologists
- Environmental Evaluation and Natural Capital
- Cetacean Ecology, Monitoring and Conservation, and Aliens and Island Endemics
- Reintroductions and Other Conservation Translocations (15 ECTS)
- A traineeship (12 ECTS, 300 hours) and a final thesis (21 ECTS)
How the programme is taught
Lectures and practical activities are compulsory, and much of the practice happens outdoors and in the lab. One whole semester is set aside for applied training, the traineeship and the experimental thesis, which can take place in an Italian or foreign research centre; the course strongly encourages time abroad through international mobility schemes, including study stays at partner European universities.
The department is a partner of the ENETWILD consortium, a European network that supplies data on wildlife species and their pathogens to the European Food Safety Authority.
Career paths
Graduates work as wildlife managers wherever animal populations are studied or managed. The university lists:
- ministries and regional or provincial departments that plan and control land use
- national and regional parks and protected areas
- public health and environmental bodies, such as the Istituto Superiore di Sanità and zooprophylactic institutes
- hunting management districts and wildlife observatories
- private firms and consultancies that collect wildlife data, run impact assessments or design habitat restoration and reintroductions
- NGOs, universities, research institutes, museums and schools
Fees and scholarships
The department puts WMCC fees at between €0 and about €1,800 a year, plus about €150 of regional tax, depending on income, merit and country. Under the 2026/27 fee rules, foreign students living abroad pay no contribution in their first year, only €16 stamp duty and the ERSU tax; later years cost €300 to €700 by country band. ERSU Sassari scholarship holders are exempt, and Inclusive UniSS grants exist, so the degree can be tuition-free for eligible students.
How to apply from outside the EU
Applications and questions go to wmcc@uniss.it. Access is open, but at most 15 non-EU students are admitted. Every candidate sits the entry test, a short multiple-choice paper on anatomy and physiology, microbiology, vertebrate zoology, animal ecology and genetics, plus an interview on motivation and English.
You then pre-enrol on Universitaly, following the department's non-EU enrolment procedure, and apply for a type D study visa. Dates for 2027/28 are not published yet.
How ApplyAZ helps
If this programme fits your goals, ApplyAZ can include it in a shortlist of 20 to 30 English-taught programmes at Italian public universities. We write your CV and a tailored statement of purpose, submit your applications and Universitaly pre-enrolment, file your DSU scholarship application and prepare your visa file, with a named person on each stage. The university decides admission, the region decides the scholarship and the consulate decides the visa. See how ApplyAZ works or check your eligibility.
Questions and answers
Is Wildlife Management, Conservation, and Control taught in English?
Yes. The whole degree is taught in English, and applicants need English at B2 level, shown by an international certificate, earlier university English courses or the admission interview.
Which bachelor's degrees are accepted?
Biology, natural sciences, environmental sciences, forestry, animal breeding or veterinary medicine. Graduates in other fields may be admitted if a commission finds enough background in anatomy, physiology, microbiology, zoology, ecology and genetics.
Is there an entrance test?
Yes. All candidates take a 25-question multiple-choice test that checks starting knowledge but does not decide admission, and an interview on experience, motivation and English.
How many non-EU students are admitted?
Access is open with no overall limit, but the department admits at most 15 non-EU students each year, so applying early is sensible.
How much does it cost?
The department quotes €0 to about €1,800 a year plus about €150 regional tax. For 2026/27, foreign students living abroad paid no contribution in year one, and ERSU Sassari scholarship holders are exempt.
What jobs does it lead to?
Graduates work as wildlife managers for ministries and regional bodies, parks and protected areas, health and environmental agencies, hunting management districts, consultancies, NGOs and research institutes.
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