BTEC Level 3 in Land & Wildlife Management (National Foundation Diploma in Countryside Pathway)

This qualification is a one-year, full-time course, it is a Tech Level qualification which involves learning that brings together knowledge and understanding with practical and technical skills. This is achieved through learners performing vocational tasks that encourage the development of appropriate vocational behaviours and transferable skills. Developing communication, teamwork, planning and completing tasks to high standards, which are valued in both the workplace and in higher education.

• Professional Working Responsibilities
• Plant and Soil Science
• Countryside Estate Skills Activities
• Managing Environmental Habitats
• Work Experience in the Land-based Sector
• Identification, Planting and Care of Trees
• Developing a Land-based Enterprise

This course supports progression to careers in the countryside management sector. This qualification is primarily for learners who are intending to gain employment directly, in roles such as fieldwork assistant or assistant warden, but can also be used to progress to an apprenticeship or a higher education course in countryside management or environmental conservation.

Below are just some of the job roles our recent Level 3 Land & Wildlife students have gone on to secure:

• Ranger with the National Trust
• Volunteer Coordinator with Tyne Rovers Trust
• Self-employed ecological consultant working with the MoD and other large landowners
• Assistant Ranger and a Reserve Assistant with the RSPB.
• Apprentice Ranger with the North Yorks Moors National Park
• Groundskeeper with the local authority
• Invasive Species Manager with the Orkney Native Wildlife Project

Will accrue UCAS points which could lead onto (after completion of the extended diploma) to degrees in ecology, environmental conservation and countryside management.

5 x GCSE grade 4 or above including maths, English and science.

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.

Through external examinations and assignment work

September 2025

1 year face to face teaching