I have applied to two different courses and received acceptance offers already (yay) - however I cannot decide between the two.. Ideally my goal is to work in wildlife conservation but I am slightly more interested in Marine. I currently hold a First Class Honours degree in Applied Animal Science (BSc) too.

1. MSc in Marine Science - including 2wk field course surveying coral, 1 year £8200

2. PGDip in Endangered Species Recovery - based in Mauritius, includes class to field work ratio of 3:7, training in conservation methods/tree climbing etc etc., 7 months £7100 (including accomm)

So you can see my problem. One course (2) seems very attractive due to its location, inclusion of field work and experience whilst studying, which may be more attractive for employers on my CV. The MSc (1) also includes a field trip, and would give me a higher qualification in a more specific field - however, 'endangered species' may be applicable to marine jobs too.... The prices are relatively similar although accomm is not included in MSc.

What does everyone think?

If you go for the PGDip, would you get an MSc later?

If you want to work in research, you might need a MSc not just a PGDip. PGDip sounds like you're basically a field assistant, which is great experience, but it's not an equivalent of a Masters.

I think it depends on your end goal.