The BEE Master's program, BEST-ALI track, trains students at the engineering level in tropical ecology and biodiversity management, with a specialization in the study of aquatic, coastal and island ecosystems.

Educational goals :

The aim of this Master's program is to train students with a five-year university degree (Bac+5) capable of conducting fundamental or applied research, expert assessments, or environmental evaluations in the fields of ecology and tropical biodiversity. Within the framework of this BEST-ALI track and the internships undertaken in the first and second years (M1 and M2), students will specialize in aquatic, coastal, and island ecosystems. Upon completion of the Master's program, students can either pursue a doctorate in the aforementioned fields or take up positions as engineers, project managers, experts, or consultants in local authorities, consulting firms, professional associations, or organizations managing protected areas or tropical biological resources.

The BEE Master's program at the University of Reunion Island is specifically designed to address the challenges and issues of biodiversity, ecology, and evolution in this tropical context, capitalizing on the unique characteristics of Reunion Island and extending its reach to the wider Indian Ocean region. The BEE Master's program adopts an interdisciplinary approach, focusing on both natural and cultivated ecosystems, and offering a curriculum that integrates the humanities and social sciences, which are central to conservation efforts. This is reinforced by its positioning across two campuses: the Faculty of Science and Technology (FST) and the Faculty of Humanities and Environment (FSHE). This positioning aligns perfectly with the university's strategy of achieving a geographical rebalancing between the island's two main campuses, with programs offered at both. The program emphasizes the acquisition of practical skills, particularly through fieldwork and research projects, reflecting the University of Reunion Island's commitment to fostering education grounded in real-world experience and local issues. The BEE Master benefits from collaborations with local and international institutions, which promotes the exchange of expertise and strengthens the regional and international character of the program, in line with the ambitions of the University of Reunion to develop strategic partnerships.

Total hours worked: 745 hours

M1: 485 hours

M2: 260 hours

The BEST-ALI program offers training aligned with the Biodiversity, Ecology, Evolution (BEE) specialization, including:

• fundamental and applied teaching in ecology (digital ecology; island ecology and ecoethology; coral reefs and associated environments; marine megafauna; offshore environments, climate change and disturbances; conservation biology), in evolution and population biology (population dynamics and genetics; functional and population ecology),
• courses geared towards tools and professional development (introduction to the scientific approach and discovery of the professional world; environmental studies and valorization; English; field school),
• and an openness to interdisciplinarity (openness to the humanities: economics and sociology; openness to the humanities: law and interdisciplinary project).

The skills acquired during this training are in line with those in the job description RNCP

In terms of more specific skills, our young graduates are able, upon completion of their training, to:

• To lead a project in the field of ecology, from its conception to its completion, its promotion and the communication associated with it.
• To carry out a literature review on a given subject, to formulate a research question, a problem or a hypothesis, to develop an experimental protocol and apply it in the field or in the laboratory, to acquire data, to order it, to analyze it and to interpret it and finally to discuss the results obtained in order to answer the problem or to test the hypothesis.
• Write a scientific report and give an oral presentation to an expert audience or to the general public.
• Apply and develop these professional skills both in an academic research context and in more applied work, for example in a design office or in organizations in charge of the enhancement, conservation or management of natural or cultivated terrestrial biodiversity.

Two internships are part of the courses offered: one in M1 and one in M2.

The duration of the M1 internship is 39 days, for which one day per week is set aside for internship search and bibliographic research in the first semester, and for which a period is dedicated during the months of May and June, with a defense at the end of June.

In the second year of the Master's program, an internship of up to 6 months is planned from January to June.

The project-based approach, requiring personal investment of student time, is also implemented in the first and second years of the Master's program. Examples include a week-long field school (in Réunion or elsewhere), weekly seminars (Bioécotrop), tutored teaching-research projects, flipped classrooms, tandem teaching between a science instructor and an English instructor, and extensive use of the online learning platform. MoodleThese innovative approaches enhance student interest and promote success.

• To have excellent academic results in the fundamental subjects of the degree: ecology, animal and plant biology (organismal biology), statistics, evolutionary biology and genetics.
• Excellent motivation for the training and field of study. Career plan aligned with the training.
• Applicants must hold a Bachelor's degree in Life Sciences or equivalent from any French, European, or international university. Applications from students in the Indian Ocean region are encouraged. Applications from students with an excellent academic record in a professional Bachelor's degree or a Bachelor of Technology (BUT) in a field related to the Master's program's themes (e.g., marine professions, environmental protection and management, biological engineering with a focus on environmental sciences) will be considered. Applications from individuals returning to studies or changing their field of study will also be considered.
• Possess good oral comprehension and good scientific writing skills in French.
• To be able to understand a scientific document in English (written or oral), to be able to express oneself in English to present scientific results.
• Seriousness, rigor, ability to work in a team.

• Overall average >12/20 in semester 5 or the last semester for which information is available. No core subject below 10/20.
• Submit a personal application letter (not a template automatically generated by AI) specifically tailored to the BEE BEST-ALI Master's program, along with a CV. The project and motivation must be clearly stated and supported by all elements indicated in the CV, and justified, where applicable, by documents demonstrating activity or involvement in the field of aquatic ecology broadly defined and/or skills related to the university program.
• Having completed training equivalent to 180 ECTS in the field of life sciences, in particular, having sufficient background in ecology, animal and plant biology (organismal biology), statistics, evolutionary biology and genetics.
• For students whose first language is not French, a minimum C1 level is expected.
• Minimum level B2.
• Provide, where applicable, one or more letters of recommendation highlighting the candidate's soft skills in their studies, professional situation, or civic engagement.

A Bachelor's degree in Life Sciences or equivalent qualifications

Depending on the student's situation, applications for admission to the first year of the Master's program (M1) follow three specific procedures (the national platform Mon Master, Études en France, Validation of Acquired Experience). For more information, please consult the university's student services page. Enroll in the first year of a Master's program.

Baccalaureate + 3 or equivalent

Graduates with a Bachelor's degree in Life Sciences or equivalent qualifications.

Public returning to studies based on the opinion of the validation of prior learning committee.

20 seats

The admission dates for the first year of the Master's degree (M1) are set nationally each year and are available on the platform. My Master

For admission to the second year of the Master's program (M2), the schedule is determined by the institution. It is available on the student services page of the university website: Students re-registering

2022-2023: 100% of graduates

2023-2024: 100% of graduates

2024-2025: 95% of graduates

The sectors of activity and types of employment targeted by this training correspond to those listed in the fact sheet RNCP

• Expertise in marine and tropical coastal ecology.
• Expertise and execution of environmental studies, development of compensatory measures and mitigation measures in coastal and marine environments.
• Expertise in the field of tropical marine megafauna (population assessment, implementation of study and monitoring protocols, development of conservation plans, ecotourism promotion, etc.).
• Expertise in the field of conservation and ecological restoration of small island ecosystems and animal biological invasions.
• Technical support and research and development in the field of marine resource development (fisheries, aquaculture).
• Training in companies or communities, R&D in environment and biology.
• Management of marine or coastal areas.