Countryside and Environment qualifications and training courses

Last Updated: 29 Apr 2026

0076-03 Level 3 Certificate/Subsidiary Diploma/Diploma in Countryside Management will close for registrations on 31 December 2026.
Alternative - 0173-35/37 City & Guilds Level 3 Advanced Technical Diploma/Extended Diploma in Land and Wildlife Management 601/7558/8 601/7564/3 or 0076-03 Level 3 Extended Diploma in Countryside Management/Level 3 90-Credit Diploma in Countryside Management 500/8489/6, 600/6113/3

Develop the knowledge and skills you need to work in the countryside - from managing an estate as a gamekeeper to monitoring animal populations to keeping a river healthy for fishing. You'll learn with a training provider and gain practical experience that will give you an edge in the world of work.

UCAS tariff

Certificate in Land Based Services

Grade	Current Tariff points	New Tariff points
D*	70	28
D	60	24
M	40	16
P	20	8

Subsidiary Diploma in Land Based Services

Grade	Current Tariff points	New Tariff points
D*	140	56
D	120	48
M	80	32
P	40	16

Diploma in Land Based Services

Grade	Current Tariff points	New Tariff points
D*	280	112
D	240	96
M	160	64
P	80	32

Extended Diploma in Land Based Services

Grade	Current Tariff points	New Tariff points
D*	420	168
D	360	144
M	240	96
P	120	48

90- Credit Diploma in Land Based Services UCAS tariff

Grade	Current Tariff points	New Tariff points
D*	210	84
D	180	72
M	120	48
P	60	24

These countryside qualifications are for anyone interested in a career maintaining the countryside environment. You may be just starting out, or taking a break from a job to get some valuable training.

You don't need any previous qualifications or experience to get started. At Level 2 you can be under 16. To take a Level 3 qualification you need to be 16 or over.

Available to deliver in the following:

England
Wales – please check QiW website for available funding
Scotland
Northern Ireland

Interested in delivering this qualification?

Find out more about how to become an approved City & Guilds centre or fill out our online customer application form.

General Information

What Is Involved In Studying This Course?

You'll learn with your training provider - maybe through practical sessions, group discussions or assignments.

You'll be assessed on assignments, one for each unit you complete.

What Careers Can This Lead To?

A certificate or diploma in Countryside and Environment or Countryside Management is designed to help you find work maintaining and managing an area of land - perhaps as a countryside ranger, conservation officer or gamekeeper.

Once you've completed the Level 2 qualification, you can move on to Level 3.

What Is Involved With Delivering This Course?

You'll need to provide your learners with a suitable learning environment and the resources they need to complete the practical and theoretical aspects of the qualification. You will need qualified internal assessors.

You'll deliver these qualifications in a classroom environment and provide access to practical experience.

You might also want to cover general skills in your course design, for example:

functional skills
personal learning and thinking skills (PLTS).

You'll assess learners on assignments.

Anyone can take these qualifications but you must make sure all learners can access the resources they need to complete them.

At Level 3 you will need to provide access to work experience.

To find all the resource requirements, download the qualification handbook from the centre documents section.

Level 2

This level is ideal if you are new to countryside and environment work or have some knowledge and basic skills. You want to develop your skills, perhaps to start work as a park ranger or gamekeeper or prepare for further training.

To earn this qualification, you choose from a range of optional and mandatory units, including:

Introduction to boundary habitat conservation
Tractor driving Introduction to boundary habitat conservation
Undertaking ecological surveys and techniques
Understanding ecology of trees, woods and forests
Introduction to game management
Introduction to environmental studies

For a full list of units, download the qualification handbook from the centre documents section.

What Careers Can This Lead To?

A certificate or diploma in Countryside and Environment or Countryside Management is designed to help you find work maintaining and managing an area of land - perhaps as a countryside ranger, conservation officer or gamekeeper.

Once you've completed the Level 2 qualification, you can move on to Level 3.

If you have a current job you might be interested the Level 2 or 3 qualifications in Work-based Countryside and Environment.

Level 2 Countryside and Environment (0076-02)

Last Registration Date: 31 Aug 2024

Closed for registrations

Level 2 Certificate in Countryside and Environment

Accreditation No: 500/8573/6 This is a reference number related to UK accreditation framework
Type: Credit based qualification This is categorisation to help define qualification attributes e.g. type of assessment
Credits: 15 Credits are a measure of the size of the qualification
Guided Learning Hours: 90 - 90 This is the average contact time a centre would typically commit
Total Qualification Time: 150 The total time for the qualification
Key Stage: Data unavailable This shows the equivalent Key Stage level.
Last Certification: 31/08/2028 This is the last date that a certificate can be issued
Qualification fees in the UK: £145.20 Our typical price is the one that is most often paid by a centre for a completed learner. Some prices are made up of multiple charging points so action like taking difference units or specialisms to complete and resitting assessments may mean the cost for some learners differs. VAT may apply depending on your funding status and VAT registration.

Level 2 Diploma in Countryside and Environment

Accreditation No: 500/8574/8 This is a reference number related to UK accreditation framework
Type: Credit based qualification This is categorisation to help define qualification attributes e.g. type of assessment
Credits: 60 Credits are a measure of the size of the qualification
Guided Learning Hours: 360 - 360 This is the average contact time a centre would typically commit
Total Qualification Time: 600 The total time for the qualification
Key Stage: Data unavailable This shows the equivalent Key Stage level.
Last Certification: 31/08/2026 This is the last date that a certificate can be issued
Qualification fees in the UK: £170.00 Our typical price is the one that is most often paid by a centre for a completed learner. Some prices are made up of multiple charging points so action like taking difference units or specialisms to complete and resitting assessments may mean the cost for some learners differs. VAT may apply depending on your funding status and VAT registration.

Level 3

This level is ideal if you have some experience in countryside and environment work or have gained your Level 2 qualification. You want to develop the skills to be a more senior worker or manager working in the countryside, or to prepare for higher-level training.

To earn this qualification, you must choose from a range of optional and mandatory units, including:

Understanding ecology of game species
Undertaking vertebrate pest and predator control
Undertaking woodland habitat management
Undertake an investigative project in the land-based sector
Livestock use in conservation management
Understand working dogs

For a full list of units, download the qualification handbook from the centre documents section.

What Careers Can This Lead To?

A certificate or diploma in Countryside and Environment or Countryside Management is designed to help you find work maintaining and managing an area of land - perhaps as a countryside ranger, conservation officer or gamekeeper.

If you have a current job, you might be interested in the Level 2 or 3 qualifications in Work-based Countryside and Environment.

Learners may progress to Higher Education as these qualifications have UCAS points.

Level 3 Countryside Management (0076-03)

Last Registration Date: 31 Dec 2028

Level 3 Extended Diploma in Countryside Management

Accreditation No: 500/8489/6 This is a reference number related to UK accreditation framework
Type: Credit based qualification This is categorisation to help define qualification attributes e.g. type of assessment
Credits: 180 Credits are a measure of the size of the qualification
Guided Learning Hours: 1080 - 1080 This is the average contact time a centre would typically commit
Total Qualification Time: 1800 The total time for the qualification
Key Stage: Data unavailable This shows the equivalent Key Stage level.
Last Certification: 31/12/2031 This is the last date that a certificate can be issued
Qualification fees in the UK: £289.80 Our typical price is the one that is most often paid by a centre for a completed learner. Some prices are made up of multiple charging points so action like taking difference units or specialisms to complete and resitting assessments may mean the cost for some learners differs. VAT may apply depending on your funding status and VAT registration.

Level 3 Certificate in Countryside Management

Accreditation No: 500/8559/1 This is a reference number related to UK accreditation framework
Type: Credit based qualification This is categorisation to help define qualification attributes e.g. type of assessment
Credits: 30 Credits are a measure of the size of the qualification
Guided Learning Hours: 180 - 180 This is the average contact time a centre would typically commit
Total Qualification Time: 300 The total time for the qualification
Key Stage: Data unavailable This shows the equivalent Key Stage level.
Last Certification: 31/08/2029 This is the last date that a certificate can be issued
Qualification fees in the UK: £265.00 Our typical price is the one that is most often paid by a centre for a completed learner. Some prices are made up of multiple charging points so action like taking difference units or specialisms to complete and resitting assessments may mean the cost for some learners differs. VAT may apply depending on your funding status and VAT registration.

Level 3 Subsidiary Diploma in Countryside Management

Accreditation No: 500/8560/8 This is a reference number related to UK accreditation framework
Type: Credit based qualification This is categorisation to help define qualification attributes e.g. type of assessment
Credits: 60 Credits are a measure of the size of the qualification
Guided Learning Hours: 360 - 360 This is the average contact time a centre would typically commit
Total Qualification Time: 600 The total time for the qualification
Key Stage: Data unavailable This shows the equivalent Key Stage level.
Last Certification: 31/08/2029 This is the last date that a certificate can be issued
Qualification fees in the UK: £280.70 Our typical price is the one that is most often paid by a centre for a completed learner. Some prices are made up of multiple charging points so action like taking difference units or specialisms to complete and resitting assessments may mean the cost for some learners differs. VAT may apply depending on your funding status and VAT registration.

Level 3 Diploma in Countryside Management

Accreditation No: 500/8561/X This is a reference number related to UK accreditation framework
Type: Credit based qualification This is categorisation to help define qualification attributes e.g. type of assessment
Credits: 120 Credits are a measure of the size of the qualification
Guided Learning Hours: 720 - 720 This is the average contact time a centre would typically commit
Total Qualification Time: 1200 The total time for the qualification
Key Stage: Data unavailable This shows the equivalent Key Stage level.
Last Certification: 31/08/2029 This is the last date that a certificate can be issued
Qualification fees in the UK: £235.20 Our typical price is the one that is most often paid by a centre for a completed learner. Some prices are made up of multiple charging points so action like taking difference units or specialisms to complete and resitting assessments may mean the cost for some learners differs. VAT may apply depending on your funding status and VAT registration.

Level 3 90-Credit Diploma in Countryside Management

Accreditation No: 600/6113/3 This is a reference number related to UK accreditation framework
Type: Credit based qualification This is categorisation to help define qualification attributes e.g. type of assessment
Credits: 90 Credits are a measure of the size of the qualification
Guided Learning Hours: 540 - 540 This is the average contact time a centre would typically commit
Total Qualification Time: 900 The total time for the qualification
Key Stage: Data unavailable This shows the equivalent Key Stage level.
Last Certification: 31/12/2031 This is the last date that a certificate can be issued
Qualification fees in the UK: £265.00 Our typical price is the one that is most often paid by a centre for a completed learner. Some prices are made up of multiple charging points so action like taking difference units or specialisms to complete and resitting assessments may mean the cost for some learners differs. VAT may apply depending on your funding status and VAT registration.

Here you can find all documents related to this suite of qualifications.

By clicking on the section headings below, you can access a variety of documents such as the qualification handbooks and assessment materials, Statements of Purpose, and recognition letters from industry and employers.

Some documents may be password protected. Passwords can be retrieved by logging in to Walled Garden and visiting the Administration section of the relevant qualification catalogue page.

Interested in delivering this qualification?

Find out more about how to become an approved City & Guilds centre or fill out our online customer application form.

Countryside and Environment (0076)