Marine Science with optional placement year, BSc (Hons)

Course summary

Are you passionate about the health of our oceans and life in our seas? Our degree in marine science is the integrated study of the biological, physical and chemical aspects of our coasts and oceans. It covers aspects of marine biology and ecology, through marine geology, maritime archaeology, and ocean engineering, to the oceans as an economic resource and a global climate regulator. Oceans provide many opportunities for sustainable communities through renewable energy schemes, carbon sequestration, and sustainable fishing. The Blue Economy (activities related to the ocean) is growing each year, and in 2018 was worth €566 billion while generating an estimated 3.5 million jobs across Europe.The human population, estimated at 7.6 billion in 2018, is expected to increase to 11 billion by 2100. With the majority of the world’s largest cities located in coastal zones, more than 75% of people are expected to live within 100 km of the coast by 2025. At a time of unprecedented environmental change, society is having to adapt to processes and hazards that are poorly understood. Now, more than ever, society needs STEM graduates with an interdisciplinary understanding of the complexity and uncertainty of the marine and atmospheric systems, and with the skills and competencies to observe, measure, model and manage these systems. We achieve this in our marine science degree through the integration of theoretical, practical and field-based approaches. Our Coleraine campus is ideally located on the Causeway Coast, one of the world’s most spectacular natural laboratories.Employment opportunities exist all over the world in the public and private sectors, in areas as diverse as physical, chemical and biological oceanography, coastal and ocean engineering, hydrographic surveying, fisheries science, marine mammal science, meteorology, marine geology, scientific diving, coastal zone planning and marine conservation