Masters Degrees in Ocean Sciences

The MSc by Research (MScRes) is a one-year full-time research programme that differs from a taught Masters programme by placing more emphasis on research, and by being examined much more like a PhD, by viva voce (oral) examination, rather than by grading of coursework and dissertation. This degree will equip you with confidence and competence in the latest research skills (including generic skills such as literature searching, legal and ethical aspects, project planning, grant proposal writing, and statistical manipulation of data) and allow you to apply for further research training (PhD) programmes, or to directly apply for research positions in universities or research institutes. Specific funded projects leading to this degree may be advertised from time to time, but you are welcome to discuss options at any time with potential supervisors. Details of research specialisms and contact details for staff can be found on the School Research pages. As well as offering strong support for research activities, the School offers unique opportunities for students to conduct project work under internationally recognised supervisors. Students also benefit from our extensive local, national and international links with state and private sector organisations.

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Summary

You will focus on a particular area of oceanography, which may be influenced by the subject area of your first degree, and develop specific knowledge and skills in areas determined by the modules you select and the nature of the research you undertake. The MRes is a research-led programme that differs from the MSc in focusing less on taught modules and more on the research project (about two-thirds of the year).

Modules

Semester one Core modules: Contemporary Topics in Ocean and Earth Science; plus one from: Introduction to Biological Oceanography; Introduction to Chemical Oceanography; Introduction to Marine Geology; Introduction to Physical Oceanography

Optional module: one from: Biogeochemical Cycles in the Earth System; Computational Data Analysis for Geophysicist and Ocean Scientists; Deep-sea Ecology; International Maritime and Environmental Law; Introductory Remote Sensing of the Oceans; Large scale Ocean Processes; Zooplankton Ecology and Processes

Semester two
Optional module: one from: Applied Biogeochemistry and Pollution; Applied Coastal Sediment Dynamics; Climate Dynamics; Ecological Modelling; Environmental Radioactivity and Radiochemistry; Global Climate Cycles; Reproduction in Marine Animals; Sea Floor Exploration and Surveying 2; Structure and Dynamics of Marine Communities; UN Convention on the Law of the Sea

Plus research project

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The aim of this course is to provide a grounding in both practical and theoretical aspects of sea level science in the context of climate change.

In the last few years it has become rapidly apparent that coastal flooding as a result of intense storms is forming one of the more immediate consequences of changes in storm severity and frequency consistent with what we would expect in a warming climate. Worldwide, governments, coastal planners and the insurance industry are realising that understanding sea level, both in terms of its gradual change and its response to extreme weather events, is vital if we are to try to reduce or mitigate the high human and financial costs of coastal flooding. This provides the practical, and urgent context for developing high-level training in sea level.

Within Liverpool we are well-placed to develop this training because of the co-location of the National Oceanography Centre (NOC) and the School of Environmental Sciences. NOC hosts and provides expertise for the Permanent Service for Mean Sea Level, the primary tide gauge data source for all studies of long-term sea level change. Scientists at the NOC are world leaders in the science of sea level, both in the context of global and regional sea level changes in response to a changing climate and in science of forecasting coastal flooding as a result of tide and storm interaction.

Why Oceanography?

Exceptional academic staff

Taught by staff from the School of Environmental Sciences and the National Oceanography Centre.

World centre

Liverpool is a world centre for oceanography and sea level science

High level computing and lab facilities

Access to high level computing and lab facilities, along with the University research vessel

Career prospects

Our degrees provide pathways into rewarding careers and our graduates have found employment in a wide range of industries and organisations, both in the UK and abroad. Graduates of the Environment and Climate Change MSc have gone on to continue their studies towards a PhD, or are employed in a wide range of positions, including environmental, energy and engineering consultancies, multinational companies (energy), local government, environmental bodies, research positions and teaching.

PhD graduates are now working in academic life as lecturers in Geography, Environmental Science, Economic History, Development Studies and Statistics at universities in the UK and overseas. Others are employed in applied fields, working in Europe, Africa and across the world, for example as professional statisticians (one is now Director of Statistics in Zambia, another working in the Health Service in the UK), development professionals (including a member of staff on the WHO malaria programme in East Africa), and scientists at climate and environmental research centres around the world.

The programme will provide training suitable for those seeking a career in the insurance and re-insurance industries, in coastal management, and in risk assessment/long-term planning for coastally-based organizations and governments. For those seeking to go on to further research in climate change and sea level, it will provide an unparalleled background, addressing many of the high priority requirements recently identified by NERC for doctoral training. Aspects of the course, such as research skills and data analysis of environmental records (including time series analysis) provide skills which are in demand across a wide range of scientific, engineering and financial fields.

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Summary

This degree is designed primarily for students with no previous specialisation in marine science such as graduates with a degree in biological sciences, chemistry or materials science, physics, maths, environmental science, physical geography or related disciplines. The programme includes compulsory introductory modules that provide a foundation in interdisciplinary marine science, along with the opportunity to specialise in particular areas through an option of modules, as well as research project experience with marine scientists at the National Oceanography Centre Southampton (NOCS). To highlight the specialisations possible, we have developed “pathways” of suggested module choices, which include: Marine Biology and Ecology; Physical Oceanography and Climate Dynamics; Marine Biogeochemistry; Marine Geology and Geophysics; Marine Resources and Law

Students can either follow one of these “pathways”, or mix options from different pathways, where the timetable allows, to pursue broader interests. Employment in the marine environmental sector is a common destination for MSc Oceanography graduates, and as the degree is a “conversion” to marine science from “pure” science backgrounds, around one-third of graduates also go on to PhD research in marine sciences.

Modules

Semester one

Core introductory modules: Biological Oceanography; Chemical Oceanography; Marine Geology; Physical Oceanography Plus: Key Skills and Literature Review

Optional modules: two from: Applied and Marine Geophysics; Biogeochemical Cycles in the Earth System; Coastal Sediment Dynamics; Computational Data Analysis for Geophysicists and Ocean Scientists; Deep-sea Ecology; Geodynamics and Solid Earth Geophysics; International Maritime and Environmental Law; Introductory Remote Sensing of the Oceans; Large-scale Ocean Processes; Microfossils, Environment and Time; Zooplankton Ecology and Processes

Semester two

Optional modules: three from: Global Ocean Carbon Cycle, Ocean Acidification and Climate; Applied Coastal Sediment Dynamics; Climate Dynamics; Ecological Modelling; Environmental Radioactivity and Radiochemistry; Global Climate Cycles; Global Ocean Monitoring; Seafloor Exploration and Surveying 2; Structure and Dynamics of Marine Communities; UN Convention on the Law of the Sea

Plus: Key Skills and Literature Review Research project: From June to September, students work full-time on an independent research project that represents one-third of the MSc degree.

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This MSc is a full-time one-year course, consisting of 9 months taught course and 3 months research project, and examined by continuous assessment. The course provides advanced training in marine biology with a strong emphasis on practical training.

The course provides training addressing the following major themes:

Marine Ecology Skills
Habitat Ecology / Coastal Survey
Marine Fisheries
Marine Vertebrates
Marine Invertebrates
Research Design & Planning
Research Project / Dissertation
The programme is achieved through a series of compulsory modules encompassing theory, practical, private study and practical research.

The School of Ocean Sciences at Bangor University has over 50 years experience of teaching at postgraduate level, and excellent teaching and research facilities for the study of the marine biology. Undergraduate teaching was graded excellent in the last Teaching Quality Assessment, and research was graded 4* in the Research Assessment Exercise. NERC has designated the School as a Centre of Excellence in Coastal Seas, Marine Biology and Biological Oceanography.

The MSc course in Marine Biology is one of a suite of 4 focused MSc courses in marine science run within the School. New students on this course are inducted to the University and School via an introductory course consisting of orientation through site tours, excursions and social events, and 5 weeks of quantifying biological variability, learning Information Technology, and practising presentation skills. Pre-sessional English language training courses are also available for overseas students.

The MSc course is managed by a course team comprising of the Course Director, Deputy Course Director and Postgraduate Course Administrator. The team report to the School Course Board, which in turn reports to the College of Natural Sciences. Each student has a personal tutor drawn from the teaching staff. The School has 30 academics teaching and researching across the marine science disciplines of Marine Biology (15), Biogeochemistry (2), Physical Oceanography (6) and Geological Oceanography (7) with a similar overall number of technical staff. Teaching on the MSc Marine Biology will be provided from 'in house' in the main, but additional teaching will be provided from the University's School of Biological Sciences and the National Museum of Wales.

The MSc course is housed in a fully serviced and dedicated postgraduate suite. The School is located on the shores of the Menai Strait which separates the Isle of Anglesey from the mainland. The Menai Strait is a proposed Statutory Marine Resource and EU Special Area of Conservation and there are unspoilt marine environments relatively close by.

The University's newly refurbished science library is located in nearby in Bangor. Specialist facilities in the School include temperate and tropical aquaria, satellite imaging processing and Geographical Information System computing, diving and field survey operations (including ROVs and sledges) and laboratories for benthic analysis, nutrition, microbiology, genetics, radiochemical analysis, stable isotopes, sediments and organic chemistry, scanning electron microscopy. An additional strength in our field teaching, is work at sea aboard the only ocean-going research vessel in the Higher Education sector (RV Prince Madog), which entered service in 2001.

MSc course students can benefit from the School's links with other institutions, especially for research project opportunities. Such links presently include the Virginia Institute of Marine Science, U.S.A., University of Mauritius, Catholic University Chile etc.

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Program Overview

Oceanographers investigate both fundamental and applied problems relating to the physics, mathematics, biology, chemistry, and geology of the sea, often working across traditional academic disciplines. Research carried out both independently and in collaboration with federal government laboratories occurs in many different oceanographic regimes, including coastal BC fjords, the inland sea of the Strait of Georgia, open ocean regions of the Subarctic Pacific, and many other locations, including the Arctic and Antarctic Oceans. The types of problems that can be studied include fundamental questions about the flow of stratified fluids at scales ranging from tens of meters to thousands of kilometers, applied research in estuaries, coastal, and deep-ocean processes, general ocean circulation and climate change issues, marine chemistry, geochemistry, and biogeochemistry, natural product chemistry, marine viruses, fisheries oceanography, plankton ecology and physiology, and primary production of the sea. The Department is well equipped to carry out research in the field (using either its own boat or larger vessels in the oceanographic fleet), at the laboratory bench, and in the numerical heart of a computer. Most problems involve aspects of all three.

Students in Oceanography may select courses, depending on their interest, from the following areas of specialization:
- biological oceanography
- marine chemistry and geochemistry
- physical oceanography and atmospheric sciences

Students are encouraged to broaden their knowledge by taking courses outside their area of specialization. Courses related to Oceanography are also offered in the Departments of Botany, Chemistry, Civil Engineering, Geography, Physics and Astronomy, and Zoology.

Oceanography students normally begin their studies in September but may sometimes arrange to start their thesis/dissertation work in the summer before their first Winter Session. A student wishing to do graduate work in Oceanography should first discuss the proposed program with appropriate faculty in the Department of Earth, Ocean and Atmospheric Sciences.

Quick Facts

- Degree: Master of Science
- Specialization: Oceanography
- Subject: Science
- Mode of delivery: On campus
- Program components: Coursework + Options
- Faculty: Faculty of Science

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This 12 month taught postgraduate course introduces students with a first degree in the physical, mathematical or other numerate sciences to the subject of Physical Oceanography. The course has run for over 40 years and is unique in the UK for the depth of physical oceanography training provided. As well as giving an overview of physical oceanography, the course enable students to study in detail those aspects of the subject for which they have particular interest.

The first two semesters of the course are taught, introducing the student to the physics of the ocean and its role in the climate system. Modules cover both oceanographic theory and its application, as well practical oceanography. The latter includes an introduction of state-of-the-art instrumentation, remote sensing, numerical modelling as well as practical experience working on small boats and the University's state-of-the-art research vessel, the Prince Madog. Student achievement in the course is evaluated by continuous assessment and module examinations.

During the second semester the student begins to focus on specific aspects of the subject, intially through an extensive literature review and then a research project. The research project, which forms a major component of the course, is selected in close consultation with the students to be of direct relevance to their intended future work. For overseas students, well founded projects based on investigations being undertaken in a home institute are encouraged.

Course Objectives
Provide a thorough training in the theory and application of physical oceanography.
Familiarize the student with modern oceanographic instrumentation and observational techniques.
Introduce state-of-the-art computational fluid dynamics, data analysis and fundamental modelling methods.
Provide the student with the practical experience and physical understanding necessary to address significant problems in the coastal ocean environment.fessional life.

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Human impacts on the environment have never been greater. As we approach the 6th mass extinction of species and face the prospect of global climate change, we are just beginning to realize how much we depend on ecosystems to provide us with services such as food, water, clean air, waste disposal and fibre. There has never been a more exciting time to study conservation biology and resource management. Our one-year programmes train students to an advanced level in conservation science and resource management, enabling them to become conservation professionals in research or the government, non-governmental organization, and consultancy sectors.

This is inevitably an inter-disciplinary subject. Our programmes benefit from the wide experience of teachers in the Schools of Environmental and Biological Sciences, with backgrounds in disciplines including conservation biology, ecology (including marine and population ecology), genetics, environmental planning, ocean science, management, law, and geography. Our programmes provide ample scope for individual research projects supervised by staff with research interests including socio-economic issues, historical impacts, climate change, conservation of rare species, and habitat management.

Why Ecology?

£7 million investment

The University's recent £7 million investment in marine ecology and the creation of the new School of Environmental Sciences have resulted in excellent research and teaching facilities.

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Summary

This two-year taught MSc is a joint European programme that provides the opportunity to study in Southampton, Bilbao, Bordeaux and Liege and will develop your ability to make a difference in marine environmental resource management. You will spend a full semester at three out of the four European universities (Southampton, Bilbao, Bordeaux, Liege) and will study in English. Your dissertation can be taken at any of these institutions or at any other MER partner institution worldwide. This experience of mobility, along with the emphasis on environment and resources in the programme, will empower you in the pan-European job and research market.

Modules

Semenster one delivered by the University of Southampton or the University of Bordeaux
Modules offered at Southampton:

Core modules: Contemporary Topics in Marine Science Policy and Law; Introduction to Biological Oceanography; Introduction to Chemical Oceanography; Introduction to Marine Geology; Introduction to Physical Oceanography
Optional modules: Coastal Sediment Dynamics; Marine GeoArchaeology; Microfossils, Environment and Time; Applied and Marine Geophysics; Biogeochemical Cycles in the Earth System; International Maritime and Environment Law; Introductory Remote Sensing of the Oceans; Largescale Ocean Processes; Deep-sea Ecology; Zooplankton Ecology and Processes

Semester two delivered by the University of the Basque Country, Bilbao.

Semester three delivered by the University of Southampton or the University of Liege.
Modules offered at Southampton:

Option modules: four from: Deep-sea Ecology; Zooplankton Ecology and Processes; and any option not taken in the first semester Specialisation in: Biodiversity and Preservation of the Marine Environment and its Resources; Design of Sampling Schemes and Data Analysis in Research Projects; Ecotoxicology; Integrated Assessment of the Quality of the Marine Environment; Sustainable Management of Marine Living Resources; Sustainable Management of Marine Non-living Resources

Visit our website for further information...

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Human impacts on the environment have never been greater. As we approach the 6th mass extinction of species and face the prospect of global climate change, we are just beginning to realize how much we depend on ecosystems to provide us with services such as food, water, clean air, waste disposal and fibre. There has never been a more exciting time to study conservation biology and resource management.

Our one-year programmes train students to an advanced level in conservation science and resource management, enabling them to become conservation professionals in research or the government, non-governmental organization, and consultancy sectors.

The MRes programme has an emphasis on developing individual research skills. Students therefore take 60 credits of taught modules and a 120 credit research project.

Why Ecology?

£7 million investment

The University's recent £7 million investment in marine ecology and the creation of the new School of Environmental Sciences have resulted in excellent research and teaching facilities.

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Marine biology is an extraordinarily broad and dynamic subject, reflecting the diversity and energy of marine ecosystems and the fantastic array of life they contain, making this a compelling subject to study. Marine processes exert massive influences on the Earth’s climate and the pattern of biogeochemical cycling. Closely linked with the diverse research pursuits of a range of scientists this programme allows you to apply and develop your particular skills in a marine context.

Key features

-Study in Plymouth, an internationally renowned city for marine biological research.
-Participate in a specifically designed, topical programme jointly hosted by Plymouth University and the Marine Biological Association (MBA) of the UK.
-Choose between two pathways to suit your research interests, biodiversity and ecology or cellular and molecular biology.
-Benefit from being taught by recognised experts with worldwide links to research organisations and projects.
-Draw on our expertise, working alongside research staff on a personal project.
-Undertake an extensive, original and innovative research project, often in collaboration with MBA Research Fellows, or one of our other partner institutions (Plymouth Marine Laboratory, Sir Alister Hardy Foundation for Ocean Science and the National Marine Aquarium), either in the UK or abroad.
-Excellent training for further research.
-See the benefit from close links with the research community worldwide.

Course details

In your first term you will study core modules which concentrate on building up your general research and academic skills. You’ll also be introduced to the research and organisation of the MBA and the Marine Biology and Ecology Research Centre at the University, with a focus upon raising your awareness of potential dissertation topics and advisors. You’ll take a specific module based on your chosen specialisation. The ecology option includes additional training in the analysis of ecological data and conservation/biodiversity assessments. The cellular and molecular option meanwhile focuses on DNA and microbiological techniques, biological imaging, and electrophysiological methods. The majority of time from mid-January onwards is spent on your research project and dissertation. You’ll undertake your project working directly with researchers at the MBA, Plymouth University or one of our other partner institutions. It may also be possible to conduct your project abroad.

Core modules
-MBAM5106 Advanced Research in Marine Biology
-MBAM5109 Marine Biology MRes Dissertation
-BIO5131 Postgraduate Research Skills & Methods

Optional modules
-MBAM5108 Marine Ecology and Conservation
-MBAM5107 Molecular and Cellular Approaches in Marine Biology

Every postgraduate taught course has a detailed programme specification document describing the programme aims, the programme structure, the teaching and learning methods, the learning outcomes and the rules of assessment.

Advice from graduate Olivia Durkin

"Although I may have not followed the typical path of a marine biology graduate, I have always remained flexible in the available job opportunities and therefore gained a very varied skill set, enabling me to adapt to different roles and projects. Do what you enjoy and it’s ok if you don’t end up being the dolphin trainer you thought you might be."

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Measuring, describing and depicting the seabed is crucial to the maintenance and development of ports, safe navigation, offshore renewables and the continuing search for hydrocarbons. Yet there is an international shortage of hydrographic surveyors. Seize this opportunity to gain a thorough knowledge of the science and technology of hydrography, experiencing the latest methods and equipment involved in exploring and managing the seabed whilst preparing for a career in this growth area.

Key features

-Graduate from a course that crosses different disciplines and is accredited by the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) and the Chartered Institute of Civil Engineering Surveyors (CICES).
-Study with the ocean right on your doorstep in our waterfront city. Benefit from the practical research opportunities and links to international marine businesses this brings, as well as access to the University’s specialist Marine Institute.
-Study aboard the University’s own survey vessel the Falcon Spirit, and develop hands-on experience in current survey techniques and different methods of data collection and analysis.
-Prepare yourself on a commercially focused programme that’s been developed in response to industry requirements and an expressed commercial need. Progress to a career in hydrographic research and development, port and offshore/ nearshore surveying or environmental support.
-Equip yourself with the latest knowledge relating to hydrography in the fields of marine geophysics, oceanography, land survey techniques, geodesy, bathymetric surveying, tides, acoustic theory and marine resource management. Learn to use equipment including GNSS, SBES, MBES, ADCP and sidescan sonar.
-Engage in debates around the wider aspects of hydrography and the implications for data capture, data management, processing and information systems.
-Attend lectures and receive support from our specialist staff, as well as access to a series of industrial speakers and demonstrations of the latest technologies.
-Gain the knowledge and skills you need to design, develop and implement a final research project at postgraduate level.
-Benefit from our good relationship with industry – a number of companies visit each year. There is excellent recruitment from the programme to the marine sector with global opportunities and the potential to travel in conjunction with your employment.

Course details

Period 1 — an intensive 15 week programme of classroom learning and field activities prepare you for the technical aspects of surveying and the research required in master’s study. 70 per cent lectures/seminars and 30 per cent practical, either within the laboratory or afloat. Assessment is continual or by coursework.

Period 2 — includes specialisms in advanced studies with a combination of the digital mapping and survey project management modules, designed to prepare students for practical roles and management decisions when completing hydrographic tasks on behalf of future employers. Modules are selected based on industrial expectations and potential career requirements. 80 per cent lectures/seminars, 20 per cent practical. Assessment is 50/50 coursework and formal examination for core modules, continuous for the one optional module.

Period 3 — undertake a self-managed final dissertation, supervised by an assigned academic. May comprise a desk study, laboratory experimentation, field observations, data acquisitions and processing.

Core modules
-MAR513 Research Skills and Methods
-MAR520 Hydrography
-MAR521 Acoustic and Oceanographic Surveying
-MAR524 MSc Dissertation
-MAR522 Survey Project Management
-MAR523 Digital Mapping

Optional modules
-MAR517 Coastal Erosion and Protection
-MAR529 Marine Planning
-MAR530 Managing Marine Ecosystems
-MAR507 Economics of the Marine Environment
-MAR518 Remote Sensing and GIS

Every postgraduate taught course has a detailed programme specification document describing the programme aims, the programme structure, the teaching and learning methods, the learning outcomes and the rules of assessment.

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The Offshore and Ocean Technology with Offshore Materials Engineering MSc course develops professional engineers with specialist knowledge of the selection, behaviour and maintenance of a wide variety of complex materials used offshore. This knowledge is crucial to the success of the industry, particularly with the growth in novel materials for the renewable energy sector. Our graduates can expect to be in demand globally as specialist structural and materials engineers, in oil and gas, and renewable energy applications.

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Subsea pipelines are both key to field development and the transportation of oil and gas. It is also a key global industry. The Offshore and Ocean Technology with Pipeline Engineering MSc course focuses on the skills required to understand the materials, installation and maintenance issues associated with this important infrastructure. This programme is suitable for engineering and science graduates keen to pursue careers within the offshore sector; or graduates currently working in the offshore and ocean-related industries keen to extend their qualifications; or individuals with other qualifications who possess considerable relevant experience.

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Risk management is now the bedrock of many industries. A risk-based approach has been almost universally adopted in the offshore industry with the aim of providing better safety and improved protection for the environment. The Offshore and Ocean Technology with Risk Management MSc course focuses on the key techniques used in the offshore industry. It addresses both qualitative and quantitative methodologies, and explains which techniques are appropriate to different applications.

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