Marine Science

Are you passionate about our seas and oceans? Can you imagine studying at a beachfront campus, with an enormous wealth of marine and coastal environments right outside your door?

Dive into an incredible living research environment, with internationally-renowned, state-of-the-art marine laboratory facilities, at the Scottish Association for Marine Science (SAMS) on Scotland‘s west coast. Enjoy first-hand interactions with marine science experts, collect samples and data on research vessels, in aquaria and on the seashore, and develop excellent laboratory skills.

Choose to study abroad in your third year at the University Centre in Svalbard (UNIS) in the Arctic Circle, Coastal Carolina University (CCU), USA, or Dalhousie University, Canada.

Explore the marine realm first hand and apply the latest technologies throughout your studies, with subjects such as oceanography, biogeochemical cycling, conservation, robotics, data analysis and instrumentation, polar seas, the marine carbon cycle, and much more.

A brilliant springboard to success in your future marine science career, exit with a BSc (Hons) Marine Science or choose to pursue pathways in Arctic Studies, Marine Biology, or Oceanography and Robotics.

If you'd be interested in pursuing a 5-year Marine Science programme from SCQF levels 7-11, including a year-long integrated work placement, you may wish to explore our MSci Applied Marine Science.

Special features
Opportunities to exit with any of the following four pathways:
◾ BSc (Hons) Marine Science
◾ BSc (Hons) Marine Science with Oceanography and Robotics
◾ BSc (Hons) Marine Science with Arctic Studies
◾ BSc (Hons) Marine Science with Marine Biology

Opportunity to spend one or two semesters at:
◾the University Centre in Svalbard (UNIS) in the Arctic Circle
◾Coastal Carolina, USA
◾Dalhousie University, Canada
◾or at another partner university

Module outline

Year 1 - CertHE

You will study the following core modules:

• Fundamentals of marine biology

• Fundamentals of marine chemistry

• Fundamentals of marine geology

• Fundamentals of marine physics

• Introduction to mathematics and data science

• Marine field course

Year 2 - DipHE

You will study the following core modules:

• Chemical oceanography

• Marine biology

• Marine geology

• Physical oceanography

• Statistics for marine science

You will also pick one of the following optional modules:

• Applied maths and programming

• Biochemistry and molecular biology

• Marine observing systems

Year 3 - BSc

Students based at Scottish Association for Marine Science (SAMS) UHI in this year will choose from the below modules.

Marine Science/Arctic Studies pathways
You will also choose any six from the following modules:

• Marine biogeochemical cycling

• Marine biotechnology

• Marine conservation

• Marine mammals and megafauna

• Marine microbial ecology

• Marine observing systems

• Marine pollution

• Marine remote sensing and geographic information systems (GIS)

• Marine zoology

• Ocean circulation and climate

Marine Biology pathway
You will study the following core modules:

• Marine mammals and megafauna

• Marine zoology

You will also choose any four from the following modules:

• Marine biogeochemical cycling

• Marine biotechnology

• Marine conservation

• Marine microbial ecology

• Marine observing systems

• Marine pollution

• Marine remote sensing and geographic information systems (GIS)

• Ocean circulation and climate

Oceanography and Robotics pathway

You will study the following core modules:

• Marine observing systems

• Marine remote sensing and geographic information systems (GIS)

• Ocean circulation and climate

You will also choose any three from the following modules:

• Marine biogeochemical cycling

• Marine biotechnology

• Marine conservation

• Marine mammals and megafauna

• Marine microbial ecology

• Marine pollution

• Marine zoology

You may also choose to spend one or two semesters at Coastal Carolina University (CCU), Dalhousie University, or University Centre in Svalbard (UNIS).

Year 4 - BSc (Hons)

Marine Science pathway
You will study the following core module:

• Dissertation

You will also choose any four from the following modules:

• Aquaculture

• Coastal and shelf sea dynamics

• Deep-seas ecology

• Defining the marine carbon cycle

• Marine environmental impact assessment

• Marine modelling

• Polar seas

Arctic Studies pathway
You will study the following core modules:

• Polar seas

• Dissertation

You will also choose any three from the following modules:

• Aquaculture

• Behaviour and biological clocks

• Coastal and shelf sea dynamics

• Deep-seas ecology

• Defining the marine carbon cycle

• Marine environmental impact assessment

• Marine modelling

Marine Biology pathway
You will study the following core modules:

• Behaviour and biological clocks

• Deep-seas ecology

• Dissertation

You will also choose any two from the following modules:

• Aquaculture

• Behaviour and biological clocks

• Coastal and shelf sea dynamics

• Defining the marine carbon cycle

• Marine environmental impact assessment

• Marine modelling

• Polar seas

Oceanography and Robotics pathway
You will study the following core modules:

• Coastal and shelf sea dynamics

• Dissertation

You will also choose any three from the following modules:

• Aquaculture

• Behaviour and biological clocks

• Deep-seas ecology

• Defining the marine carbon cycle

• Marine environmental impact assessment

• Marine modelling

• Polar seas

This outline reflects the modules as currently delivered and is subject to change.

For more details please visit the SAMS website