Marine Biology

This is a Connected Degree
Portsmouth is the only University in the UK with the flexibility to choose when to do an optional paid placement or self-employed year. Either take a placement in your third year, or finish your studies first and complete a placement in your fourth year. You can decide if and when to take a placement after you've started your course.

Overview
Marine biologists are the first line of defence for our blue planet, and are crucial to enhance the ecology and environment of our oceans.

This BSc (Hons) Marine Biology degree, accredited by the Royal Society of Biology (RSB), will give you the skills you need to play your part. With conservation projects and world class facilities on our doorstep, Portsmouth is the perfect place to begin a career as a marine scientist.

• Work on active conservation projects – such as the Solent Oyster Restoration Project, the Solent BioHut project, the Isle of Wight UNESCO Marine Biosphere, and the Solent Seagrass Restoration Project

• Access the Solent European Marine Site with its wide range of environments through the Institute of Marine Sciences, our internationally renowned shoreside marine station

• Go on a marine field trip abroad, where you can explore exotic, unique and diverse ecosystems

• Get practical marine skills on our research vessels, including a large experimental raft, a 6-metre high-speed shallow draft launch for inshore work and a suite of sampling systems including dredges, grabs and nets

• Build experience on a one-year work placement, study abroad at one of our partner universities, and learn powerboating with the Royal Yacht Association (RYA) or PADI-certified scientific and technical diving

Accredited by:
This course is accredited by the Royal Society of Biology.

Careers and opportunities
On this BSc (Hons) Marine Biology degree, you'll learn about a wide array of marine organisms, from phytoplankton to cetaceans, and how to protect the oceans and their delicate ecosystems against the growing threats of climate change, habitat destruction and resource exploitation.

When you graduate, you'll be ready for a career in a range of marine science areas, such as conservation, resource management and aquaculture, or to pursue academic research, lab work, field work or policy making.

You could also continue your studies at postgraduate level. Many graduates go onto study MRes Science or MSc Applied Aquatic Biology.

What can you do with a Marine Biology degree?
Previous graduates of this course have gone on to work in:

• post-graduate research

• coastal zone management

• environmental toxicology

• marine conservation

• aquaculture

• marine policy

• marine resource management

Graduate roles
Roles previous graduates have gone on to do include:

• lab analyst

• field technician

• agriculture supervisor

• radioactive chemist

• extraction scientist

• day yacht skipper

• watersports instructor

• biology teacher

Placement year
After your second year, you can do an optional work placement year to get valuable longer-term work experience in the industry. Placements give you the opportunity to apply what you've learnt so far in a real workplace, boosting your employability and making you attractive to employers after graduation.

You can work for a company or organisation here in the UK or overseas, although our coastal location means there are many placement opportunities nearby.

Our partners include commercial, research and non-profit organisations such as:

• Maidenhead Aquatics

• Field Studies Council

• ORCA

• Blue Marine Foundation

Whichever route you choose, you'll receive support and guidance. Our specialist team of Science and Health Careers advisors can help you with finding a work placement and improving your employability skills. They'll provide you with a database of placement vacancies, support with your job search, and support you throughout your placement year.

The University of Portsmouth is passionate about creating career-focused modules that do more than support your studies, they empower your academic journey and prepare you for what comes next.

We design modules that have:

• Clear themes and skills development as you progress through each year
• Assessments that feel meaningful, often based on real-world tasks rather than isolated exams
• Career-enhancing opportunities such as placements, live projects, enterprise and volunteering

For a full list of the modules you will study on this course, please visit https://www.port.ac.uk/study/courses/undergraduate/bsc-hons-marine-biology#modules

You’ll be assessed through written exams, course work in the form of practical write ups, posters and oral presentations, individual research project.
You’ll be able to test your skills and knowledge informally before you do assessments that count towards your final mark.
You can get feedback on all practice and formal assessments so you can improve in the future.

Professionally accredited courses provide industry-wide recognition of the quality of your qualification.

• Royal Society of Biology