Ocean Exploration and Surveying

Launch your global career exploring and surveying the world’s oceans. Using industry-standard equipment and software aboard our fleet of survey vessels, you'll build the hands-on expertise and advanced skills demanded by industry.

Career ready skills
Use our advanced industry-standard survey equipment, research vessels and uncrewed surface vehicles for practical data collection, gaining sought-after experience and in-demand skills in Plymouth's coastal environment.

Fieldwork from week one
Participate in boatwork throughout your degree, immerse yourself in our optional international fieldtrip, gain hands-on experience in real-world environments and apply your skills to the hydrographic sector.

Professional diving and global fieldwork opportunities
Boost your credentials with the HSE Professional SCUBA qualification and a dedicated scientific diving module (optional), alongside opportunities for overseas field courses and industry-based experiences.

This course is for you if...

• you're eager to develop skills in hydrographic surveying, using advanced, industry-standard equipment

• you’re passionate about understanding the ocean and seafloor, and the processes that shape them

• you enjoy hands-on learning through boatwork, fieldwork and labwork

• you aspire for a career that combines science, adventure and real-world impact.

Plymouth is a founding member of the Defence Universities Alliance, a collaboration between the Ministry of Defence, the UK Armed Forces and the higher education sector, helping equip you with specialist, in-demand skills.

Course Modules

Year 1
From your very first week, you’ll be experiencing real marine science, collecting and working with live data using our own fleet of research vessels. You’ll learn the underpinning aspects of the physics, chemistry and biology that are critical to understanding the pivotal role played by the Earth’s oceans in our modern society. Alongside this, you’ll develop hands‑on skills using cutting-edge scientific instruments, learning how to collect, analyse and communicate data with confidence. You’ll build these skills where it matters most: out in the field, turning theory into practice through real-world scientific experiences.

Year 2
In your second year, you’ll receive advanced training in a wide range of industry‑standard survey equipment, with a particular emphasis on seafloor mapping. You’ll explore core topics such as marine positioning, underwater acoustics and digital mapping, whilst also developing a deeper understanding of the physical processes that shape coastal environments. You’ll have the chance to broaden your learning through optional modules in meteorology, remote sensing or scientific diving (for those with the appropriate qualifications). As part of your growing independence as a marine scientist, you’ll also begin planning your final‑year research project by developing a proposal that reflects your interests and ambitions.

Optional placement year
Many of our students choose to take an optional placement year between their second and final years, gaining invaluable hands‑on experience in real scientific environments. You can choose to complete a minimum six‑month work placement anywhere in the world, gaining practical, career‑focused experience directly linked to your studies. This is your opportunity to apply your skills in real‑world settings, explore potential career paths and build valuable professional networks that can help shape your future in the field.

Final year
In your final year, you’ll bring everything together! You’ll focus on hydrographic surveying in coastal and offshore environments, including the use of marine autonomy, surveying for renewable energy, offshore construction, resource management and applied ocean exploration. A residential fieldtrip (or an opportunity to study overseas) gives you the chance apply everything you’ve learned into a real-world setting alongside peers and expert staff. You’ll also have the freedom to tailor your learning through optional modules, exploring cutting-edge areas such as Big Data, marine pollution, marine policy and planning or coastal processes. A major component of your final year is your research project. Working under the supervision of an academic specialist, you’ll apply the knowledge, techniques and scientific understanding you’ve developed throughout your degree to an independent piece of research, giving you the chance to explore a topic you’re passionate about and demonstrate your capabilities as an ocean scientist.

For up to date details, please refer to our website or contact the institution directly.