Undergraduate Degree in Marine Science

Course Co-ordinator: Dr. Martin White ( martin.whitenuigalway.ie)

• Course Brochure: This is a PDF version and requires Adobe Acrobat to read it. A hard-copy can be requested free of charge from Ms Lorna Larkin ( lorna.larkinnuigalway.ie). Include your full postal address, please.

A student of marine science at NUI Galway enters the College of Science and either follows a course of study leading to the primary degree of B.Sc. (an ‘undenominated degree course’) or takes the only B.Sc Degree Course in Marine Science available in Ireland at present. Both qualifications allow the student to proceed from the primary degree to a course of research and study leading to a Master’s degree (M.Sc.) or a Doctorate (Ph.D.). Please note that the entry requirements of the College of Science must be met.

The aims of the Degree Programme in Marine Science are to provide the student with:

1. Skills and knowledge necessary for the study of science.
2. Specialist knowledge and skills in the area of marine science, including both biological and physical/chemical aspects.
3. Skills and knowledge necessary for conducting post-graduate research.
4. A range of transferable skills useful for employment outside of the Marine Science sector.

There are no special requirements for entry to Marine Science at NUI Galway. Obviously, an interest in the sea, or marine affairs, will motivate entrants, and many will have an interest in SCUBA diving and other aquatic skills. Diving and swimming clubs in the University and City enable those students who wish to develop underwater diving and swimming skills to do so.

Programme content

The Denominated Degree in Marine Science is a four-year degree leading to a B.Sc. (Hons) At the end of the degree, students will have developed a wide range of Knowledge skills, thinking skills, practical skills and personal skills, enabling them to find work in both the commercial and academic sectors.

First Year

Courses include fundamental biology, chemistry, physics, and maths courses, ensuring that students have the full range of basic skills necessary to pursue a degree in Marine Science. Students also take a two-semester introductory course in earth and ocean sciences, providing a basic understanding of how the oceans formed, their role in earth’s climate, their variety as a habitat, their interactions with the land, and giving a first glimpse of some of the exciting research being carried out in the oceans.

Second Year

Students take two compulsory courses (i) Introduction to Oceanography, which develops an understanding of the interactions between the ocean and atmosphere, the different physical and chemical properties of the ocean, and their relationship with ocean biology (ii) Statistics, a fundamental quantitative subject required in order to carry out any scientific work. Students then choose two further courses from options in Botany, Zoology, Microbiology, Earth and Ocean Science and Mathematics/Physics, each one providing students with a deeper understanding of different aspects of Marine Science. Students carry out a range of practical work in each module and participate in fieldwork. They also complete a recognised Basic Sea Survival course, enabling them to go to sea on research vessels.

Third Year

By this stage students are beginning to specialise in particular aspects of Marine Science.  Students take two compulsory courses: (i) Introduction to Marine Ecology, a two-semester course which covers all aspects of marine ecology including microbial ecology, phytoplankton ecology, seaweeds, zooplankton, fish and crustaceans, and cetaceans. This course also covers methods for taking biological and oceanographic samples at sea, and biostatistical methods for the analysis of marine biological data; (ii) Marine Geoscience, a one-semester course which looks more closely at the physics and chemistry of the oceans, the interaction of the ocean with the seabed, and remote sensing methods in marine science, including satellite measurements of the sea surface, and acoustic methods for measuring ocean properties such as currents, seabed properties, and for use in fisheries research. Students then choose one further two-semester course, from options in Botany, Zoology, Microbiology and Mathematics/Physics, furthering their understanding of the marine aspects of these sciences, and gaining an understanding of the differences between marine and terrestrial biology. Students will carry out a range of practical work in each module and will participate in fieldwork, including an opportunity to participate in one of the Marine Institute research cruises.

Fourth Year

Provided students reach a sufficiently high standard in their Second and Third year examinations, they can proceed to Fourth year. Here they will carry out a research project on some aspect of marine science, chosen from a range of options and mentored by an academic supervisor. Projects cover a wide range of possibilities, from research into aquaculture methods at MRI Carna, to fishing for eels, to surveying shorelines for particular species of marine plants or animals, to going to sea to gather data on phytoplankton blooms, to recording ocean colour data for comparison with satellite observations. There are more than a dozen academic staff with a range of research interests in marine science available to supervise fourth-year projects. Students also take two taught courses, a one-semester course allied to the topic of their research project, and a two-semester course covering advanced topics in marine science, which consists of a series of short courses in different aspects of on-going and new research into the marine environment. Students are also expected to make presentations of their work this year.

Employment opportunities for Marine Scientists

These, of course, depend on the precise scientific specification of each graduate, the economic climate and many other factors.

Marine Science gives the dedicated student a life-long interest and knowledge of the sea, an appreciation of the marine environment, and a sound training in scientific methodology.

Areas in which marine science graduates can be expected to contribute significantly include: full-time specialist research, fisheries, aquaculture mariculture, coastal resource management, tourism, environmental planning and impact studies, marine park and oceanarium management, museum curatorship, teaching/training and teaching support (film-making, etc.). Increasing regulation by the European Union of our coastal resources will mean that extensive protection and monitoring of marine environments will be necessary. The University enjoys a strong relationship with the business community in the west of Ireland and throughout the country. It has developed active links and programmes of co-operation with Industry, with State and Regional Development Agencies and with Chambers of Commerce.

Commissioned research, consultancy, in-service education and student placement form an important part of this relationship. There is also a formal agreement between the University and Údarás na Gaeltachta (a regional uthority for Irish-speaking areas) to collaborate in the development of job-creating industries within the Gaeltacht.

Post-graduate degrees in Marine Science

PhD degrees in Marine Science are offered from time to time. In general, these posts will be advertised on the vacancies page of the Ryan Institute.  Individual contact can be made with the staff of the institute seeking placement.