Marine Biology
Marine biology is the study of living organisms in the ocean and coastal environments, from the bacteria and phytoplankton that form the base of marine food chains to the great whales and the diverse communities of coral reefs. The world's oceans are the largest and least understood biosphere on Earth, playing a central role in regulating the planet's climate, producing a significant proportion of its oxygen, and supporting the livelihoods of hundreds of millions of people through fisheries and coastal economies. Marine biology addresses this world through the methods of ecology, evolutionary biology, physiology, behaviour and molecular science.
At the University of Chester this three-year full-time programme develops your knowledge of marine organisms and the ecosystems they inhabit, from rocky shores and estuaries to open ocean and deep-sea environments. You will develop both laboratory and fieldwork skills, with practical experience in marine environments central to the programme. Chester's location provides access to fieldwork sites in North Wales and beyond, and the programme includes a year abroad that gives you the opportunity to study marine biology in a different geographic and oceanographic context, broadening your understanding of marine systems beyond the North Atlantic.
You will engage with questions of marine conservation, fisheries science, climate change impacts and the sustainable management of ocean resources, all of which are central to the discipline today.
Marine biology graduates go on to work in conservation, environmental consultancy, fisheries management, marine research, government agencies, international environmental organisations and education. Others build careers in science communication, marine tourism or the growing field of marine biotechnology. Many continue to postgraduate study in marine biology, oceanography, conservation science or environmental management.
The year abroad gives graduates an international dimension that strengthens both their scientific perspective and their professional profile.