Marine Environmental Science

Marine environmental science is the study of the ocean and coastal systems that cover approximately seventy per cent of the Earth's surface and represent more than ninety-five per cent of the world's biosphere. While human-induced threats to marine environments continue, including pollution, climate change, ocean acidification, and overexploitation of fisheries, there is still so much to discover about this vital ecosystem. Marine environmental science brings together oceanography, marine biology, chemistry, geology, and environmental science to understand how these systems work and how best to protect them.

This three-year full-time programme at the University of Portsmouth gives you both the scientific knowledge and the practical fieldwork skills needed to study and manage marine and coastal environments. You will explore topics including marine ecology, physical oceanography, coastal geomorphology, pollution and remediation, climate science, and the policy frameworks that govern the use and protection of marine resources. Fieldwork and practical laboratory work are central to the degree, and the sandwich year placement and year abroad options give you the opportunity to gain professional experience and to study marine environments in a different regional context before you complete your degree.

Work placement opportunities are also built into the programme.

Marine environmental science graduates go on to careers in environmental consultancy, marine conservation organisations, government agencies, offshore energy companies, fisheries management, coastal planning, and research institutions. The combination of scientific knowledge and practical field skills you develop is highly relevant to environmental impact assessment, habitat monitoring, and the management of marine protected areas. Postgraduate study in marine biology, oceanography, environmental management, or related research fields is a common route for those who want to specialise.