Bachelor of Marine Science and Master of Environmental Science

Program Overview

This four-year combined Bachelor's and Master's program explores marine life, ecosystems, and physical processes. Students gain a deep understanding of coastal marine environments, threats and hazards, and management principles. The program features extensive fieldwork, research opportunities, and hands-on skills development, preparing graduates for careers in marine environmental consulting, government agencies, industry, and academia.

Program Outline

Bachelor of Marine Science and Master of Environmental Science Program Details:

Degree Overview:

This program is a four-year accelerated Combined Bachelor's and Master's (CBM) program designed for students with an ATAR of 90 or above. It offers a comprehensive understanding of marine science, combining knowledge of marine life with a solid understanding of the physical environment across all levels of biological organization.

Objectives:

• Gain specialized knowledge of marine life and the physical processes across coastal marine environments.
• Understand the complex interactions within marine ecosystems.
• Develop skills to manage these systems in a changing world.
• Gain practical skills for the management of marine and coastal environments.

Description:

The program combines an extended major in Marine Science with a semester of postgraduate study in the first three years. Students can choose to exit after three years with an Advanced Bachelor's Degree in Marine Science or continue for a fourth year to earn a Bachelor of Marine Science and a Master of Environmental Science.

Outline:

Year 1:

• Semester 1: BIOL1130 - Frontiers in Biology, SCOM1101 - Communicating Science, EART1105 - Dynamic Planet, CITS1401 - Computational Thinking with Python
• Semester 2: BIOL1131 - Plant and Animal Biology, CITS2402 - Introduction to Data Science, ENVT2221 - Global Climate Change and Biodiversity, EART2204 - Coastal Processes

Year 2:

• Semester 1: ENVT2250 - Ecology, GEOG2201 - Geographic Information Systems, SCIE2204 - Marine Systems, SCIE1104 - Science, Society and Data Analysis
• Semester 2: BIOL2204 - Marine Biology, BIOL3305 - Fisheries Science: Foundation and Application, ENVT3307 - Oceanography, ENVT3362 - Environmental Dynamics

Year 3:

• Semester 1: ENVT3306 - Coastal Conservation and Management, SCIE3304 - Field Techniques in Marine Science, Elective, Elective

Year 4:

• Semester 1: PG Specific , PG Specific , PG Specific , PG Specific
• Postgraduate units will vary depending on your chosen specialisation, a study plan will be provided later in your degree.

Module Descriptions:

• BIOL1130 - Frontiers in Biology: Introduces fundamental biological concepts and principles.
• SCOM1101 - Communicating Science: Develops skills in communicating scientific information effectively.
• EART1105 - Dynamic Planet: Explores the Earth's physical processes and systems.
• CITS1401 - Computational Thinking with Python: Introduces computational thinking and programming skills using Python.
• BIOL1131 - Plant and Animal Biology: Covers the diversity, structure, and function of plants and animals.
• CITS2402 - Introduction to Data Science: Introduces data science concepts and techniques.
• ENVT2221 - Global Climate Change and Biodiversity: Examines the impacts of climate change on biodiversity.
• EART2204 - Coastal Processes: Explores the physical processes that shape coastal environments.
• ENVT2250 - Ecology: Introduces ecological principles and concepts.
• SCIE2204 - Marine Systems: Explores the physical and biological processes within marine systems.
• SCIE1104 - Science, Society and Data Analysis: Introduces scientific methods and data analysis techniques.
• BIOL2204 - Marine Biology: Covers the diversity, ecology, and evolution of marine organisms.
• BIOL3305 - Fisheries Science: Foundation and Application: Explores the principles and practices of fisheries management.
• ENVT3307 - Oceanography: Covers the physical, chemical, and biological aspects of the ocean.
• ENVT3362 - Environmental Dynamics: Examines the interactions between human activities and the environment.
• ENVT3306 - Coastal Conservation and Management: Focuses on the conservation and management of coastal ecosystems.
• SCIE3304 - Field Techniques in Marine Science: Provides practical experience in marine field research.

Teaching:

• Teaching Methods: Lectures, laboratory exercises, field excursions.
• Faculty: The program is taught by internationally recognized experts in marine science and environmental science.
• Unique Approaches: The program is enriched by research-based inquiry, often led by UWA's global experts, encouraging cutting-edge science.

Careers:

• Career Pathways:
• Marine environmental consulting
• State and local governments managing coastal planning and infrastructure
• Government agencies managing fisheries, marine conservation, or leading marine research projects (e.g., DPRID, DBCA, CSIRO, AIMS, Geoscience Australia)
• Resource industry
• Marine industry
• Marine Renewables
• Aquaculture
• NGOs
• Academia

Other:

• Fieldwork: The program includes extensive fieldwork opportunities in Western Australia's unique marine environment, a biodiversity hotspot with up to 80% of marine life found nowhere else in the world.
• Facilities: Students have access to state-of-the-art facilities, including the Indian Ocean Marine Research Centre (IOMRC), a purpose-built collaborative facility for marine science and ocean engineering research.
• Research: The program is strongly linked to research, with students encouraged to participate in research projects.