Ocean Sciences BSc (Hons)

Program Overview

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Through a blend of coursework and hands-on experiences, students gain expertise in the physical, chemical, and biological processes that shape marine environments. The program prepares graduates for careers in marine science, oceanography, and related fields, empowering them to address critical environmental challenges and contribute to sustainable ocean management.

Program Outline

It emphasizes the crucial role of the ocean in Earth's climate system, regulating heat and carbon transfer globally.

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Objectives:

• Develop a multidisciplinary understanding of the ocean environment from a physical, chemical, and biological perspective.
• Gain practical experience in marine science through hands-on quantitative studies of biological, chemical, and physical marine science.
• Participate in field/project work throughout the course of studies, including a full sea practical during year three.
• Undertake a major research project in the final year.
• Acquire skills and knowledge relevant to careers in marine science, oceanography, and environmental science.

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Outline:

The program is structured over three years, with compulsory and optional modules in each year.

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Year One:

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Compulsory Modules:

• Climate, Atmosphere and Oceans (ENVS111): This module explores the climate system's operation, focusing on the atmosphere and ocean's structure and circulation.
It emphasizes acquiring mechanistic insight and order of magnitude calculations.
• Marine Ecosystems: Diversity, Processes and Threats (ENVS122): This module introduces the diversity of marine ecosystems globally, covering habitats, organisms, key processes, and human threats.
• Study Skills (Ocean and Climate Sciences) (ENVS103): This module introduces key concepts and skills in ocean and climate sciences, including data analysis, illustration, and fieldwork experience.
• Theory and Laboratory Experiments in Earth Surfaces Processes (ENVS165): This module explores fundamental physical and chemical processes underlying physical geography through lectures and laboratory-based problem-solving.

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Optional Modules:

• Ecology and Conservation (ENVS157): This module explores the interactions between organisms and the environment, focusing on species organization, energy flow, and ecosystem responses to change.
• Environmental Chemistry (ENVS153): This module introduces the fundamental properties of elements and matter in the context of environmental sciences, covering atomic structure, bonding forces, and chemical reactions.
• Sedimentary Rocks and Fossils (ENVS118): This module provides an introduction to sedimentology and palaeontology, covering sediment origin, sedimentary processes, and fossil preservation.
• Life in the Seas and Oceans (ENVS121): This module introduces the diversity of life in the marine environment, covering organisms, adaptations, and challenges of survival.
• Essential Mathematical Skills (ENVS117): This module provides a foundation in mathematics for students without a strong background, covering pure maths, maths mechanics, and statistics.

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Year Two:

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Compulsory Modules:

• Key Skills for Environmental Data Analysis (ENVS202): This module provides training in manipulating environmental data sets using Matlab software, covering data reading, manipulation, plotting, and interpretation.
• Marine Ecophysiology, Ecology and Exploitation (ENVS251): This module explores the physiology and ecology of marine organisms, focusing on adaptations to the marine environment and human impacts.
• Marine Pollution (ENVS232): This module covers the causes, processes, and impacts of marine pollution, including excess nutrients, plastic debris, trace metals, and marine heatwaves.
• Sampling the Ocean (ENVS220): This module introduces methods and skills used in oceanography for surveying and sampling, covering navigation, physical parameters, and biogeochemical parameters.
• Research and Career Skills (ENVS204): This module develops research and careers skills, including critiquing scientific literature, analyzing data, creating professional displays, and writing research reports.
• Oceanography, Plankton and Climate (ENVS245): This module explores the role of plankton in marine food chains and climate, covering their distribution, growth, and responses to climate change.

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Optional Modules:

• Catchment Hydrology (ENVS217): This module covers water above and below the land surface, its circulation, and distribution within drainage catchments.
• Climatology (ENVS231): This module covers energy balance and transfer processes, clouds, rain formation, weather forecasting, and regional climates.
• Geomorphology: Ice, Sea and Air (ENVS252): This module explores the processes that shape terrestrial landforms, focusing on glacial systems, aeolian processes, and coastal geomorphology.
• Changing Environments (ENVS214): This module examines global changes impacting the Earth, focusing on freshwater and coastal wetlands, lakes, and techniques for reconstructing past environmental conditions.

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Year Three:

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Compulsory Modules:

• Global Carbon Cycle (ENVS335): This module introduces the fundamental theory behind the global carbon cycle, covering carbon partitioning, ocean carbon storage, and the impact of increasing carbon dioxide.
• Contemporary Issues in Ocean and Climate Sciences (ENVS366): This module explores current research topics in ocean and climate sciences, drawing on recent reports and engaging with leading experts.
• Ocean Dynamics (ENVS332): This module addresses how the ocean and atmosphere circulate, covering heat, salt, and dissolved substance transport, jet formation, and seafloor topography's influence.
• Sea Practical (ENVS349): This module provides hands-on experience in collecting data and samples at sea, including navigation, meteorological parameters, and biogeochemical parameters.
• Independent Research Project (ENVS306): This module involves a two-semester dissertation research project, carried out individually with supervision by a member of academic staff.

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Optional Modules:

• Fluvial Environments (ENVS372): This module examines fluvial geomorphology, covering fluvial processes, water and sediment flux, and landform production.
• Coastal Environments: Spatial and Temporal Change (ENVS376): This module considers the evolution and response of coastal environments to marine and riverine processes, focusing on sea level rise, storm activity, and coastal management.

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Assessment:

Assessment methods vary depending on the module and may include:

• Written exams
• Coursework submissions (essays, scientific papers, briefing notes, lab notebooks)
• Oral and poster presentations
• Contributions to group projects

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Teaching:

Teaching methods include:

• Lectures
• Practicals
• Workshops
• Seminars
• Tutorials
• Computer-based learning
The program emphasizes learning through doing, with a focus on fieldwork and hands-on activities. Students receive regular feedback on their performance.

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Faculty:

The program is delivered by staff from the Department of Earth, Ocean and Ecological Sciences, all of whom are actively involved in ocean research. They bring their research findings into lectures and laboratories. The staff collaborates with scientists from the National Oceanography Centre, which has a research center on the Liverpool campus.

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Careers:

The Ocean Sciences program prepares students for a wide range of careers, including:

• Environmental consultancy and management
• Climate research
• Accountancy and insurance brokers
• Education
• Renewable energy industries

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Other:

• The program is accredited by the Institute of Marine Engineering, Science and Technology (IMarEST).
• The University of Liverpool has been awarded a Gold rating for educational excellence in the Teaching Excellence Framework 2023.
• The program offers opportunities for study placements at partner universities worldwide, including a year at XJTLU in China, a year abroad, a semester abroad, and summer abroad options.
• The program provides support for students with disabilities and offers confidential counselling and support for students with personal problems affecting their studies and general wellbeing.
• The University of Liverpool offers a range of scholarships and bursaries to provide tuition fee discounts and help with living expenses.

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UK fees (applies to Channel Islands, Isle of Man and Republic of Ireland): Full-time place, per year: £9,250 Year in industry fee: £1,850 Year abroad fee: £1,385 International fees: Full-time place, per year: £27,200 Year abroad fee: £13,600