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BSc Marine and Freshwater Biology (with year in industry)
About this course
Marine and freshwater biology is a branch of life science concerned with the organisms, ecosystems, and ecological processes that inhabit the world's rivers, lakes, estuaries, and oceans. These environments support some of the most threatened species and habitats on the planet, and understanding their biology and ecology is essential for conservation, fisheries management, water quality monitoring, and the assessment of climate change impacts. The discipline draws on ecology, physiology, taxonomy, oceanography, and environmental science, and is both scientifically rigorous and practically urgent. Aberystwyth University's four-year full-time BSc Marine and Freshwater Biology degree, which includes a year in industry, is one of only a few programmes nationally to provide an integrated catchment-to-ocean understanding of the biology, ecology, and stressors affecting these interconnected ecosystems, as the course itself describes. The year in industry gives you professional experience in a marine, freshwater, or environmental context before you graduate, significantly strengthening your employability and allowing you to apply your knowledge in a real working environment. The typical entry tariff is 136 points. You will study the ecology and physiology of marine and freshwater organisms, sampling and survey techniques, data analysis, conservation biology, and the environmental pressures facing aquatic ecosystems, developing field and laboratory skills alongside the scientific and quantitative abilities the discipline requires. Aberystwyth's coastal and river environments provide a natural laboratory for much of your fieldwork. Graduates work in environmental consultancy, ecological surveying, fisheries management, water quality monitoring, conservation organisations, government environmental agencies, and marine research institutions. Many continue to postgraduate study in marine biology, ecology, conservation, or environmental management, and doctoral research in these fields is a well-established path for those drawn to scientific research.
Syllabus & Modules
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