Suitable for students with a good biological, geological and chemical background, this programme prepares students both for further research, and for work within government and commercial oceanographic and environmental research/consultancy laboratories. The programme runs full-time over 24 months (120 ECTS) and consists of advanced courses (90 ECTS) and a Master Thesis, with a dissertation (30 ECTS). Every student follows an individually-tailored study programme, by combining the different disciplines that can be studied at each of the Partner universities

The coursework is arranged in six modules, according to the UN DOSSD 2021-2030 general objectives:

  • Module 1 Fundamentals in Ocean Science (mandatory); basic foundations or aspects of general interest for marine environmentalists (Semester 1 in either SOTON or UBx);
  • Module 2 Clean Ocean;
  • Module 3 Healthy & Resilient Ocean
  • Module 4 Predictable & Safe Ocean
  • Module 5 Sustainably Harvested Ocean
  • Module 6 Ocean Scientist Career (36 mandatory ECTS)

A full list of courses and their associated learning outcomes, credit point values, assessment methods, and pre-requisites is available at the Catalogue of Courses at this website.

The MSc Thesis research is undertaken during Semester 4 (30 ECTS) and consists of a 5-6 month research under the supervision of a PhD holder. Upon completion of the MSc Thesis the student should demonstrate sufficiency for research in order to undertake the realisation of the PhD Thesis work, or a professional activity as researcher.

Specialisations

The MER2030 EMJMD will prepare students both for further research and for work within government and commercial oceanographic and environmental research/consultancy laboratories in the field of protection, management and sustainable valorisation of the marine environment.

In addition, the MER Consortium may provide students with the option to maintain a wider multidisciplinary profile in the marine sciences or to follow alternative specialisation pathways. For instance, students who satisfactorily pass 30 ECT in courses labelled “(R)” in the Programme can apply for recognition of specialisation in sustainable management and exploitation of marine resources.

 

 

 

MODULE COURSE

TYPE

ECTS

UNIV

FUNDAMENTALS IN OCEAN SCIENCE Introduction to Biological Oceanography

CSS1

3,75

SOTON

Introduction to Chemical Oceanography
Introduction to Marine Geology
Introduction to Physical Oceanography
Biological Oceanography

CBS1
CAS1

6

UBx
UAc

Chemical Oceanography
Dynamic Oceanography
Seafloor Geology
Marine Ecology

CLS3
CAS3

6

ULiège
UAc

CLEAN OCEAN Advanced Instrumental Analysis

OP

4

EHU

Cellular and Molecular Biomarkers
Ecological Quality Assessment in Coastal Ecosystems
Environmental (toxico) Genomics
Environmental Analytical Chemistry
Environmental Chemometrics
Environmental Monitoring and Risk Assessment in Aquatic Systems
Biology of Marine Mammals

OP

6

ULiège
UAc

Ecotoxicology and Risk Quantification  of Marine Pollutants

OP

6

ULiège

HEALTHY AND RESILIENT OCEAN Degradation and Rehabilitation of Estuarine Ecosystems

OP

4

EHU

Eutrophication and Harmful Algae
Ocean Global Change Biology
Marine Microbial Ecology
Marine Resource Genomics
Socio-economic Aspects of Climate Change
Large Scale Ocean Processes

OP

7,5

SOTON

Marine GeoArchaelogy
Biogeochemical Cycles in the Earth system
Coastal Sediment Dynamics
Biogeochemical Cycles in the Ocean

OP

6

ULiège

Carbon, Nutrient, Greenhouse  … and Geological Oceanography
Marine Plant Biology and Ecology
Oceans and Health

OP

6

UAc

PREDICTABLE AND SAFE OCEAN Applied and Marine Geophysics

OP

7,5

SOTON

Computational Data Analysis for Geophysicists and Ocean Scientists
Geodynamics and Solid Earth Geophysics
Introductory Remote Sensing of the Oceans
Microfossils, Environment and Time
Analysis of Environmental Data and Modelling

CBS1
CAS1

6

UBx
UAc

Instrumentation and Measurements in Operational Oceanography

OP

4

EHU

Satellite Oceanography and Meteorology
Mathematical Analysis  and Modelling Methods Applied to the Environment

OP

6

ULiège

Remote Sensing of the Oceans

OP

6

ULiège
UAc

Geographical Information Systems

OP

6

UAc

Maritime and Coastal Spatial Planning and Law
SUSTAINABLY HARVESTED OCEAN Comparative Endocrinology and Endocrine Disruption

OP

4

EHU

Ecosystem-based Fisheries Management
Environment and Fisheries/Aquaculture Interactions
Histology and Histopathology of Aquatic Animals
Marine Resources Genomics
Physiological Energetics of Marine Organisms
Deep Sea Ecology

OP

7,5

SOTON

Marine Conservation and Policy
Zooplancton Ecology and Processes
Biochemistry and Physiology  of Marine Animals

OP

6

ULiège

Functional and Molecular Marine Microbiology
Aquaculture and Blue Biotechnology

OP

6

UAc

Fisheries and Fish Biology 
OCEAN SCIENTIST CAREER Contemporary Topics in Ocean and Earth Sciences

CSS1

7,5

SOTON

Research in Marine Environment and Resources

C

6

EHU

Multicultural Integration in EU

OP

4

Marine Entrepreneurship
Professional Practice in Marine/Environmental Sectors

OP

6

ULiège

Master Thesis

C

30

EHU