Structure and content

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.