Marine and Freshwater Biology (with integrated foundation year)
Aberystwyth University
UCAS Code: C16F | Bachelor of Science (with Honours) - BSc (Hons)
Aberystwyth University
UCAS Code: C16F | Bachelor of Science (with Honours) - BSc (Hons)
Entry requirements
Available to candidates without formal qualifications who have suitable background education, experience and motivation.
Accepted in lieu of one A-Level, excluding any specified subjects.
About this course
This four-year course includes an integrated foundation year, after which the syllabus follows that of the standard three-year course, BSc Marine and Freshwater Biology (C164).
The BSc Marine and Freshwater Biology degree at Aberystwyth University is one of only a few nationally to provide you with an integrated catchment to ocean understanding of the biology, ecology and stressors affecting these intimately interconnected ecosystems. This is crucial, given that they support some of the most threatened species and habitats on the planet.
Situated on the coast of Cardigan Bay, Aberystwyth is one of the best places in the UK to study marine and freshwater biology. You will have easy access to rocky and sandy shores, estuaries of conservation importance, as well as near-pristine rivers and lakes. Cardigan Bay is also home to the largest residential population of bottlenose dolphins in the UK.
On this course you will develop practical skills in the sampling techniques used in the aquatic environment, the critical analysis of data and literature, and the presentation of your findings to a variety of stakeholders. This will ensure you are well prepared for professional roles that seek to understand and address the various challenges facing marine and freshwater organisms and ecosystems.
To support your learning, you will have access to two research vessels enabling you to gain real hands-on experience of the sampling techniques used by professional marine and freshwater biologists as well as use of our aquarium systems for experimental studies of marine and freshwater organisms.
Fieldwork and practical classes form an integral part of the course throughout. An optional residential two-centre field course in your final year, currently based in Portugal and Scotland, will allow you to immerse yourself in the study of marine and freshwater biology further afield.
Tuition fees
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The Uni
Main Site (Aberystwyth)
Department of Life Sciences
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Ecology and environmental biology
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After graduation
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Ecology and environmental biology
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Top job areas of graduates
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Ecology and environmental biology
The graph shows median earnings of graduates who achieved a degree in this subject area one, three and five years after graduating from here.
£19k
£22k
£26k
Note: this data only looks at employees (and not those who are self-employed or also studying) and covers a broad sample of graduates and the various paths they've taken, which might not always be a direct result of their degree.
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