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MSci Tropical Marine Biology (four-year integrated masters)

Entry requirements


A level

A,B,B-B,B,B

ABB - BBB or 128 -120 tariff points from a minimum of 2 full A-levels, including Biology or Environmental Science (or equivalent). Acceptable A-level equivalents are Life and Health Sciences and Marine Science.

Access to HE Diploma

D:15,M:30

QAA-approved Access to HE Diploma: 15 level 3 credits at Distinction and 30 level 3 credits at Merit – 6 level 3 credits at Distinction and 39 level 3 credits at Merit, depending on subject studied - advice on acceptability can be provided, please contact [email protected] for more information.

International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme

30-32

or three Higher Level certificates with 655-555.Either must include Higher Level Biology grade 5 plus Standard Level Mathematics grade 4. Maths in the IB is not required if you have already achieved GCSE Maths at grade C/4 or above or 4 in IB Middle Years Maths. We are happy to consider a combination of separate IB Diploma Programmes at both Higher and Standard Level. Exact offer levels will vary depending on the range of subjects being taken at higher and standard level, and the course applied for. Please contact the Undergraduate Admissions Office for more information.

Pearson BTEC Level 3 National Extended Diploma (first teaching from September 2016)

DDM

Entry requirements for students studying BTEC qualifications are dependent on subjects studied. Advice can be provided on an individual basis. Please email [email protected] for advice on acceptability

UCAS Tariff

120-128

128 - 120 tariff points from a minimum of 2 full A-levels

About this course


Course option

4years

Full-time | 2024

Subject

Marine biology

Dive into our MSci Tropical Marine Biology course and enter a fascinatingly complex world of whales, coral reefs, fish, deep sea trenches, coastal lagoons, sea ice, and tropical seagrass beds.

At Essex, we believe in a truly immersive experience of research and study. This includes numerous opportunities to go on field trips as part of this course (subject to additional costs). During the field trip to Wakatobi Marine National Park in Indonesia, our students are able to participate in underwater lectures.

Tropical ecosystems provide important resources locally and globally, and coral reefs are the most diverse of marine ecosystems threatened by human activities. Our unique course is designed to deliver advanced tropical marine biology theory and to facilitate the development of a comprehensive range of practical and professional skills required by today’s employers.

The vast majority of life on earth is found under the sea; but exactly how much remains unknown, since there is so much still to be explored. At Essex, we’ll take you on a journey of discovery from the poles to the tropical reef systems of the Pacific, Indian and Atlantic Oceans. We work on ecosystems from estuaries and coastal environments to oceanic systems, and on conservation and resource management.

You gain an expert knowledge of marine biology through study of essential core modules and the flexibility to specialise in the areas that interest you most, including:

- The major types of marine communities, including aquatic mammals and fish

- Direct and indirect human impact on the marine environment

- Coral reefs, seagrass beds and mangrove systems

- Marine and freshwater taxonomy and biodiversity

- Diving and snorkel-based practices

With our Integrated Masters you’ll be able to fast track your degree and complete your final year in nine months compared to a regular MSc which usually takes twelve months. The course will cover key skills in tropical marine biology and provide you with the knowledge, understanding and hands-on experience required in this exciting and important area of research.

Topics include:

- The biotechnological ‘treasure chest’ of marine microbes, algae and invertebrates

- Tropical oceans, seagrass beds, mangroves and coral reefs

- Coral reef resource management and conservation

When you combine your undergraduate and postgraduate study in one degree you’ll be equipped with a strong theoretical background, specialist expertise through independent research and practical insights into current applications. This combination makes graduates from our course attractive candidates for many employers.

Your independent research project allows you to develop your own interests. Previous topics have included shellfisheries and water quality, turtle ecology in Greece and coral reef conservation strategies in the Caribbean and Indonesia.

Visit our marine biology subject page for more information and content.

Tuition fees

Select where you currently live to see what you'll pay:

Channel Islands
£9,250
per year
England
£9,250
per year
EU
£22,100
per year
International
£22,100
per year
Northern Ireland
£9,250
per year
Republic of Ireland
£9,250
per year
Scotland
£9,250
per year
Wales
£9,250
per year

The Uni


Course location:

Colchester Campus

Department:

Life Sciences

Read full university profile

What students say


We've crunched the numbers to see if overall student satisfaction here is high, medium or low compared to students studying this subject(s) at other universities.

82%
Marine biology

How do students rate their degree experience?

The stats below relate to the general subject area/s at this university, not this specific course. We show this where there isn’t enough data about the course, or where this is the most detailed info available to us.

Ecology and environmental biology

Teaching and learning

88%
Staff make the subject interesting
94%
Staff are good at explaining things
82%
Ideas and concepts are explored in-depth
63%
Opportunities to apply what I've learned

Assessment and feedback

Feedback on work has been timely
Feedback on work has been helpful
Staff are contactable when needed
Good advice available when making study choices

Resources and organisation

88%
Library resources
76%
IT resources
94%
Course specific equipment and facilities
59%
Course is well organised and has run smoothly

Student voice

Staff value students' opinions
Feel part of a community on my course

Who studies this subject and how do they get on?

85%
UK students
15%
International students
46%
Male students
54%
Female students
89%
2:1 or above
13%
First year drop out rate

Most popular A-Levels studied (and grade achieved)

C
C
C

After graduation


The stats in this section relate to the general subject area/s at this university – not this specific course. We show this where there isn't enough data about the course, or where this is the most detailed info available to us.

Ecology and environmental biology

What are graduates doing after six months?

This is what graduates told us they were doing (and earning), shortly after completing their course. We've crunched the numbers to show you if these immediate prospects are high, medium or low, compared to those studying this subject/s at other universities.

£18,000
med
Average annual salary
98%
high
Employed or in further education

Top job areas of graduates

19%
Science, engineering and production technicians
14%
Business, finance and related associate professionals
11%
Sales assistants and retail cashiers

What about your long term prospects?

Looking further ahead, below is a rough guide for what graduates went on to earn.

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.

£18k

£18k

£25k

£25k

£28k

£28k

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.

Explore these similar courses...

Lower entry requirements
University of Nottingham | Nottingham
Environmental Biology
Msci (Hon) 4 Years Full-time 2024
UCAS Points: 104-141
Higher entry requirements
University of Exeter | Exeter
Marine Biology
Msci (Hon) 4 Years Full-time 2024
UCAS Points: 144-160
Nearby University
University of Cambridge | Cambridge
Natural Sciences
Msci (Hon) 3 Years Full-time 2024
UCAS Points: 160

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This information comes from the National Student Survey, an annual student survey of final-year students. You can use this to see how satisfied students studying this subject area at this university, are (not the individual course).

This is the percentage of final-year students at this university who were "definitely" or "mostly" satisfied with their course. We've analysed this figure against other universities so you can see whether this is high, medium or low.

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This information is from the Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA), for undergraduate students only.

You can use this to get an idea of who you might share a lecture with and how they progressed in this subject, here. It's also worth comparing typical A-level subjects and grades students achieved with the current course entry requirements; similarities or differences here could indicate how flexible (or not) a university might be.

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Post-six month graduation stats:

This is from the Destinations of Leavers from Higher Education Survey, based on responses from graduates who studied the same subject area here.

It offers a snapshot of what grads went on to do six months later, what they were earning on average, and whether they felt their degree helped them obtain a 'graduate role'. We calculate a mean rating to indicate if this is high, medium or low compared to other universities.

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Graduate field commentary:

The Higher Education Careers Services Unit have provided some further context for all graduates in this subject area, including details that numbers alone might not show

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The Longitudinal Educational Outcomes dataset combines HRMC earnings data with student records from the Higher Education Statistics Agency.

While there are lots of factors at play when it comes to your future earnings, use this as a rough timeline of what graduates in this subject area were earning on average one, three and five years later. Can you see a steady increase in salary, or did grads need some experience under their belt before seeing a nice bump up in their pay packet?

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