Bachelor of Marine Science

Macquarie University

About

Overview The Bachelor of Marine Science (BMarSc) provides the essential knowledge, key work skills and fieldwork experience needed to monitor and solve problems specific to the marine realm, understand the sustainable use of marine resources, and conduct marine research.

The degree seeks to provide a systems-approach to understanding how our oceans … For more content click the Read More button below.

The key features of the BMarSc degree are its unique framework of marine biology, marine geoscience, marine chemistry, and environmental science units, along with supporting numeric units, and its flexibility in allowing students to develop their interest in one of those disciplines through the later stages of the degree.

Field experiences and laboratory work are deemed essential for relevant marine skill development in this degree.The Bachelor of Marine Science (BMarSc) provides the essential knowledge, key work skills and fieldwork experience needed to monitor and solve problems specific to the marine realm, understand the sustainable use of marine resources, and conduct marine research.

The degree seeks to provide a systems-approach to understanding how our oceans operate now and in the geological past.

Our aim is to allow undergraduate students to develop an in-depth knowledge base across the fundamentals of marine biology, marine geoscience, marine chemistry, and environmental science.

In acquiring these strongly interdisciplinary principles and concepts, we aim to transfer an understanding of modern and future responsible use of ocean habitats and resources.

The degree unites the patterns of biological diversity in the marine ecosystem through the study of the organism interactions with the environment, and places these into perspective against the response to geological and climatic changes at various timescales.

The degree also introduces the concept of deep-time, and how marine sediments preserve a record of natural climate change over millions years, helping us understand how the modern marine environment will behave as the Anthropocene plays out over the next 1000 years.

The degree also provides students with relevant skill sets and thinking specific to the marine environment, proficiencies that are transferable to other scientific and industry-based employers.

For students looking to extend their qualifications, the degree is an excellent basis for entry into the Master of Marine Management, offered in collaboration with the Sydney Institute of Marine Science (SIMS), or as an ideal starting point for a research career developed through the Master of Research at Macquarie University.

The key features of the BMarSc degree are its unique framework of marine biology, marine geoscience, marine chemistry, and environmental science units, along with supporting numeric units, and its flexibility in allowing students to develop their interest in one of those disciplines through the later stages of the degree.

Field experiences and laboratory work are deemed essential for relevant marine skill development in this degree.Read More

Entry requirements

About inherent requirementskeyboard_arrow_down

Inherent requirements are the essential components of a course or program necessary for a student to successfully achieve the core learning outcomes of a course or program. Students must meet the inherent requirements to complete their Macquarie University course or program. For more information see https://students.mq.edu.au/study/my-study-program/inherent-requirements. Inherent requirements for Macquarie University programs fall under the following categories:

Physicalkeyboard_arrow_down

The physical inherent requirement is to have the physical capabilities to safely and effectively perform the activities necessary to undertake the learning activities and achieve the learning outcomes of an award.

Cognitionkeyboard_arrow_down

The inherent requirement for cognition is possessing the intellectual, conceptual, integrative and quantitative capabilities to undertake the learning activities and achieve the learning outcomes of an award.

Communicationkeyboard_arrow_down

The inherent requirement for communication is the capacity to communicate information, thoughts and ideas through a variety of mediums and with a range of audiences.

Behaviouralkeyboard_arrow_down

The behavioural inherent requirement is the capacity to sustain appropriate behaviour over the duration of units of study to engage in activities necessary to undertake the learning activities and achieve the learning outcomes of an award.

Learning outcomes

1. Identify and describe key marine organisms and communities in the context of evolutionary and ecological theories.
2. Identify and describe the key geological processes that contribute to the formation of marine sediments and the development of coastal environments and their modulation by oceanic and sedimentary processes.
3. Display competency in marine science laboratory methods and with fieldwork methods.
4. Explain the geological, biological and chemical evolution of the ocean environment in the context of plate tectonics, geological, ecological and evolutionary theories.
5. Evaluate the impacts and outline the challenges of climate change and human activities on the marine environment.
6. Identify and adopt safe work practices in the laboratory and the field environment, and practice professional ethics in the conduct of marine science.
7. Develop hypotheses, and acquire, synthesise, statistically analyse and report data to appropriately test scientific questions in the marine environment.
8. Identify and communicate marine issues to peers and a public audience using written, oral and digital media.
9. Display both independent management skills and team-work cooperation, the latter including leadership and group management skills.
10. Explain to the general public and other scientists the interdisciplinary linkages of marine science between biology, geology, chemistry, environmental science, and oceanography.

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