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Start date	September
Duration	1 year full-time
Structure	The programme consists of 120 taught credits (Part 1) and a 60-credit Research Project (Part 2). The taught component is carried out from September to December (Term 1) and from January to March (Term 2). A one-week field course is scheduled at the end of Term 2, after which the project starts and then concludes with a written dissertation submitted in October
Entry Requirements	A minimum of a second class honours degree or equivalent in biological sciences or related fields. A score of IELTS 6.5 or equivalent English test is required for overseas students
Financial	Applicants can apply for a range of bursries and scholarships offered by the School and the University: NEW:  Fully-funded ESF Bursaries - details can be found here Details of School funding opportunities can be found here Details of University funding opportunities can be found here Details of alternative funding sources can be found here
Further Information	Dr. Carlos Garcia de Leaniz (c.garciadeleaniz@swansea.ac.uk)
How to apply	Submit an online application

Background Information

Aquaculture is one of the fastest growing food production sectors worldwide, providing food for millions of people and constituting an essential source of income for many rural economies.  The large scale and rapid growth rate of the aquaculture sector is inevitably accompanied by sustainability challenges.  Some farming practices lead to the depletion of natural resources and, significant negative impact aquatic ecosystems.  

This MSc in Aquaculture & the Environment enables students to learn and apply a range of multidisciplinary methods to the development of sustainable aquaculture. The course is industry-linked and its design responds to emerging requirements within the aquaculture sector. It is taught by a team of scientists and industry experts and will give students an appreciation of the environmental impacts of aquaculture, the challenges facing the industry and the sustainable practices being developed and adopted. The course consists of formal lectures, field and lab practicals, a field trip, plus a research project.  Students benefit from access to the University's fully resourced, state-of-the-art Centre for Sustainable Aquaculture Research, and from the position of the University at the cutting edge of aquatic biology research.

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Course Description

Compulsory Modules:

BIOM25 Science Skills & Research Methods (20 credits)
This lecture and practical based module covers science skills for students wishing to pursue postgraduate studies in Biological Sciences. It will teach students how to make good use of library and internet resources (including Web of Science, Voyager and Blackboard), to design and analyse their experiments, and to make presentations of their data during conferences and symposia. Lecture topics include Library and internet resources, including WoS, Voyager, e-mail, Blackboard + assignment, ethics and plagiarism, databases, spreadhseets, presentation skills, report writing. The module is taught in Teaching Block 1 (Sept-Dec).  Assessment for this module is 100% through continous assessment. 

BIOM37 Conservation of Aquatic Resources (20 credits)
This module will provide an overview of management and conservation issues in aquatic resources.  Lecture topics include water management, as well as case studies in conservation of aquatic organisms. Some of the lectures/seminars will be given by invited experts in the field.  This module is taught in Teaching Block 1 (Sept-Dec). Evaluation is by continuous assessment (40% of mark) and a formal examination (60% of mark).

BIOM41 Term papers in Aquaculture & the Environment (20 credits)
In this module students undertake two in-depth desk studies in Teaching Block 1 based on a thorough analysis of appropriate scientific literature, and prepare a detailed scientific review essay. Assessment for this module is 100% through continuous assessment.

BIOM22 Environmental Assessment & Management (20 credits)
In this module the students will learn techniques and methods for Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA), including the associated legislation that will enable them to assess the risks and impacts of different industrial and economic activities on environmental systems. They will also learn how to apply and develop models of ecological systems, how to predict potential impacts though modelling, and how to manage natural resources in a sustainable way. The module is taught in Teaching Block 2(Jan - May).  Evaluation is by continuous assessment (40% of mark) and a formal examination (60% of mark).

BIOM42 Principles and Practices in Aquaculture (20 credits)
Here students are introduced to the practice of aquaculture, with emphasis on the sustainable development of aquaculture operations. Topics include the history, scope and development of aquaculture, the interplay between aquaculture, water resources and aquatic ecosystems, disease management and genetics in aquaculture, control of maturation and reproduction, growth and nutrition, as well as regulatory and socio-economic issues. The module is taught in the first part of Teaching Block 2 (Jan-Mar). Evaluation is by continuous assessment (40% of mark) and a formal examination (60% of mark).

BIOM43 Advanced Topics in Sustainable Aquaculture (20 credits)
This module encompasses the current problems and challenges of sustainable aquaculture, with an emphasis on case studies and practical applications. The module is taught in conjunction with guest speakers and industry experts who will cover aspects of water management and waste treatment, research into sustainable feeds, minimizing interactions with wildlife, welfare and ethical considerations, disease prevention and management, and the role of aquaculture in the conservation of endangered species. The module is taught in the second part of Teaching Block 2 (Jan-Apr). Evaluation is by continuous assessment (40% of mark) and a formal examination (60% of mark)

Practicals & Field course
Considerable emphasis is placed on field and laboratory practicals during the course. In addition a one-week field trip is scheduled at the end of Term 2 for BIOM43, where students obtain direct experience on commercial culture methods. Currently this course is held in Tenerife.

Followed by a research project in Part Two:

BIOM44 Research Project in Aquaculture & the Environment (60 credits)
Research is an integral part of the MSc programme in Aquaculture & the Environment.  In this module students are given the opportunity to perform an in-depth piece of research with an option to develop their own projects in addition to those offered by staff.  Topics vary widely; a selection of previous projects have investigated:

• The effect of  diet on the blood chemistry of cod (in collaboration with Aquaculture Wales)
• The development of culture techniques for the highly endangered freshwater pearl mussel, Margaritifera margaritifera (in collaboration with The Environment Agency, South Wales)
• The effects of density-dependence on the growth and survival of cockles in South Wales
• The anti-predatory behaviour of juvenile Atlantic salmon used for stocking (in collaboration with The Environment Agency)
• Re-use of aquaculture effluents as a nutrient source for the farmed marine polychaete worm, Nereis virens
• Growth performance of juvenile clown anemone fish, Amphiprion percula, on different formulated feeds (in collaboration with pet food manufacturer)
• Digestibility of krill meal as a protein source for the Pacific white shrimp, Litopenaeus vannamei (in collaboration with aqua-feed ingredients manufacturer)
• Algal feed requirements of the calanoid copepod, Acartia tonsa, as a live prey for marine fish culture

The investigation will typically last for 12 to 15 weeks.  The first two weeks will be spent undertaking a literature survey, a safety audit and in planning the research.  Students will be expected to spend an average of at least 30 h per week in the laboratory and/or field during the following 10 weeks.  The last three weeks will be spent completing the dissertation (of not more than 20,000 words).  An oral presentation on the project will be given in October after submission of the dissertation.

Career Prospects

Aquaculture offers excellent career prospects in one of the fastest growing sectors worldwide. During the course students will become acquainted with the aquaculture sector locally and abroad in order to facilitate their career prospects upon completion of the course. Graduates go on to work for government agencies such as CCW, Environment Agency, English Nature, Scottish Heritage, Fisheries Research Services, CEFAS.  Other organisations include Public Aquariums and Zoos, Sea Reserves, Hatcheries and Fish Farms, Fish Feed Manufacturers, Ornamental Fish Trade.