Swansea was one of the first universities in the UK to offer a degree in Marine Biology.  Our degree is internationally recognised for its quality and breadth of study.  We are ideally located for the study of marine biology with the nearby Gower Peninsula providing a variety of study habitats.  The department has a research vessel, the RV Noctiluca, which is used extensively for the teaching of marine biologists.  The course has a strong emphasis on fieldwork, boat work and the development of key practical skills. 

Current modules include:

Level One (Year One):

• Science writing and career skills 
• Science skills for biological scientists 
• Chemistry of life 
• Animal diversity, form and function 
• Plants and algae - diversity, form and function
• Cellular and microbial biology 
• Introduction to ecology and behaviour 
• Genetics and evolutionary processes 

Level Two (Year Two): 

• How to undertake research in biological sciences 
• Molecular ecology 
• Trophic dynamics: introduction to modelling 
• Marine Biology literature review 
• Marine plankton and pelagic invertebrates 
• Vertebrates 
• Coastal marine ecology
• Oceanography
• Techniques in marine biology

Level Three (Year Three):

• Marine Biology research project
• Current research in marine biology - each member of staff presents a module on their own specific research interests (on a range of topics) from which you select five for assessment  
• Marine Biology field course 
• Literature review in marine biology

Fieldwork

A major strength of our Marine Biology course is the excellent fieldwork activities.  All students carry out a ten-week research project in the final year.  Recent project subject areas have included sea turtle migration, whale behaviour, octopus habitat selection, ray and skate ecology, effects of oil pollution on intertidal organisms and environmental impact assessments of fishing techniques.  Most projects are undertaken in marine habitats close to Swansea and the Gower.  Other students have secured placements elsewhere in Europe, or in more exotic locations such as Mexico, the Caribbean, Tonga, Indonesia, South Africa and Australia.

Examples of recently undertaken projects include:

• The effects of boat traffic on Bottlenose dolphins in New Quay Bay, West Wales
• Reproductive activity of the sea urchin Diadema antillarum: a pest in Tenerife
• Why be flightless?  A study of flightlessness and diving ability in the Galapagos cormorant
• The effects of handling and the influence of ambient hatchery conditions on the hatch success rates of Green turtles at the Grand Cayman Turtle Farm
• Assessing the spatial distribution of territorial fish species within Skomer Marine Reserve

Further information on this course, including Entry Requirements, Scholarships, Open Days, Frequently Asked Questions and Career Prospects 

Swansea Marine Biology Graduates
Ever wondered what our marine biology students do after they have graduated from Swansea University? Check the Swansea Marine Biology Graduates Facebook Page for job, PhD and masters profiles. Also included are useful web links to marine biology job related sites:
http://www.facebook.com/home.php#!/pages/Swansea-Marine-Biology-Graduates/151661738225359