‘The oceans are a key element for the existence of life on Earth. 97% of all the water on Earth, and 99% of the habitable space on this planet, is in the ocean’ (source: NASA).

Marine biology is the interdisciplinary study of life in the ocean. At the present time, the position of marine biology graduates has never been as critical to the functioning of our society, economy and environment. Complex issues such as overfishing, pollution and climate change are colliding to bring about extraordinary and sometimes catastrophic changes in marine systems. As a marine biologist you will apply cutting edge technologies to help tackle these issues on a scale from molecules to ecosystems.

With regards to marine resources management the UK’s territorial waters stretch over 6.8 million km² (over fourteen times the terrestrial landmass) and within this vast area lies the blue economy: marine renewable energy, oil, gas, fish, minerals and rare earth metals. To manage these resources in a sustainable manner requires assessment and guidance from highly-skilled marine biologists.

Within this context the Marine Biology degree at QUB is based on a research-led teaching format and will prepare students for a future in a diverse range of careers including marine conservation, environmental consultancy, documentary film making, wildlife tourism, fisheries management and academic study.