Marine Biology, Marine Geoscience and Marine Science

Marine science is the scientific study of coasts, open oceans, seas and deep-sea floors. Marine science draws together many aspect of science for the better understanding and management of the marine environment. These areas include biology, ecology, oceanography, geography, geology and geophysics, and aspects of engineering, law, physics, chemistry and mathematics.

Marine scientists observe, measure and conduct experiments in marine environments. They construct hypotheses to explain what they see and measure, which are then tested by scientific experiments. Marine scientists may work in laboratories or in the field, gathering and interpreting data and samples which may be collected in a variety of ways. Alternatively scientists may make use of remotely sensed satellite data.

University of Sydney Institute of Marine Science

More information about majoring in Marine Sciences

What will you study?

Your marine studies begin in second year, with an introduction to various aspects of the marine environment. Specific attention is paid to the marine geology of ocean basins and continental margins, how these interact with ocean-atmosphere circulation to govern climate change and the effects of climate change on coastal sedimentation. You will also cover the major biological systems of the oceans and coasts, including biological adaptation and the field methods used to study them.

In third year, you can choose from units of study that cover a wide range of biological, geological and coastal topics, all taught by experts in their respective field. All units involve some level of practical fieldwork both in the Sydney region and coastal New South Wales.

Available units include: coastal environments and processes, rivers (science, policy and management), GIS in coastal management, global energy and resources, sedimentary and environmental geology, geophysical methods, ecological methods, ecology, marine biology, marine field ecology, ecophysiology, coral reef ecosystems, fisheries biology and management.