BSc Marine Biology

Our BSc Marine Biology (including Foundation Year) could be suitable for you if your academic qualifications do not yet meet our entry requirements for a three-year version of our life sciences courses and you want a programme that improves your skills to support your academic performance.

Open to UK and EU applicants, this four-year course includes a Foundation Year (known as Year Zero) which is delivered by our Essex Pathways Department, followed by a further three years of study in our School of Life Sciences.

During Year Zero you will study on our Life Sciences Pathway which will cover topics such as an Introduction to Biology, Chemistry for Biology, and Mathematics and Statistics for Life Sciences. At the end of Year Zero all students who pass the Life Sciences Pathway will have a choice of which course to progress with. As well as BSc Marine Biology, students on the Life Sciences Pathway could also study BSc Biomedical Science or BSc Biological Sciences.

The majority of life on earth is found under the sea, but most of it remains to be explored. Tropical reefs, deep-sea trenches, seagrass meadows and frozen polar seas are all individually unique and complex environments, but connected within Earth's single, vast ocean. By joining our BSc Marine Biology course you will be immersed in this fascinating ocean world.

From Year One of BSc Marine Biology you will be introduced to ocean systems and marine ecology through research on topics as varied as coral reef conservation, fisheries management, animal behaviour, marine biotechnology and microbiology. These are taught alongside key scientific skills including data analysis and interpretation, literature research and presentation skills to give you a concrete foundation for your scientific career.

You will develop the concepts introduced in lectures through extensive, practical, hands-on experience in the laboratories of our STEM Centre, as well as in the field. Our local estuaries and coastal ecosystems are a natural laboratory on our doorstep. You will investigate the diversity of beautiful Essex salt marshes and interact with key people working to improve our coastline, including Essex Wildlife Trust, the Environment Agency and Colchester Oyster Fisheries. Later in your degree there will be opportunities to travel to field locations in Scotland, Greece and Indonesia (subject to additional costs) to apply what you have learned. During a trip to Indonesia, in the heart of the Coral Triangle, you will learn to dive and participate in unique underwater research surveys and lectures.

After completing core modules, you will move on to more advanced and specialised modules that are driven by our departmental research expertise.

In the final year you will have the opportunity to select an independent research project through which you can further develop your own interests. Previous topics have included studies on oyster fisheries and water quality with local industry, fieldwork on sea turtle ecology in Greece and identifying coral reef conservation strategies in the Caribbean and Indonesia.

We’re ranked 54th (14th in UK) for promoting the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal for climate action (Times Higher Education Impact Rankings 2024).

Sustainability at Essex

To learn about the initiatives and actions the University of Essex is taking to tackle the climate and biodiversity crises, visit our sustainability page.

Our expert staff

Our Essex Pathways Department is a gateway to the University of Essex, helping students without standard entry requirements to grow in confidence, unlock their potential, and nurture their ambitions so they can progress in academic study.

As one of the largest schools in our University we offer a lively, friendly and supportive environment with current, research-led study and high-quality teaching. You will benefit from the wide expertise of our research-active academics and their pioneering work on marine issues of national and global importance.

All of our academic staff conduct their own research and have professional expertise that you will benefit from through your studies. From genes to cells, whole animals and through to communities and ecosystems, our marine biology academics design course materials that make their world-class research accessible and inspiring.

You will have the flexibility to specialise in areas that interest you most and work with academics from our Ecology and Environmental Microbiology Research Group including, among many others:

• Learning about Earth's largest unexplored habitat, the deep-sea, with Dr Michelle Taylor – the President of the Deep-Sea Biology Society and BSc Marine Biology Course Director.
• Understanding cutting-edge biotechnological approaches towards preventing and cleaning-up marine pollution with Dr Boyd McKew, Dr Nick Aldred and Professor Terry McGenity.
• Studying corals, coral reefs, seagrass beds and mangrove systems with Professor Leanne Hepburn and other expert staff in our School of Life Sciences.
• Learning about animal behaviour, movement and connectivity with Dr Anna Sturrock, a leading fish ecology researcher.
• Understanding the evolution and phylogenetics of marine and freshwater species with Dr Jennifer Hoyal Cuthill who applies machine learning to understanding speciation.
• Learning about the importance of marine and freshwater sediments in climate change and monitoring ocean health with our team of environment experts including Professor Alex Dumbrell and Dr Natalie Hicks.

We are proud that one-third of students at the University of Essex are from outside of the UK. The University has a Women's Network to support female staff and students, and the School of Life Sciences has been awarded the Athena Swan Silver Award (2020) reflecting the work carried out by staff in our School to improve equality. Measures include a mentorship scheme, support for postdoctoral research staff and financial help towards childcare costs for academics who wish to attend conferences.

Specialist facilities

During Year Zero, you will have access to all of the facilities that the University of Essex has to offer, as well as those provided by our Essex Pathways Department to support you, such as:

• We provide computer labs for internet research; classrooms with access to PowerPoint facilities for student presentations; AV facilities for teaching and access to web-based learning materials
• Our new Student Services Hub will support you and provide information for all your needs as a student
• Our social space is stocked with magazines and newspaper, and provides an informal setting to meet your lecturers, tutors and friends

Our School of Life Sciences has received major investment over recent years to fund new teaching laboratories in our STEM Centre and new research aquaria for studies of tropical, temperate, marine and freshwater systems.

You will work in an open and friendly department, with shared staff-student social spaces and during your final-year research project you will work alongside academics and PhD students in shared laboratories. You may choose to use our state-of-the-art research facilities, including everything from environmentally controlled systems for ecological experiments and molecular biology laboratories, to behavioural analysis systems and our advanced bioimaging facility. There are drones available for remote sensing surveys, an advanced bioimaging suite, and the latest Oxford Nanopore portable genome sequencers, all within the School. Through our global networks we have created national and international field courses in Plymouth, Millport, Greece, and Indonesia to teach you the latest field techniques.

Your future

As the world's environmental problems worsen, the demand for qualified marine biologists and ecologists continues to grow.

Your degree in marine biology will open up wide-ranging career opportunities, including further study, careers in conservation, science writing and editing, as well as commercial research or consultancy for governmental or non-governmental organisations.

Our past students have taken up work in research laboratories, consultancies, business and industry, conservation practice and environmental assessment. Some have gone on to work in the commercial sector, while others still have chosen to enhance their career opportunities by studying for MSc or PhD degrees.

Recent graduates now work for the following high-profile organisations:

• Marine Biology Research Manager at Hive Ventures
• Process Scientist at Thames Water
• New Earth Solutions
• Engine Group
• Cromwell Council
• DEFRA
• Operation Wallacea
• BBC

We also work with our University's Student Development Team to help you find out about further work experience, internships, placements, and voluntary opportunities.

"After graduating from Essex I was appointed as a research supervisor at the Archipelagos Insitute of Marine Conservation in Greece. Through researching the marine ecosystems of the Mediterranean Sea, I was exposed to a very different environment to the estuaries and salt marshes of Essex! From shallow coastal seagrass meadows to deep-sea coralligenous habitats, and the vast diversity of fish and invertebrates they host. My journey into environmental research progressed when I was offered a research Masters back at Essex. In collaboration with Project Seagrass, I will be focusing on seagrass restoration and recovery in the southern North Sea, hoping to further this important research and potentially contribute towards climate change initiatives."

Alice Malcolm-McKay, BSc Marine Biology, 2020

UK entry requirements

UK and EU applicants:

All applications for degree courses with a foundation year will be considered individually, whether you

• think you might not have the grades to enter the first year of a degree course;
• have non-traditional qualifications or experience (e.g. you haven’t studied A-levels or a BTEC);
• are returning to university after some time away from education; or
• are looking for more support during the transition into university study.

Standard offer:

Our standard offer is 72 UCAS tariff points from at least two full A-levels, or equivalent, to include a science subject.

Examples of the above tariff may include:

• A-levels: DDD (including a science subject)
• BTEC Level 3 Extended Diploma: MMP (in a science subject)
• T-levels: Pass with E in core, depending on subject studied - advice on acceptability can be provided.

For this course we require either

Level 3 (i.e. A-level, BTEC, etc.) scientific study. Considered science subjects from all qualifications include Biology, Chemistry, Physics, Psychology, Maths, Geography, Sports Science and Applied Science.

or

Two GCSEs from Chemistry, Physics, and Biology at grade B/6 (or equivalent). Other science-related GCSE subjects may be considered on a case-by-case basis.

All applicants must also hold GCSE Maths and Science at grade C/4 or above (or equivalent). We may be able to consider a pass in an OFQUAL regulated Level 2 Functional Skills Maths where you cannot meet the requirements for Maths at GCSE level. However, you are advised to try to retake GCSE Mathematics if possible as this will better prepare you for university study and future employment.

If you are unsure whether you meet the entry criteria, please get in touch for advice.

Mature applicants and non-traditional academic backgrounds:

We welcome applications from mature students (over 21) and students with non-traditional academic backgrounds (might not have gone on from school to take level 3 qualifications). We will consider your educational and employment history, along with your personal statement and reference, to gain a rounded view of your suitability for the course.

We might not need evidence of level 3 scientific study where you have relevant work experience in a scientific field, or where you have previous successful study at degree level.

You will still need to meet our GCSE requirements.

International applicants:

Essex Pathways Department is unable to accept applications from international students. Foundation pathways for international students are available at the University of Essex International College and are delivered and awarded by Kaplan, in partnership with the University of Essex. Successful completion will enable you to progress to the relevant degree course at the University of Essex.

English language requirements

English language requirements for applicants whose first language is not English: IELTS 5.5 overall with a minimum of 5.5 in each component, or specified score in another equivalent test that we accept.

Details of English language requirements, including component scores, and the tests we accept for applicants who require a Student visa (excluding Nationals of Majority English Speaking Countries) can be found here

If we accept the English component of an international qualification it will be included in the academic levels listed above for the relevant countries.

English language shelf-life

If you require a Student visa to study in the UK please see our immigration webpages for the latest Home Office guidance on English language qualifications.

Pre-sessional English courses

If you do not meet our IELTS requirements then you may be able to complete a pre-sessional English pathway that enables you to start your course without retaking IELTS.

Pending English language qualifications

You don’t need to achieve the required level before making your application, but it will be one of the conditions of your offer.

If you cannot find the qualification that you have achieved or are pending, then please email ugquery@essex.ac.uk.

Additional Notes

If you’re an international student, but do not meet the English language or academic requirements for direct admission to this degree, you could prepare and gain entry through a pathway course. Find out more about opportunities available to you at the University of Essex International College

Course structure

We offer a flexible course structure with a mixture of core/compulsory modules, and optional modules chosen from lists.

Our research-led teaching is continually evolving to address the latest challenges and breakthroughs in the field, therefore all modules listed as subject to change. To view the compulsory modules and full list of optional modules currently on offer, please view the programme specification via the link below.

We understand that deciding where and what to study is a very important decision for you. We'll make all reasonable efforts to provide you with the courses, services and facilities as described on our website and in line with your contract with us. However, if we need to make material changes, for example due to significant disruption, we'll let our applicants and students know as soon as possible.

Teaching

• Undergraduate students in the School of Life Sciences typically attend two or three hours of lectures per week per module, plus two or three laboratory practices per module