Marine Biology with Oceanography BSc (Hons)

Bachelor's degree

In Liverpool

Price on request

Description

  • Type

    Bachelor's degree

  • Location

    Liverpool

Life first emerged in the ocean and has spread throughout this dynamic environment. The distribution, growth and success of marine organisms is affected by the interaction of biological, chemical and physical processes operating in the ocean. You will study the interaction between the biology of individuals, populations and communities, the composition and properties of seawater and the physical processes that transport seawater and its contents. Throughout the degree, there is a strong emphasis on marine sustainability and ecosystem management, marine biogeochemistry, the climate system and numerical skills. Training on our research vessel, in the field, and in the laboratory in Years One, Two and Three will provide you with practical experience of data collection and processing, analysis and interpretation, the essential skills required to be a successful marine scientist. Throughout the three-year programme, core modules in Marine Biology and Ocean Sciences will provide you with observational, analytical and numerical skills. You will also have a choice of optional modules from within the School of Environmental Science and the School of Life Sciences. In the final year, you will take advanced modules in an area of interest, and spend a large amount of time working on a research project in either in Marine Biology, Ocean Sciences or a topic that combines the two disciplines. The degree in Marine Biology with Oceanography at Liverpool is accredited by the Institute of Marine Engineering, Science and Technology. Department Key Facts National Student Survey92% of our students said staff are good at explaining things (National Student Survey 2015) First Ocean Sciences department We were the first university in the UK to open a Department of...

Facilities

Location

Start date

Liverpool (Merseyside)
See map
Chatham Street, L69 7ZH

Start date

On request

About this course

Entry Requirements A level offerABB Subject requirementsBiology and one other science (Maths, Physics, Chemistry, Geography or Geology) at A level required BTECD*DD in relevant diploma International Baccalaureate33 including 5 at higher level Biology, plus another Science at Higher Level, no score less than 4 Irish Leaving CertificateA1, A1, B1, B1 Scottish Higher/Advanced HigherNot accepted without Advanced Highers Advanced Welsh BaccalaureateAccepted including 2 A levels at AB EU Entry...

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Subjects

  • Management
  • Credit
  • Basic
  • IT
  • Basic IT training
  • Basic IT
  • Composition
  • Biology
  • Ecology
  • Marine Biology
  • Oceanography
  • School
  • IT Management
  • Climate
  • Environmental Science
  • Skills and Training

Course programme

Module details Programme Year One

The required modules in Year One provide grounding in Ocean Sciences and Marine Biology, as well as developing essential and transferrable skills. Optional modules are available in biology and ecology. There are fieldwork opportunities in Ocean Sciences and Marine Biology in Year 1.

Compulsory modules
  • Study Skills and Gis (ocean Sciences) (ENVS103) Level 1 Credit level 15 Semester Whole Session Exam:Coursework weighting 0:100 Aims
  • To train students to make observations, collect and record data using basic oceanographic and meterological equipment

  • ​To improve students oral and written communication skills, including their ability to reference correctly. 
  • To train students to use Geographic Information System software (GIS) to produce maps and present data on the spatial scale

  • ​To improve students numerical skills, specifically in statistics and basic time-series analysis. 

  • ​To enthuse students about ocean sciences through reading and discussing sections of the book "Mapping the Deep''. 

  • Learning Outcomes ​ Write an essay and reference correctly. ​Quantitatively summarise, synthesise and interpret data collected during fieldwork.   ​Communicate effectively to their peers ​Use software associated with Geographic Information Systems to produce spatial maps of data. 
  • Climate, Atmosphere and Oceans (ENVS111) Level 1 Credit level 15 Semester First Semester Exam:Coursework weighting 80:20 Aims

    Introduce the climate system, the atmosphere and ocean:

    • Address how the climate system varies and how climate is controlled by radiative forcing;
    • How the structure of the atmosphere is determined and how the atmosphere circulates;
    • How the structure of the ocean is determined and how the ocean circulates;
    • How the atmosphere and ocean vary together.
    Learning Outcomes 1. Knowledge and Understanding  

    a. Understand how physical processes operate within the climate system, the atmosphere and the ocean.

    b. Appreciate the complexity of the climate system, the effect of radiative forcing, the concept of feedbacks, how rotation affects the circulation; the differences between currents and waves.

    c. Gain awareness of the similarities and differences between the atmosphere and ocean.

      2. Intellectual Abilities  

    a. To be able to evaluate the relative importance of different physical processes in the climate system

    b. To develop critical skills in transferring insight gained from one problem to another problem, such as how the atmosphere circulates from one planet to another planet.

      3. Subject Based Practical Skills  

    a. Perform simple order of magnitude calculations and make inferences from the results.

    b. Understand the use of dimensions.

      4. General Transferable Skills  

    a. Application of numbers, involving order of magnitudes and dimensions.

    b. Time management.

    c. Problem solving.

    30. Teaching and Learning Strategies  

    Lectures and Coursework. Lectures address issues in the climate system from a process point of view. The coursework reinforces the lecture material: 6 coursework exercises require the students to simply explain how processes operate, make speculations as to the relative importance of different processes, and perform simple calculations and make inferences. The coursework is marked and returned in the following week that the work is handed in.

    31. Syllabus   1-24

    Lectures 1-6. Block 1: Climate System (6 lectures)

    Climate system of  the Earth, atmosphere and ocean.

    Climate records. Possible causes of climate variability.

    Heat transfer and radiation models.

    Radiation balance for other planets.  

    Feedbacks in the climate system.

    Lectures 7-13. Block 2. Atmosphere (7 lectures) 

     Composition and structure of the atmosphere.

    Clouds and water vapour.

    Understand motion on the rotating Earth.

    General circulation in the tropics and mid-latitudes.

    Weather systems, fronts and clouds.

    Atmospheric circulation for other planets.

    Seasonal cycle in the atmosphere.

    Lectures 14-21. Block 3. Oceans (8 lectures) 

    Properties of water and seawater.

    Observing the ocean   and inferring the circulation using water masses, time-dependent tracers,geostrophy and satellite measurements.

    Vertical structure of the ocean

    Seasonal cycle in the ocean.

    Formation of water masses.

    Deep circulation over the globe.

    Upper circulation over the globe:gyres, eddies and fronts.

    Waves and tides.

    Lectures 22-24. Block 4. Climate variability (3 lectures) 

    El Nino and Southern Oscillation

    North Atlantic Oscillation

    Climate states and past role of the ocean.

    Conclusions

      

  • Marine Biology: Life In The Seas and Ocean (ENVS121) Level 1 Credit level 15 Semester First Semester Exam:Coursework weighting 50:50 Aims

    This module will introduce students to the main groups of organisms found in the marine environment. Students will encounter these groups in subsequent modules and field studies and gaining a familiarity with them in this module will enable them to recognise the organisms in the field and understand their role in marine ecosystems. 


    Learning Outcomes ​Acquire knowledge and understanding on t he taxonomic diversity of marine life.

    ​Develop the ability to r ecognise the major groups of marine organisms.

    ​Experience how to examine marine organisms and understand their functional biology using different kinds of specimens and approaches. 

    ​Recognise  the adaptational solutions to functional problems adopted by marine organisms.

  • Ocean Chemistry and Life (ENVS158) Level 1 Credit level 15 Semester Second Semester Exam:Coursework weighting 50:50 Aims
    1. To intr oduce students to marine chemistry of the major and trace elements.
    2. To demonstrate the dynamic relationship between the chemical ocean environment and biological processes.
    3. To identify the main ocean basins and main oceanic transport routes of chemical species
    4. To teach the necessary practical skills for oceanographic sampling and measurement of chemical species.
    Learning Outcomes

    1. Students will be able to identify ocean basins, their major characteristics and transport pathways.

    2. Students will gain knowledge of the sources and distributions of major and minor elements in the ocean, including dissolved gases, nutrients and carbon. ​

    3. Students will understand the chemical and biological processes that control the distribution of major and minor elements including dissolved gases, nutrients and carbon. ​

    ​3. Students will recognize the form and function of different components of the marine ecosystem including viruses, bacteria, phytoplankton and zooplankton. ​

    ​4. Students will be able to synthesis knowledge of key biogeochemical cycles of carbon, nitrogen and phosphorus to understand how they are linked in the modern and past ocean environment. 

    5. Students will know how to measure key properties of the ocean and interpret why they vary in space and time

  • Laboratory and Field Techniques for [marine and Terrestial] Ecologists (ENVS171) Level 1 Credit level 15 Semester Second Semester Exam:Coursework weighting 0:100 Aims

    This practical module will provide training in a range of ecological skills in field work and will have a wide application to many fields of environmental science including modern biology, ecology and physical geography. Techniques taught include identification of plants and animals, communities and measurement of selected ecological processes. You will learn quantitative skills in field ecology and how they can be used to solve fundamental and applied problems. You will also learn quite a lot of ecology at the same time.

    Learning Outcomes

    At the end of this module students should be able to: (assessment method in parentheses)

    • Work safely under lab and field conditions (Field and lab books).
    • Describe plant and animal communities and relate these to environmental factors (Lab books, field books and exam)
    • Sample plant and animal communities and relate these to environmental factors (Lab books, field books and exam)
    • Appreciate landscape and ecological features (Lab and field books)
    • Measure and understand the relevance of ecological processes (Lab books, field books and exam)
    • Identify selected plants and animals (Lab books, field books and identification tests in exam)
    • Investigate animal behaviour (Field notebooks and practical report)
    • Apply a quantitative approach to field science (Lab books, field books, practical report and exam)
  • Marine Ecosystems: Diversity, Processes and Threats (ENVS122) Level 1 Credit level 15 Semester Second Semester Exam:Coursework weighting 100:0 Aims

    This module aims to introduce students to the diversity of ecosystem types in the marine environment and the various threats that they face. 

    Learning Outcomes

    Acquire knowledge and understanding of representative key ecosystems found in the marine environment.

    ​Be familiar with the m arine organisms that live in representative key marine ecosystems.

    ​Acquire a basic knowledge of f undamental ecological principles, transferable to later marine and non-marine modules.

    ​Be aware of the threats that humans may pose to marine ecosystems.

    ​Appreciate how humans assess and may mitigate detrimental impacts to the environment.

    ​Be introduced to the importance to their future studies of critical reading of scientific literature.

Optional modules
  • Maths and Physics for Environmental Scientists (ENVS117) Level 1 Credit level 15 Semester First Semester Exam:Coursework weighting 100:0 Aims

    To provide students with   

    1) A grounding in the basic physics relevant to processes in the atmosphere, ...

Marine Biology with Oceanography BSc (Hons)

Price on request