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Marine Biology at University of Portsmouth - UCAS

Course options

2025 - 2026
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There are other course options available which may have a different vacancy status or entry requirements – view the full list of options

University of Portsmouth has participated in the Teaching Excellence Framework. These ratings were awarded in 2023, for four years.

Open days

7Dec
University of Portsmouth Open Day
Undergraduate

Course summary

This is a Connected Degree Portsmouth is the only University in the UK with the flexibility to choose when to do an optional paid placement or self-employed year. Either take a placement in your third year, or finish your studies first and complete a placement in your fourth year. You can decide if and when to take a placement after you've started your course. Overview Marine biologists are the first line of defence for our blue planet, and are crucial to enhance the ecology and environment of our oceans. This BSc (Hons) Marine Biology degree, accredited by the Royal Society of Biology (RSB), will give you the skills you need to play your part. With conservation projects and world class facilities on our doorstep, Portsmouth is the perfect place to begin a career as a marine scientist.

  • Work on active conservation projects – such as the Solent Oyster Restoration Project, the Solent BioHut project, the Isle of Wight UNESCO Marine Biosphere, and the Solent Seagrass Restoration Project
  • Access the Solent European Marine Site with its wide range of environments through the Institute of Marine Sciences, our internationally renowned shoreside marine station
  • Go on a marine field trip abroad, where you can explore exotic, unique and diverse ecosystems
  • Get practical marine skills on our research vessels, including a large experimental raft, a 6-metre high-speed shallow draft launch for inshore work and a suite of sampling systems including dredges, grabs and nets
  • Build experience on a one-year work placement, study abroad at one of our partner universities, and learn powerboating with the Royal Yacht Association (RYA) or PADI-certified scientific and technical diving
Accredited by: This course is accredited by the Royal Society of Biology. Careers and opportunities On this BSc (Hons) Marine Biology degree, you'll learn about a wide array of marine organisms, from phytoplankton to cetaceans, and how to protect the oceans and their delicate ecosystems against the growing threats of climate change, habitat destruction and resource exploitation. When you graduate, you'll be ready for a career in a range of marine science areas, such as conservation, resource management and aquaculture, or to pursue academic research, lab work, field work or policy making. You could also continue your studies at postgraduate level. Many graduates go onto study MRes Science or MSc Applied Aquatic Biology. What can you do with a Marine Biology degree? Previous graduates of this course have gone on to work in:
  • post-graduate research
  • coastal zone management
  • environmental toxicology
  • marine conservation
  • aquaculture
  • marine policy
  • marine resource management
Graduate roles Roles previous graduates have gone on to do include:
  • lab analyst
  • field technician
  • agriculture supervisor
  • radioactive chemist
  • extraction scientist
  • day yacht skipper
  • watersports instructor
  • biology teacher
Placement year After your second year, you can do an optional work placement year to get valuable longer-term work experience in the industry. Placements give you the opportunity to apply what you've learnt so far in a real workplace, boosting your employability and making you attractive to employers after graduation. You can work for a company or organisation here in the UK or overseas, although our coastal location means there are many placement opportunities nearby. Our partners include commercial, research and non-profit organisations such as:
  • Maidenhead Aquatics
  • Field Studies Council
  • ORCA
  • Blue Marine Foundation
Whichever route you choose, you'll receive support and guidance. Our specialist team of Science and Health Careers advisors can help you with finding a work placement and improving your employability skills. They'll provide you with a database of placement vacancies, support with your job search, and support you throughout your placement year.

Modules

Year 1 Core modules in this year include:

  • Biodiversity & Evolution (20 credits)
  • Experimental Biology (20 credits)
  • Graduate Employability Skills (20 credits)
  • Introduction to Cell Biology & Biochemistry (20 credits)
  • Introduction to Marine Ecology and Oceanography (20 credits)
  • Microbiology & Molecular Biology (20 credits)
There are no optional modules in this year. Year 2 Core modules in this year include:
  • Marine and Terrestrial Field Ecology (20 credits)
  • Marine Organisms and Ecosystems (20 credits)
  • Research Skills (20 credits)
Optional modules in this year include:
  • Animal Adaptations: From Ocean to Land (20 credits)
  • Business for Biosciences (20 credits)
  • Comparative and Evolutionary Psychology (20 credits)
  • Genetics (20 credits)
  • Gis and Remote Sensing (20 credits)
  • Introduction to Teaching (20 credits)
  • Microbiology (20 credits)
  • Oceanography (20 credits)
  • Plant Diversity, Development and Evolution (20 credits)
  • Practical Boating Skills (20 credits)
  • Scientific Diving Techniques (20 credits)
Placement year: Boost your employability by taking an industry-based work placement year with a relevant organisation or immerse yourself in another culture by studying for a year at one of our partner universities worldwide. This is an amazing opportunity to either put everything you’ve learned so far into action in a real workplace or expand your horizons and set yourself up for your future career by studying abroad. Depending on what you choose, we’ll help you find and secure an exciting placement opportunity within an appropriate company or organisation, or you’ll expand your global perspective and develop additional skills to boost your future career during a study abroad year. This is a Connected Degree We're the only university that gives you the flexibility to choose when to take a work placement. Take it after your 2nd year, before returning to finish your studies. Or after your final year, connecting you into the workplace. If you're not sure if or when to take your placement, don't worry. You'll have plenty of time to settle into your studies and explore your options before making your choice. Year 3 Core modules in this year include:
  • Fisheries and Aquaculture (20 credits)
  • Marine Ecology and Conservation (20 credits)
  • Marine Ecophysiology (20 credits)
  • Research Project (40 credits)
Optional modules in this year currently include:
  • Climate Change (20 credits)
  • Microbiomes (20 credits)
We use the best and most current research and professional practice alongside feedback from our students to make sure course content is relevant to your future career or further studies. Therefore, some course content may change over time to reflect changes in the discipline or industry and some optional modules may not run every year. If a module doesn’t run, we’ll let you know as soon as possible and help you choose an alternative module.

Assessment method

You’ll be assessed through written exams, course work in the form of practical write ups, posters and oral presentations, individual research project. You’ll be able to test your skills and knowledge informally before you do assessments that count towards your final mark. You can get feedback on all practice and formal assessments so you can improve in the future.

Professional bodies

Professionally accredited courses provide industry-wide recognition of the quality of your qualification.

  • Royal Society of Biology

How to apply

29Jan

This is the deadline for applications to be completed and sent for this course. If the university or college still has places available you can apply after this date, but your application is not guaranteed to be considered.

Application codes

Please select a course option – you will then see the application code you need to use to apply for the course.

Points of entry

The following entry points are available for this course:

  • Year 1
  • Year 2
  • Year 3

Entry requirements for advanced entry (i.e. into Year 2 and beyond)

We welcome applications for advanced entry. If you’d like to apply for advanced entry, you need to select the required year when you complete your UCAS application.

Entry requirements

Qualification requirements

English language requirements

TestGradeAdditional details
IELTS (Academic)6English language proficiency at a minimum of IELTS band 6.0 with no component score below 5.5.
Cambridge English AdvancedCambridge English: Advanced (CAE) (taken after January 2015). An overall score of 169 with no component score less than 162.
Cambridge English ProficiencyCambridge English: Proficiency (CPE) (taken after January 2015). An overall score of 169 with no component score less than 162.
PTE Academic62An overall score of 62 with a minimum of 59 in each skill.
TOEFL (iBT)7979 with a minimum of 18 in Reading, 17 in Listening, 20 in Speaking and 17 in Writing.
Trinity ISEPassTrinity College Integrated Skills in English (ISE) Level III with a Pass in all 4 components.

Student Outcomes

Operated by the Office for Students
45%
Employment after 15 months (Most common jobs)
70%
Go onto work and study

The number of student respondents and response rates can be important in interpreting the data – it is important to note your experience may be different from theirs. This data will be based on the subject area rather than the specific course. Read more about this data on the Discover Uni website.

Fees and funding

Tuition fees

EU £9535 Year 1
England £9535 Year 1
Northern Ireland £9535 Year 1
Scotland £9535 Year 1
Wales £9535 Year 1
Channel Islands £9535 Year 1
Republic of Ireland £9535 Year 1
International £19200 Year 1

Tuition fee status depends on a number of criteria and varies according to where in the UK you will study. For further guidance on the criteria for home or overseas tuition fees, please refer to the UKCISA website .

Additional fee information

Students who are resident in EU countries: please note that the net fee is inclusive of the Transition Scholarship Placement Year and Year abroad (at the time of publishing for 2024/25): UK/Channel Islands and Isle of Man students – £1,385 EU – £1,385 (including Transition Scholarship) International (Non-EU) – £2,875. Fees are accurate at the time of publishing and are subject to change at any time without notice. All fees are subject to annual increase. For more information about fees, go to port.ac.uk/study/undergraduate/undergraduate-fees-and-student-finance/tuition-fees-living-costs-and-other-study-costs
Marine Biology at University of Portsmouth - UCAS