This is a 4-year course designed specifically for students who want to gain a really in-depth understanding of the subject. During the first three years, you will follow an same degree course structure as for Marine Biology and Zoology BSc. At the end of Year two, providing a satisfactory mark has been obtained, you continue with Year three of the BSc course and proceed to a 4th year specialised course. In the fourth year you will carry out a substantial piece of research which forms your final year dissertation. You will be able to work in a staff member’s research group and will gain valuable research experience of working in a research environment.

The Marine Biology element of this course covers animals, seaweeds, plants and microbial life in the seas and their interactions. The Zoology element covers all animals whether on land or in water. This degree therefore gives a wide overview of the diversity of animal life and ecosystems on this planet, ranging from the mountains to the deep sea trenches. On this course you will learn how interactions between animals and their environments apply equally to marine, terrestrial and freshwater habitats. You will be introduced to the fundamentals of biology, ecology, and evolution of marine organisms and all animal groups. We also cover more applied aspects such as aquaculture and fisheries, parasitology and immunology.

Why choose Bangor University for this course?    

• This course is unique to Bangor University.
• Bangor’s location makes it an ideal place to study terrestrial and aquatic habitats, with easy access to both the mountains and the sea for field trips.
• The lectures who will teach you are carrying out research across the planet.
• Facilities include a research ship, workboats, tropical marine, temperate marine and freshwater aquaria, an underground laboratory for the study of soil fauna, and a zoological museum.
• Our teaching laboratories are a few metres from the sea, enabling you to collect marine animals and study them in the laboratory in the same lab session.

The first 3 years of this degree involves attending lectures, practical classes and fieldwork on the shore. In Year three there are two field courses, each a week long, and during Years 1, 2 and 3 time is spent aboard the research ship Prince Madog. Your practical work will be continually assessed and there are written examinations for each module. In Year four you will be assessed on the research skills dissertation, seminar and poster modules.

• We have a £3.5m ocean-going research ship and three smaller inshore vessels. You may be able to collect data for your year 4 project aboard the Prince Madog and have access to the smaller vessels.
• Our excellent facilities include tropical marine and temperate marine aquaria, analytical laboratories, flow and particle transport simulators and computing capabilities.
• We have unrivalled local access to the ocean and numerous intertidal habitats for undertaking experimental work, including rocky shores, sandy shores and saltmarshes, ideal for undertaking experimental work in the intertidal environment.

This course is ideal preparation for a career in research. The fourth year project will allow you to gain experience of working in a research environment and prepare you for a PhD and research career.

Ocean Science at Bangor is unique in encompassing the study of all aspects of the global marine environment, from estuaries and coasts to the deep ocean. We are one of the largest university centres teaching marine sciences in Britain and one of the biggest in Europe.