‘The oceans are a key element for the existence of life on Earth. 97% of all the water on Earth, and 99% of the habitable space on this planet, is in the ocean’ (source: NASA).

Marine biology is the interdisciplinary study of life in the ocean. At the present time, the position of marine biology graduates has never been as critical to the functioning of our society, economy and environment. Complex issues such as overfishing, pollution and climate change are colliding to bring about extraordinary and sometimes catastrophic changes in marine systems. As a marine biologist you will apply cutting edge technologies to help tackle these issues on a scale from molecules to ecosystems.

With regards to marine resources management the UK’s territorial waters stretch over 6.8 million km² (over fourteen times the terrestrial landmass) and within this vast area lies the blue economy: marine renewable energy, oil, gas, fish, minerals and rare earth metals. To manage these resources in a sustainable manner requires assessment and guidance from highly-skilled marine biologists.

Within this context the Marine Biology degree at QUB is based on a research-led teaching format and will prepare students for a future in a diverse range of careers including marine conservation, environmental consultancy, documentary film making, wildlife tourism, fisheries management and academic study.

An Honours degree in Marine Biology offers comprehensive training in one of the most popular environmental disciplines, and good graduates move on to pursue diverse careers at home and abroad.

Many recent graduates have secured MSc and PhD positions at leading universities in the UK, Republic of Ireland and overseas whilst others work in secondary education or for conservation organisations and government environmental agencies.

The experience that you gain from applying the scientific approach to living organisms, solving numerical and practical problems, developing written and oral communication skills and using a wide range of sophisticated equipment will also help you to find employment in a variety of non-biological careers.

Many employers are looking for graduates in any discipline, provided they show academic confidence, the ability to communicate, handle quantitative data and solve problems, and have good social skills, a wide range of interests and a record of success. We believe that studying Marine Biology at Queen's will enable you to acquire and develop these qualities.

The most generally appropriate professional bodies for graduate marine biologists are the Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom, the Fisheries Society of the British Isles and Society of Biology.