Marine Biology
Benthic marine organisms in a rocky subtidal ecosystem, south coast, Wellington.
On this page:
- Honours Degree
- Masters Courses
- Postgraduate Certificate
- Postgraduate Diploma
- PhD Degree
- Research Projects
- Academic Staff
- Contact Information
Bachelor of Science with Honours - BSc(Hons) in Marine Biology
Prerequisites
- 60 points from approved BIOL courses 300-399
- STAT 193
Honours candidates must have previously completed a Bachelor of Science (BSc) degree with an average grade of B+ or higher in their 300 level courses.
Course Requirements
- BIOL 423
- 60 points from BIOL 403, 419-422, 424-429, ERES 525 in an approved combination
- BMAR 489 - research project
Note: one of BIOL 430 or 440 may be substituted for BIOL 403, 419-421, 424-429 with approval from the Head of School.
Masters programmes
The School of Biological Sciences offers two options for Masters in marine science:
- Master of Science – a Masters by thesis taking two years
- Master of Marine Conservation – a ‘taught’ Masters taking 12–18 months
Master of Science – MSc in Marine Biology (by thesis)
A Masters by thesis consists of two parts and is normally completed in two calendar years. Part I involves three courses of 30 points each and a research preparation course. Part II is a full-time research project, leading to a thesis.
Prerequisites
- 60 points from approved BIOL courses 300-399
- STAT 193
Masters candidates should have previously completed a Bachelor of Science (BSc) degree with an average grade of B+ or higher in their 300 level courses. Prospective students must also agree a thesis topic with a supervisor before enrolment in the programme.
Course Requirements
Part 1
- 90 points from BIOL 403, 419-429, 440, ERES 525 in an approved combination
- BMAR 580 - research preparation
Note: one of BIOL 403, 422, 424-426, ERES 525 may be substituted for another 400-level science course, with approval from the Head of School.
Part 2
- BMAR 591 – thesis
Master of Marine Conservation – (MMarCon) taught Masters
The MMarCon is a professional degree in three parts, with no thesis component. It is an 18 month programme, but students who either hold an Honours degree or have at least 6 months relevant full-time work experience can complete the programme in 12 months. The course may be started in January or June.
Visit the course website for more information.
Prerequisites
Masters candidates should have previously completed a Bachelor of Science (BSc) degree, or another relevant qualification in the biological sciences, with approval from the Associate Dean (Students). An average grade of B+ or higher is required in the 300 level courses.
Course Requirements
Part 1 January–June, year 1
- BIOL 424
- 60 points from BIOL 420-428, 440, ERES 525-526, ENVI 505, MAOR 411
Part 2 July–December, year 1
- BIOL 419
- BIOL 429
- 30 points from BIOL 403, 423-428,440, BMAR 580, ERES 526, ENVI 506, MAOR 409, PASI 402-403
Part 3 January–June, year 2
- 60 points from BIOL 420-428, 440, ERES 525-526, ENVI 505, MAOR 411
Postgraduate Certificate in Marine Conservation (PGCertMarCon)
This certificate course is usually completed in 6 months full-time or 12 months part-time study. It may be started in January or June.
Visit the course website for more information.
Prerequisites
Certificate candidates should have previously 27 January, 2010t qualification, with approval from the Associate Dean (Students). An average grade of B+ or higher is required in the 300 level courses.
Course Requirements
- 90 points from the Master of Marine Conservation courses, including at least one from BIOL 419, 424, 429.
Postgraduate Diploma of Science (PGDipSc) in Marine Biology
This is a one year postgraduate qualification for students wanting a coursework qualification or for those not admitted to BSc (Hons) or MSc Part 1.
Prerequisites
Postgraduate diploma candidates must have previously completed a Bachelor's degree.
Course Requirements
- BIOL 423
- 90 points from BIOL 403, 404, 419-422, 425-428, 430, 440
PhD in Marine Biology
The PhD is the highest degree offered by the School of Biological Sciences. It is a research degree culminating in a thesis and usually takes three to four years of full time study to complete.
For more information on how to enrol in a PhD go to the Faculty of Graduate Research website.
Research Projects
Find out about available research projects in this area.
Academic Staff
The following staff work in this research area:
James Bell
Simon Davy
Jonathan Gardner
Nicole Phillips
Ken Ryan
Jeff Shima
Adele Whyte
Joe Zuccarello
Contact Information
Visit the Victoria University Coastal Ecology Lab (VUCEL) website
Visit the Master of Marine Conservation website
For more information, please contact programme director (Marine Biology) or programme coordinator (Master of Marine Conservation) Dr James Bell.
Download the Postgraduate Prospectus.