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MSc International Marine Science

Key information

Level
Postgraduate Taught
Delivery type
Full Time
Degree qualification
MSc
Mode of delivery
On-Campus
Duration
1 year
Location
Orkney
Start date
September

MSc International Marine Science provides those of you with a bachelor-level graduate degree in Biology the opportunity to build your marine science knowledge and expertise. For those of you from a different academic background, the programme offers you the opportunity to prepare for employment in the wider international marine management and planning sector, through studying a range of relevant topical issues within this area. You’ll gain a broad knowledge of the fundamental principles, interdisciplinary nature, and innovative international practices in the global marine science field. 

You’ll explore marine resources and their sustainable exploitation, and how to use this theoretical knowledge in real-world practical applications. You’ll also consider strategic environmental assessment, policy, legal, ethical and health and safety issues of concern in the marine environment. 

The career-focused master’s programme will develop your technical, scientific, and managerial abilities, relevant for a marine science career in academia, industry, government and non-governmental organisations. 

Your student experience

Your learning will be informed by experts in marine science, renewable energy, economics, and transition engineering from our Institute of Life and Earth Sciences (ILES). The Centre for Marine Biodiversity and Biotechnology (CMBB) is based at the Edinburgh campus and the International Centre for Islands Technology (ICIT) in Stromness, Heriot-Watt University’s Orkney campus. These research facilities are part of Heriot-Watt’s School of Energy, Geoscience, Infrastructure and Society (EGIS), which is one of the United Kingdom’s leading institutions for multidisciplinary research and teaching in areas critical to economic development and societal equity.  

The research relevance of this postgraduate programme ensures your studies remain innovative and industry focused.  

Go Global

With Go Global, Heriot-Watt's global student programme, you can carry your studies to new places and experience new cultures, expanding your horizons on the way. You'll discover what it means to be a true global citizen and emerge prepared for wherever your career journey will take you.

Inter-Campus Transfer

Some of our Postgraduate Taught Masters Programmes are eligible for Inter-Campus Transfer. Please contact studywithus@hw.ac.uk for further information.

Course content

September Intake - Orkney

Mandatory September

  • Applied Research Design and Analysis
  • Oceanography

Optional September

  • Environmental Processes
  • Introduction to Marine Planning
  • Marine Renewable Energy Technology
  • Marine Resources and Sustainability
  • Diversity of Marine Organisms
  • Marine Ecotoxicology
  • Climate Change, Sustainability and Adaptation
  • Transition Engineering - Achieving zero carbon InTIME

Mandatory January

  • GIS for Marine and Environmental Scientists

Optional January

  • Tropical and Coral Reefs: Monitoring and Management
  • Science Communication and Engagement
  • Marine Environmental Monitoring
  • Environmental Evidence Synthesis
  • Ecosystems under Pressure
  • Marine Vertebrate Ecology and Conservation
  • Renewable Technology Commercialisation
  • Energy Transition Lab
  • Practical Skills in Marine Surveying

Mandatory May

  • ILES Environment Dissertation

Programme Video

Orkney Campus video

Malaysia field study

Fees and funding

/ intake tuition fees
StatusFull Time
UK£12,344
International£28,056
  • Status: Your residency status is usually defined as the country where you have been ordinarily resident for the three years before the start of your course.
  • International: 'International' includes applicants from European Union countries who do not hold Pre-Settled or Settled status in UK. (This does not include students from the Republic of Ireland - see above).

Scholarships and bursaries

Postgraduate scholarships and bursaries

We aim to encourage well-qualified, ambitious students to study with us and we offer a wide variety of scholarships and bursaries to achieve this. Over £6 million worth of opportunities are available in fee and stipend scholarships, and more than 400 students benefit from this support.

View details

Entry requirements

We have standard entry requirements for all of our courses that you will have to meet.

Masters (MSc) level entry applicants must have one of the following:

  • Minimum of 2:2 honours degree or equivalent academic qualification in a related subject area
  • For postgraduate conversion courses, non-related degrees will be considered
  • Corporate (or chartered) membership of relevant professional institutions will also be considered

PG Diploma level entry applicants must have an ordinary degree in a related subject area and relevant post qualification industry experience.

Candidates who do not meet the above entry requirements or have no formal academic qualifications will be considered individually based on their CV and possibly interview. Admission via this route will be at the discretion of the Director of Recruitment.

Recognition of Prior Learning

We are committed to providing study opportunities to applicants who have a wide range of prior experiences through Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL). For more information on RPL, please contact the Admissions Team (studywithus@hw.ac.uk) ahead of application. We can only consider requests for RPL at the time of application to a course of study.

Why Heriot-Watt

We're the top university in Scotland for graduate outcomes which means that more of our graduates are employed or in postgraduate education than any other institution in the country and we ranked 5th in the UK.

We're also rated number one in the UK for CEO or MD roles, meaning more of our graduates go on to become CEOs or MDs than any other university in the whole of the UK. On top of that, we have beautiful campuses, across the globe, so you'll get a truly international education. Our Edinburgh Campus is home to Oriam, Scotland's National Sports Performance Centre combined with plenty of wellbeing resources, prioritising fitness and mental health for all students. Our Global Research Institutes look at solving real world issues such as climate change and saving our oceans as well as working on the next medical technological breakthrough and the future of AI and robots.

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