This course provides you with an exceptional grounding in marine environmental research. You’ll develop your understanding of key concepts and issues. You’ll also develop the skills and qualities required for a career in academia or industry.
About this course
Through a combination of taught and research modules, our course will develop your understanding of:
the roles of science, policy, technology and economic development in the marine environment
marine environmental issues, their origins and possible solutions
the principal processes maintaining and altering structure, function and ecosystem services of coastal waters
the key concepts and methodologies used in ecosystem, environmental management and conservation science
the context, purpose and implementation of resource mapping and evaluation
the theory, principles, concepts and practices in marine governance
While our taught modules will ground your understanding of marine ecosystem dynamics, research methodologies and environmental governance, you will develop your research skills by designing and completing a supervised project.
You can design your research project, producing a research proposal upon application.
Topics can be highly varied to suit your interests. However, there are a few project ideas to choose from below, developed by staff working on existing larger research projects:
Our staff have over 30 years of research and teaching experience, both in the UK and overseas. Their expertise spans the natural and social sciences in coastal-marine science and management.
The Ecology Research Group was formed in 2017, and comprises 21 academics, 12 post-docs, and a large cohort of postgraduate research students.
We work across the spectrum, from fundamental ecological science to application and translation into management and policy. We are interdisciplinary, applied, and, in some cases, develop cutting-edge technology. This includes work in complexity science and environmental genomics. We collaborate with colleagues from across the University, nationally and internationally and our work has societal impacts.
This research group has had notable successes in their work on:
Previous students have worked with KAUST on a project based at a Red Sea facility. The focus of this project was the environmental impact of land based agriculture.
There are opportunities for involvement in key papers. Previous students have often led on papers and projects in areas that include:
Tropical coastal management
Hicks CC, McClanahan, TRM, Cinner JE, Hills JM (2009) Trade offs in values assigned to ecological goods and services associated with different coral reef management strategies. Ecology and Society. 14 (1): 10.
Marine ecosystem services
Smith V, Fitzsimmons C (2011) Local livelihood diversification: conservation and Socio-economics of scuba diving in the Solomon Islands. International Journal of Ecotourism. 10: 179-196.
North Sea marine policy
Scarff G, Fitzsimmons C, Gray T (2014) The new mode of marine governance in the UK: aspirations and challenges. Marine Policy. 51: 96-102.
Marine biology
Tanzil JTI, Brown BE, Tudhope AW, Dunne RP (2009), Decline in skeletal growth of the coral Porites lutea from the Andaman Sea, South Thailand between 1984 and 2005, Coral Reefs 28: 519-528
Coral reef ecology
McWilliam JN, Hawkins AD (2013) A comparison of inshore marine soundscapes. Journal of Experimental Marine Biology and Ecology. 446: 166-176.
Marine protected area management
Peterson AM, Stead SM (2011) Rule breaking and livelihood options in marine protected areas. Environmental Conservation. 38: 342-352.
Fisheries ecology and sustainability
Hart K, Gray T, Stead SM (2013) Consumptive versus non-consumptive use of sea turtles? Stakeholder perceptions about sustainable use in three communities near Cahuita National Park, Costa Rica. Marine Policy. 42: 236-244.
Three taught modules worth 60 credits are delivered in week blocks during semester one. A research project worth 120 credits is undertaken across semesters 2 and 3.
Our International Marine Environmental Consultancy course meets the growing demand for marine consultants and coastal managers in UK, European and international business.
Our programmes provide research training, supervision and collaboration to international standards. You can choose a wide range of topics within our marine science research groups.
Getting the right supervision is critical for your research project. Before submitting your research proposal as part of the course application, please first discuss your plans with the selector via mast.pg@ncl.ac.uk.
Start dates
The course starts in September. There is no application closing date for this course.
We suggest international students apply at least two months before the course starts. This is so that you have enough time to make the necessary arrangements.
Deposit
If you live outside the UK/EU you must:
pay a deposit of £1,500
or submit an official letter of sponsorship
The deposit is payable after you receive an offer to study at Newcastle University. The deposit is non-refundable, but is deducted from your tuition fees when you register.
