Flinders University > Courses and programs

Bachelor of Science (Marine Biology)

To be read in conjunction with the program of study requirements for the Bachelor of Science.

The Marine Biology Specialisation is offered as part of The Bachelor of Science and requires three years of full-time study (or the equivalent part-time). The Specialisation is offered by the School of Biological Sciences, within the Faculty of Science and Engineering.

Specialisations have different admission requirements to other programs of study available in The Bachelor of Science. In order to undertake a Specialisation students must be admitted to The Specialisation program. The name of The Specialisation will appear on the transcript and parchment.

Admission requirements

The minimum requirements for consideration for entry to all undergraduate courses are specified in detail in the University Entry Requirements.

There are no formal prerequisites for The Specialisation in Marine Biology, but knowledge of Mathematics and/or Physics to SACE Year 11 level is desirable.

Course aims

The course aims to provide students with a broad understanding of the biology of marine organisms, their relationships with the physico-chemical marine environment, and their potential responses to changes. It also provides students with the ability to acquire extensive subject knowledge in marine biodiversity, ecology, genetics, conservation, fisheries and related areas. It builds several transferable skills for research, analysis and communication including the capability to:

understand and apply scientific principles in a Marine Biology context
retrieve and present scientific information about Marine Biology, including communicating effectively with a variety of audiences in written and spoken form
critically analyse and evaluate information relevant to Marine Biology and solve problems
appreciate the multidisciplinary aspect of Marine Sciences and engage positively with people and ideas beyond their discipline area
work effectively and productively within teams
work independently and take responsibility for updating and adapting their knowledge and skills
appreciate the ethical and societal contexts of Marine Sciences.

This course provides the broad-based foundation that will support ongoing professional development, preparing graduates for further study in Marine Sciences or for a career in Marine Biology or related area where the range of skills and knowledge acquired is needed or desirable.

Learning outcomes

Graduates of the course are expected to:

be familiar with theories, subject content, professional methodologies, ethical frameworks and research procedures in Marine Sciences and be able to critically apply them in marine biological studies
understand and be able to describe the processes through which current knowledge about Marine Biology and its related disciplines were developed
be capable of analysing and critically evaluating ideas/information/data in Marine Biology, and applying relevant scientific principles to solve problems by, for example, creating hypotheses, testing theories and predictions, designing and carrying out experiments and analysing reported data
be competent at designing marine biological studies, employing sampling methods and techniques that work effectively in the field and laboratory, and applying numerical skills for data analysis
have an appreciation of work practices relating to OH&S and animal ethics in regards to marine biological studies
be skilled at identifying organisms found in marine and costal environments
understand the dynamics of marine ecosystems and their potential responses to changes
be capable of applying conservation and management principles for marine conservation and sustainable use of marine resources
be able to communicate their findings to a variety of audiences in written and spoken form
appreciate that Marine Biology is multidisciplinary and has connections to other science and non-science disciplines
work and learn independently and appreciate the need for continuing professional development
interact effectively as part of a team in order to achieve common goals.

Program of study

To qualify for The Bachelor of Science (Marine Biology) specialisation a student must complete 108 units, with a grade of P or NGP or better in each topic, according to the program of study detailed below.

No more than 45 units of First Year level topics may be included in the 108 units for the degree. Topics designated 'any year' or with no year level specified are regarded as First Year level topics.

Elective topics to complete 108 units may be selected from any offered within the University or, with approval from the Faculty of Science and Engineering, from outside the University, provided any course and prerequisite requirements are met.

Not all topics are necessarily available in a given year.

Students who have completed 72 units or more with a grade of P or NGP or better in each topic, according to the following rule, may exit with the Diploma of Applied Science:

at least 27 units from the First Year science topics offered by the Faculty of Science and Engineering
at least 18 units from Second or Third Year science topics offered by the Faculty of Science and Engineering.

Except where there is an approved double specialisation (see Bachelor of Science program of study) the same upper level (2xxx or above) topic cannot be counted twice. For example an upper level topic that is counted towards a specialisation may not also be counted towards a minor.

Specialisation - Marine Biology - Year 1 topics

36 units comprising:

BIOL1101 Evolution of Biological Diversity (4.5 units)
BIOL1102 Molecular Basis of Life (4.5 units)
BIOL1301 Introduction to Marine Biology# (4.5 units)
EASC1102 Marine Sciences# (4.5 units)
Plus 9 units of elective topics*^ from across the University where entry requirements are met.

Plus either:

CHEM1101 Chemistry 1A# (4.5 units) AND
CHEM1102 Chemistry 1B# (4.5 units)

or

CHEM1201 Introduction to Chemistry A# (4.5 units) AND
CHEM1202 Introduction to Chemistry B# (4.5 units)

Specialisation - Marine Biology - Year 2 topics

36 units comprising:

BIOL2701 Experimental Design and Statistics for Biology (4.5 units)
BIOL2702 Genetics, Evolution and Biodiversity (4.5 units)
BIOL2711 Ecology (4.5 units)
BIOL2712 Animal Diversity (4.5 units)
BIOL2742 Marine Ecology (4.5 units)
EASC2701 Coasts and Oceans (4.5 units)
Plus 9 units of elective topics*^ from across the University where entry requirements are met.

Specialisation - Marine Biology - Year 3 topics

36 units comprising:

BIOL3700 Biology Research Project (4.5 units)
BIOL3701 Conservation Biology and Restoration Ecology (4.5 units)
BIOL3702 Marine and Freshwater Biology (4.5 units)
BIOL3711 Plant and Algal Diversity (4.5 units)
BIOL3751 Marine Mammals, Birds and Reptiles (4.5 units)
BIOL3752 Fisheries Biology, Science and Management (4.5 units)
Plus 9 units of elective topics*^ from across the University where entry requirements are met.

#These topics are cognate studies topics which must be taken to complete The Specialisation.

*Students may choose to undertake a Bachelor of Science Minor as part of the elective component of their degree subject to meeting course/topic requirements.

^Specialisation - Marine Biology - Recommended Electives

While students are able to select elective units from anywhere across the University, these are Recommended Electives.

BIOL1102 Introduction to Biodiversity and Conservation (4.5 units)
BIOL1112 Biology and Society (4.5 units)
BIOL1201 Introduction to Aquaculture (4.5 units)
BIOL1711 Introduction to Animal Behaviour (4.5 units)
BIOL2721 Foundations of Animal Behaviour (4.5 units)
BIOL2731 Aquaculture Nutrition and Water Quality (4.5 units)
BIOL2732 Aquaculture Systems and Technology (4.5 units)
BIOL2761 Virology (4.5 units)
BIOL2771 Biochemistry (4.5 units)
GEOG2700 Geographical Information Systems (4.5 units)
BIOL3712 Integrative Physiology of Animals and Plants (4.5 units)
BIOL3721 Behavioural Ecology and Sociobiology (4.5 units)
BIOL3722 Conservation and Ecological Genetics (4.5 units)
BIOL3731 Aquaculture Reproduction (4.5 units)
BIOL3732 Aquaculture Health and Product Quality (4.5 units)
ENVS3711 Coastal Studies (4.5 units)

Honours

Admission to an honours program may be offered to a student who meets certain academic criteria and subject to the school/department being able to provide appropriate resources and staff to supervise the program of study. Refer to Bachelor of Science (Marine Biology) (Honours).

Combined degrees

The Bachelor of Science (Marine Biology) may also be studied in a combined degrees program with the:

CRICOS Provider: 00114A | Updated: 25 Oct, 2011

Related links