Marine Science major

Western Australia's marine estate is unique globally. It features a vast array of marine and coastal environments, oceanographic conditions, and is a biodiversity hotspot with up to 80 per cent of fish, invertebrates and other organisms found nowhere else in the world. This makes WA an ideal living laboratory for your marine studies. This double major will expose you to the full breadth of the marine science discipline, allowing deeper understanding of both the physical and biological components through the marine biology and coastal processes majors. It combines knowledge of marine life with a solid understanding of the physical process across all coastal marine environments. Through experimental design and research, both in the field and in laboratories, you will learn to appreciate the complex interactions that occur between marine ecosystems and physical processes. During the course of your studies you will gain practical experience through field trips (several of which are overnight) and computer based labs. This double major is the ultimate multi- and inter-disciplinary learning environment that will best place you to continue your studies as a postgraduate student or pursue a career in a marine related discipline after graduation.

Outcomes

Students are able to (1) recognise the relationship between structure, function and process at all biological levels: molecular, cellular, organismal, population, community and ecosystem; (2) apply scientific principles, incorporating theoretical concepts, keen observation, sound experimental design, analysis and insightful interpretation, into marine research.; (3) demonstrate a knowledge of the diversity, life history strategies and functional traits of marine biota; (4) demonstrate a solid understanding of the physical processes that operate in marine and coastal environments; (5) demonstrate an understanding of complex interactions between the physical and biotic components of marine environments and the range of scales at which these interactions can occur.; (6) recognize how the interactions between the physical and biotic components can influence decisions about marine and coastal management; (7) develop skills in computational, mathematical, programming and statistical techniques commonly used in marine research; (8) conduct quantitative marine research in a safe, ethical and professional manner; and (9) apply relevant employability skills for marine science.

Broadening guidelines

All students studying towards a Bachelor's Degree at UWA are required to Broaden their studies by completing a minimum of four units (24 points) of study outside their degree specific major. Broadening is your opportunity to explore other areas of interest, investigate new disciplines and knowledge paradigms and to shape your degree to suit your own aspirations and interests. Over the next few months you will find here some broadening suggestions related to your degree-specific major. While we know that many students value guidance of this sort, these are only suggestions and students should not lose sight of the opportunity to explore that is afforded by your Broadening Choices. Advice can also be sought from your Allocated Student Advising Office. If you are completing this major in a Combined Bachelor's masters Course, you have elected to pursue a highly specialised and in-depth program of study in your chosen field. While you are encouraged to use the free elective units available in your course to study in other disciplines offered at UWA, your formal requirement to broaden your course will be met through the Honours and Postgraduate units which form an integral part of your course.

Prerequisites

Mathematics Methods ATAR or Mathematics Applications ATAR with a mathematics unit taken in the first year. Students without ATAR mathematics will take two first year mathematics units.

Marine Science can only be taken as a degree-specific major in the following degree courses:

BP004 Bachelor of Science
BH005 Bachelor of Philosophy (Honours)

Overview of unit sequence

Marine Science is a degree-specific double major comprising:

  • six Level 1 units
  • seven Level 2 units
  • five Level 3 units
Key to availability of units:
S1 = Semester 1; S2 = Semester 2

Level 1

Degree-specific major units
Take all units (36 points):
Availability Unit code Unit name unit requirements
S1 BIOL1130 Frontiers in Biology
Prerequisites:
Nil
Co-requisites:
Nil
Incompatibility:
Nil
S2 BIOL1131 Plant and Animal Biology
Prerequisites:
Nil
Co-requisites:
Nil
Incompatibility:
Nil
S1, S2 CITS1401 Computational Thinking with Python
Prerequisites:
Mathematics Applications ATAR
or
MATH1720 Mathematics Fundamentals
or
equivalent
or
higher
Co-requisites:
Nil.
Incompatibility:
Nil.
S1 EART1105 Dynamic Planet
Prerequisites:
Nil
Co-requisites:
Nil
Incompatibility:
Nil
S1, S2 SCIE1104 Science, Society and Data Analysis
Prerequisites:
Nil
Co-requisites:
ATAR Subject Mathematics Applications ATAR
Or
MATH1720 Mathematics Fundamentals (ID 5107)
Incompatibility:
Unit STAT1520 Economic and Business Statistics (ID 397)
S1 SCOM1101 Communicating Science
Prerequisites:
ATAR Mathematics Applications
or
WACE Mathematics 2C/2D
or
TEE Discrete Mathematics
or
equivalent
or
higher
Co-requisites:
MATH1720 Mathematics Fundamentals (only required if students haven't completed Maths Applications
or
WACE Mathematics 2C/2D
or
TEE Discrete Mathematics
or
equivalent
or
higher). Please note that there will be a delay in validating your enrollment in SCOM1101 after you have enrolled in MATH 1720.
Incompatibility:
Nil
Bridging units
Bridging units must be successfully completed within the first 48 points of study. Students who have not achieved a scaled mark of at least 50 in Mathematics Methods ATAR or equivalent or higher are required to complete MATH1721. Students who have not achieved a scaled mark of at least 50 in Mathematics Applications ATAR or equivalent or higher are required to complete MATH1720 and MATH1721. Students who have not achieved a scaled mark of at least 50 in Chemistry ATAR or equivalent or higher are required to complete CHEM1003.
Availability Unit code Unit name unit requirements
S1, S2 CHEM1003 Introductory Chemistry
Prerequisites:
Nil.
Co-requisites:
Nil.
Incompatibility:
ATAR Chemistry
or
equivalent
or
higher
S1, S2 MATH1720 Mathematics Fundamentals
Prerequisites:
Mathematics Applications ATAR (with a scaled score of less than 50)
or
with permission.
Co-requisites:
Nil.
Incompatibility:
Mathematics Applications ATAR (with a scaled score of 50
or
greater)
or
equivalent
or
higher.
S1, S2 MATH1721 Mathematics Foundations: Methods
Prerequisites:
Mathematics Applications ATAR
or
MATH1720 Mathematics Fundamentals
or
Mathematics Methods ATAR (with a scaled score of less than 50)
or
equivalent .
Co-requisites:
Nil.
Incompatibility:
WACE Mathematics: Specialist 3A/3B; MATH1038 Calculus and its Applications; MATH1045 Intermediate Calculus; Mathematics Specialist ATAR; MATH1001 Mathematical Methods 1; MATH1002 Mathematical Methods 2; MATH1011 Multivariable Calculus; MATH1012 Mathematical Theory and Methods;
or
STAT1520 Economics and Business Statistics.

Level 2

Degree-specific major units
Take all units (42 points):
Availability Unit code Unit name unit requirements
S2 BIOL2204 Marine Biology
Prerequisites:
6 Points Unit SCIE2204 Marine Systems (ID 1524) And ATAR Subject Chemistry
Or
6 Points Unit CHEM1003 Introductory Chemistry (ID 1063)
or
Equivalent
Co-requisites:
Nil
Incompatibility:
Nil
S2 CITS2402 Introduction to Data Science
Prerequisites:
CITS1401 Computational Thinking with Python
or
CITS2401 Computer Analysis and Visualisation
Co-requisites:
Nil
Incompatibility:
Nil
S2 EART2204 Coastal Processes
Prerequisites:
EART1105 The Dynamic Planet
or
GEOG1103 Geographies of a Global City
Co-requisites:
Nil
Incompatibility:
EART3337 Coastal Environments; GEOG3307 Coastal Environments
S2 ENVT2221 Global Climate Change and Biodiversity
Prerequisites:
6 Points Unit BIOL1130 Frontiers in Biology (ID 1254)
Or
BIOL1131 Plant and Animal Biology (ID 1244)
Or
EART1105 Dynamic Planet (ID 1247)
Or
ENVT1104 Environmental Science and Technology (ID 5950)
Co-requisites:
Nil
Incompatibility:
Nil
S1 ENVT2250 Ecology
Prerequisites:
BIOL1130 Frontiers in Biology (formerly BIOL1130 Core Concepts in Biology)
or
BIOL1131 Plant and Animal Biology
or
ENVT1104 Environmental Science and Technology
Co-requisites:
Nil.
Incompatibility:
Nil.
S1, S2 GEOG2201 Geographic Information Systems
Prerequisites:
36 points of prior study
Co-requisites:
Nil.
Incompatibility:
Nil
S1 SCIE2204 Marine Systems
Prerequisites:
EART1105 The Dynamic Planet
or
BIOL1131 Plant and Animal Biology
Co-requisites:
Nil.
Incompatibility:
Nil.

Level 3

Degree-specific major units
Take all units (30 points):
Availability Unit code Unit name unit requirements
S2 BIOL3305 Fisheries Science: Foundation and Application
Prerequisites:
48 Points And BIOL1130 Frontiers in Biology (ID 1254)
Or
BIOL1131 Plant and Animal Biology (ID 1244)
Co-requisites:
Nil
Incompatibility:
Nil
S1 ENVT3306 Coastal Conservation and Management
Prerequisites:
SCIE2204 Marine Systems
Co-requisites:
Nil
Incompatibility:
Nil
S2 ENVT3307 Oceanography
Prerequisites:
SCIE2204 Marine Systems
Co-requisites:
Nil
Incompatibility:
Nil
S2 ENVT3362 Environmental Dynamics
Prerequisites:
ENVT2250 Ecology
or
ENVT2220 The Climate System
or
ENVT2251 Environmental Hydrology
or
SCIE2204 Marine Systems
or
EART2204 Coastal Processes
or
SCIE2267 Quantitative Methods in Environmental Management
Co-requisites:
Nil.
Incompatibility:
Nil.
S1 SCIE3304 Field Techniques in Marine Science
Prerequisites:
SCIE2204 Marine Systems
or
ENSC3012 Data Collection and Analysis
or
equivalent;
and
completion of at least 72 points
Co-requisites:
Nil.
Incompatibility:
Nil.

Choosing your degree-specific major

General degrees

You must satisfy the requirements of a degree-specific major before you complete your course. The flexible structure of an undergraduate course allows you to try out a number of different subjects to see what interests you before nominating your degree-specific major. You have the choice to either nominate your degree-specific major when you first enrol in the course or delay nominating it until your second year.

To plan the first year of your study without nominating a degree-specific major, you are advised to choose units that will pave the way to two or more degree-specific majors that are of interest to you. For examples of the choice of units available in first year, search the first-year study plans .

To fully understand the structure of an undergraduate course, read the course structure information and the Undergraduate Degree Course Rules.

The following example illustrates how the Marine Science degree-specific major can be included in the Bachelor of Science course.

%Course study plan%

There are more choices open to you. For more examples, search the study plans .

Specialised degrees – Bachelor of Advanced Computer Science (Honours), Bachelor of Automation and Robotics, Bachelor of Environmental Design, Bachelor of Music

You must satisfy the requirements of the degree-specific major in your degree before you complete your course.

Bachelor of Philosophy, Politics and Economics

This comprehensive degree does not allow you to choose a double major.