Marine Science major

If you are fascinated by our amazing marine and coastal environments then Marine Science is the major for you. Western Australia's marine environment is a biodiversity hotspot with up to 80 per cent of fish, invertebrates and other organisms found nowhere else in the world, making WA an ideal living laboratory for your studies. This major includes marine biology and ecology, marine and coastal management, and oceanography. It combines knowledge of marine aquatic life with a solid understanding of the physical environment. Through experimental design and research you will learn to appreciate the complex interactions that occur in marine ecosystems. It is envisaged that there will be up to three overnight field trips (cost of food and accommodation of up to $500 for around 10 nights to be borne by the student).

Outcomes

Students are able to (1) appreciate the complex interactions between the physical and biotic components of marine ecosystems; (2) understand the range of scales at which these interactions can occur; (3) demonstrate a knowledge of the diversity, life history strategies and functional traits of marine biota; (4) appreciate how the interactions between the physical and biotic components can influence decisions about sustainable management; and (5) conduct quantitative marine research in a safe and professional manner.

Degree-specific major

Marine Science can 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 single major comprising:

  • two Level 1 units
  • two Level 2 units
  • four Level 3 units
  • two Level 3 complementary units
  • two Level 4 complementary units
Key to availability of units:
S1 = Semester 1; S2 = Semester 2

Level 1

Coastal and Ocean Systems specialisation
Degree-specific major units
Take all units (12 points):
Availability Unit code Unit name unit requirements
S2 BIOL1131 Plant and Animal Biology
S1 EART1105 Dynamic Planet
Incompatibility:
CIVL2121 Engineering Geology and Geomechanics
Complementary units
Take all complementary units (12 points):
Availability Unit code Unit name unit requirements
S2 SCIE1104 Science, Society and Data Analysis
Co-requisites:
MATH1721 Mathematics Foundations: Methods (only required if students haven't completed ATAR Mathematics Methods; WACE Mathematics: Specialist 3A/3B;
or
equivalent
or
higher.
Incompatibility:
STAT1520 Economic and Business Statistics
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.
Marine Biology specialisation
Degree-specific major units
Take all units (12 points):
Availability Unit code Unit name unit requirements
S2 BIOL1131 Plant and Animal Biology
S1 EART1105 Dynamic Planet
Incompatibility:
CIVL2121 Engineering Geology and Geomechanics
Complementary units
Take all complementary units (12 points):
Availability Unit code Unit name unit requirements
S2 SCIE1104 Science, Society and Data Analysis
Co-requisites:
MATH1721 Mathematics Foundations: Methods (only required if students haven't completed ATAR Mathematics Methods; WACE Mathematics: Specialist 3A/3B;
or
equivalent
or
higher.
Incompatibility:
STAT1520 Economic and Business Statistics
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.

Level 2

Coastal and Ocean Systems specialisation
Degree-specific major units
Take all units (12 points):
Availability Unit code Unit name unit requirements
S2 EART2204 Coastal Processes
Prerequisites:
EART1105 The Dynamic Planet
or
GEOG1103 Geographies of a Global City
Incompatibility:
EART3337 Coastal Environments; GEOG3307 Coastal Environments
S1 SCIE2204 Marine Systems
Prerequisites:
EART1105 The Dynamic Planet
or
BIOL1131 Plant and Animal Biology
Complementary units
Take the following complementary unit:
Availability Unit code Unit name unit requirements
S1, S2 GEOG2201 Geographic Information Systems
Prerequisites:
36 points of prior study
Incompatibility:
EART2201 Geographic Information Systems
Complementary units
Take unit(s) to the value of 6 points:
Availability Unit code Unit name unit requirements
S2 BIOL2204 Marine Biology
Prerequisites:
SCIE2204 Marine Systems
S2 ENVT2221 Global Climate Change and Biodiversity
Prerequisites:
BIOL1130 Frontiers in Biology (formerly BIOL1130 Core Concepts in Biology)
or
BIOL1131 Plant and Animal Biology
or
EART1105 The Dynamic Planet
or
ENVT1104 Environmental Science and Technology;
for pre-2012 courses: any Level 1 BIOL unit
or
any Level 1 EART unit
Marine Biology specialisation
Degree-specific major units
Take all units (12 points):
Availability Unit code Unit name unit requirements
S2 BIOL2204 Marine Biology
Prerequisites:
SCIE2204 Marine Systems
S1 SCIE2204 Marine Systems
Prerequisites:
EART1105 The Dynamic Planet
or
BIOL1131 Plant and Animal Biology
Complementary units
Take unit(s) to the value of 6 points:
Availability Unit code Unit name unit requirements
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
S1, S2 GEOG2201 Geographic Information Systems
Prerequisites:
36 points of prior study
Incompatibility:
EART2201 Geographic Information Systems
Complementary units
Take unit(s) to the value of 6 points:
Availability Unit code Unit name unit requirements
S2 EART2204 Coastal Processes
Prerequisites:
EART1105 The Dynamic Planet
or
GEOG1103 Geographies of a Global City
Incompatibility:
EART3337 Coastal Environments; GEOG3307 Coastal Environments
S2 ENVT2221 Global Climate Change and Biodiversity
Prerequisites:
BIOL1130 Frontiers in Biology (formerly BIOL1130 Core Concepts in Biology)
or
BIOL1131 Plant and Animal Biology
or
EART1105 The Dynamic Planet
or
ENVT1104 Environmental Science and Technology;
for pre-2012 courses: any Level 1 BIOL unit
or
any Level 1 EART unit

Level 3

Coastal and Ocean Systems specialisation
Degree-specific major units
Take all units (24 points):
Availability Unit code Unit name unit requirements
S1 ENVT3306 Coastal Conservation and Management
Prerequisites:
SCIE2204 Marine Systems
S2 ENVT3307 Oceanography
Prerequisites:
SCIE2204 Marine Systems
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
S1 SCIE3304 Field Techniques in Marine Science
Prerequisites:
SCIE2204 Marine Systems
or
ENSC3012 Data Collection and Analysis
or
equivalent;
and
completion of at least 84 points
Marine Biology specialisation
Degree-specific major units
Take all units (24 points):
Availability Unit code Unit name unit requirements
S1 ENVT3306 Coastal Conservation and Management
Prerequisites:
SCIE2204 Marine Systems
S2 ENVT3307 Oceanography
Prerequisites:
SCIE2204 Marine Systems
S2 ENVT3363 Ecological Processes
Prerequisites:
one of ENVT2250 Ecology
or
ENVT2221 Global Climate Change and Biodiversity
or
SCIE2204 Marine Systems
S1 SCIE3304 Field Techniques in Marine Science
Prerequisites:
SCIE2204 Marine Systems
or
ENSC3012 Data Collection and Analysis
or
equivalent;
and
completion of at least 84 points

Choosing your degree-specific major

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.

Coastal and Ocean Systems specialisation
Course Study Plan: CSP004-MARSC-1
Marine Biology specialisation
Course Study Plan: CSP004-MARSC-2

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

Choosing a second major

You also have the option to choose a second major from those available in the Bachelor of Arts, Bachelor of Biomedical Science, Bachelor of Commerce, Bachelor of Design Only available to re-enrolling students. or Bachelor of Science course, giving you the opportunity to pursue your interests no matter how different they are.

The following example illustrates how the Marine Science degree-specific major can be combined with a second major in the Bachelor of Science course.

Coastal and Ocean Systems specialisation
Course Study Plan: CSP004-MARSC-Generic-1
Marine Biology specialisation
Course Study Plan: CSP004-MARSC-Generic-2

For more examples of combinations of majors, search the study plans .

Marine Science can also be taken as a second major.

Second major

Marine Science can be taken as a second major in the following degree courses:

Overview of unit sequence

The Marine Science second major is a single major comprising:

  • two Level 1 units
  • two Level 2 units
  • four Level 3 units
Key to availability of units:
S1 = Semester 1; S2 = Semester 2

Level 1

Coastal and Ocean Systems specialisation
Second major units
Take all units (12 points):
Availability Unit code Unit name unit requirements
S2 BIOL1131 Plant and Animal Biology
S1 EART1105 Dynamic Planet
Incompatibility:
CIVL2121 Engineering Geology and Geomechanics
Marine Biology specialisation
Second major units
Take all units (12 points):
Availability Unit code Unit name unit requirements
S2 BIOL1131 Plant and Animal Biology
S1 EART1105 Dynamic Planet
Incompatibility:
CIVL2121 Engineering Geology and Geomechanics

Level 2

Coastal and Ocean Systems specialisation
Second major units
Take all units (12 points):
Availability Unit code Unit name unit requirements
S2 EART2204 Coastal Processes
Prerequisites:
EART1105 The Dynamic Planet
or
GEOG1103 Geographies of a Global City
Incompatibility:
EART3337 Coastal Environments; GEOG3307 Coastal Environments
S1 SCIE2204 Marine Systems
Prerequisites:
EART1105 The Dynamic Planet
or
BIOL1131 Plant and Animal Biology
Marine Biology specialisation
Second major units
Take all units (12 points):
Availability Unit code Unit name unit requirements
S2 BIOL2204 Marine Biology
Prerequisites:
SCIE2204 Marine Systems
S1 SCIE2204 Marine Systems
Prerequisites:
EART1105 The Dynamic Planet
or
BIOL1131 Plant and Animal Biology

Level 3

Coastal and Ocean Systems specialisation
Second major units
Take all units (24 points):
Availability Unit code Unit name unit requirements
S1 ENVT3306 Coastal Conservation and Management
Prerequisites:
SCIE2204 Marine Systems
S2 ENVT3307 Oceanography
Prerequisites:
SCIE2204 Marine Systems
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
S1 SCIE3304 Field Techniques in Marine Science
Prerequisites:
SCIE2204 Marine Systems
or
ENSC3012 Data Collection and Analysis
or
equivalent;
and
completion of at least 84 points
Marine Biology specialisation
Second major units
Take all units (24 points):
Availability Unit code Unit name unit requirements
S1 ENVT3306 Coastal Conservation and Management
Prerequisites:
SCIE2204 Marine Systems
S2 ENVT3307 Oceanography
Prerequisites:
SCIE2204 Marine Systems
S2 ENVT3363 Ecological Processes
Prerequisites:
one of ENVT2250 Ecology
or
ENVT2221 Global Climate Change and Biodiversity
or
SCIE2204 Marine Systems
S1 SCIE3304 Field Techniques in Marine Science
Prerequisites:
SCIE2204 Marine Systems
or
ENSC3012 Data Collection and Analysis
or
equivalent;
and
completion of at least 84 points

Choosing a second major

The flexible structure of an undergraduate course allows you the option of including a second major. You have the choice to either nominate your second major when you first enrol in the course or delay it until your second year. For a major to be recorded on your academic record it must be nominated before the requirements of the course are completed.

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 Marine Science can be included as a second major in an undergraduate degree course.

Coastal and Ocean Systems specialisation
Course Study Plan: CSPGeneric-DSMGeneric-MARSC-1
Marine Biology specialisation
Course Study Plan: CSPGeneric-DSMGeneric-MARSC-2

For more examples of combinations of majors, search the study plans .

Marine Science can also be taken as a degree-specific major.