Course details

Summary

Marine Science is an interdisciplinary/multi-disciplinary Endeavour encompassing the physical, biological and some social and economic dimensions of the marine environment.

New Zealand occupies a strategic position in the Southwest Pacific, with a large Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) of about 4 million km² and the potential for an even larger Legal Continental Shelf (LCS). A major challenge facing New Zealand in the 21st century is to continue to advance the science and policy base necessary to provide for development and sustainable management of this vast marine realm. New Zealand has an internationally recognized tradition of marine research and training, and there will clearly be an ongoing need for well-trained marine scientists in a range of disciplines within New Zealand.

Centered at the Institute of Marine Science (IMS), Marine Science is a Faculty wide programme involving many of the other science disciplines.

Career opportunities

The number of jobs in Marine Science is increasing steadily due to economic, social and legislative factors. Marine Science graduates find employment in a wide range of areas.

• Research organizations - Crown Research Institutes such as NIWA and the Institute of Geological and Nuclear Sciences
• Universities - University of Auckland graduates are prominent as staff members at a number of New Zealand and Australian universities, including Otago, Waikato, AUT, James Cook University, University of Tasmania
• Private Sector - for example fisheries and aquaculture: Sanford’s, Biomarine; Environmental Consultants: Kingett Mitchell, Woodward-Clyde; Education: Wild South Television etc
• Public Sector - local territorial authorities, city and regional councils, MAF fisheries, Ministry for the Environment, Department of Conservation

Further study options

• Bachelor of Science (Honours)
• Graduate Diploma in Science (GradDipSci)
• Postgraduate Diploma in Science (PGDipSci)
• Master of Science (MSc)
• Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

Structure

Marine Science is designed to be taken in conjunction with another science subject major. Other subject choices could include Biological Sciences, Chemistry, Computer Science, Earth Sciences, Geography, Mathematics, Physics, or Statistics.

All majors must include:

30 points from MARINE 202, MARINE 302

15 points from STATS 201, BIOSCI 209 or GEOG 250

45 further points from approved Stage III BSc courses

Entry criteria

Secondary school qualifications

You need to have one of the following: International Baccalaureate Diploma with a minimum total score of 24. General Certificate of Education (GCE) Advanced Level. You must have completed a minimum of three A-Level subjects with at least a 'C' grade or higher. General Studies or similar general papers cannot be included.

GCE ‘A’ Level requirements apply to ‘A’ Level qualifications examined by bodies such as AQA, OCR, Edexcel, WJEC, CCEA, Pearson Education Limited and CIE taken outside of New Zealand.

English language requirements:

IELTS 6.0; TOEFL (iBT) 80; TOEFL (paper-based) 550; CAE or CPE 169; PTE 50; MELAB 80.