Biological and life sciences · Environment and geography
Marine biology
BSc
Overview
Marine biology studies organisms that live in the sea, from plankton to marine mammals, and the habitats that support them. Fieldwork, sometimes including boats and residential courses, sits beside laboratory biology. It is not oceanography, which is more about the physics and chemistry of the ocean, although the two meet. Jobs are competitive and often need voluntary experience. Students who enjoy it like being outside and are realistic about the fact that the degree is science first, not a year of travel.
You want marine organisms and habitats as the main subject.
Oceanography, environmental science and general biology have different centres of gravity.
People who like fieldwork and organism biology.
What you will study
Universities do not teach the same modules. The lists below are a general shape, not a syllabus.
Year 1
- Marine organisms
- Ecology
- Practical skills
Later years
- Coastal and ocean systems
- Field courses
- Research project
Skills
Useful before you start
- Biology
- Comfort in the field
- Writing
Developed during the degree
- Survey methods
- Species identification
- Data analysis
Teaching and assessment
Teaching often includes Lectures, Laboratory practicals, Field courses.
Assessment often includes Exams, Field reports, Project.
Typical weekly commitment
Estimate. Field courses are intensive short periods, not every week.
Entry requirements
Indicative patterns from published UK admissions information. Not an offer. Actual requirements vary by course, university and year. Pearson Edexcel International A Level and Cambridge International A Level are not treated as the same qualification as GCE A level.
Indicative requirements by qualification
The A-level band is the catalogue reference. IB and American lines come from the named university guides under the table. They are not a conversion every university uses, and they are not an offer.
| Qualification | Indicative requirements |
|---|---|
| A Levels | BBC–ABB. Biology is widely required. Geography can support but rarely replaces biology. |
| IB Diploma | UCL publishes 34 points for ABB. The other end of this band is not in that table. A required A-level subject must be Higher Level in UCL's rule. Each Higher Level subject in that table is at least 5. UCL equates A* to 7, A to 6 and B to 5. This is one university's table. |
| American curriculum | That Manchester guide gives AP 5, 4, 4 for ABB. The other end of this band is not in the guide. Bristol publishes a GPA of 3.2, or 3.4 for competitive courses, and does not use one AP pattern for every degree. |
- University College London: Undergraduate entry requirements. Retrieved 2026-10-14. Not a universal rule.
- University of Manchester, School of Social Sciences: Americas country guide. Retrieved 2026-10-14. Not a universal rule.
- University of Manchester, Civil Engineering: USA country entry requirements. Retrieved 2026-10-14. Not a universal rule.
- University of Bristol: USA international qualifications. Retrieved 2026-10-14. Not a universal rule.
A-level subjects
Biology is widely required. Geography can support but rarely replaces biology.
Often recommended: Geography, Chemistry.
Useful preparation: Environmental Science.
GCSE and IGCSE
English and mathematics at GCSE or IGCSE are commonly requested. Science grades matter more for science degrees. No single national grade is stored. International GCSEs are not automatically accepted as GCSEs.
Indicative UK pattern only. Highly selective universities can ask for higher grades in the sciences than the typical band. Not an offer.
Other ways in
- A general biology degree with marine modules is an alternative, not an identical course.
Admissions tests and extra requirements
No admissions test is stored as usual for this course. A university can still set one for a particular year.
Course costs
For many standard full-time courses in England, the home-fee maximum in 2026 to 2027 is Up to £9,790. This is the maximum standard full-time fee published for approved English providers with a TEF award and an access and participation plan. It is not the fee a named university charges, and it does not decide whether you pay home or international fees.
Clinical, laboratory and studio courses are not given a different home-fee figure here, because the regulated maximum is not the same thing as an international or clinical fee.
International tuition is set by each university and is not stored here. Clinical courses are often much higher than classroom-based courses. A school in Qatar does not decide home-fee status.
Source: Changes to tuition fees: 2026 to 2027 academic year. Retrieved 2026-10-14. Living costs, field trips and professional fees are not included.
Where you could study
UK degrees in this subject are numerous. This page does not list every university, because a list without a checked entry requirement would look more certain than it is.
No individual UK course page is stored yet for this subject. Use the university site.
No overseas course has been checked for this subject yet.
Where could this degree take you?
Biologist
Common route
A specialist route. Experience alongside the degree matters for jobs.
Oceanographer
Alternative route
Relevant if the course includes physical or chemical ocean work. Oceanography degrees are closer for that title.
Ecologist
Alternative route
Marine ecology can transfer. Terrestrial ecology jobs may expect different field experience.
Explore your pathway
A course sits between school subjects and a career. It does not guarantee either admission or a job.