Marine Ecosystems MRes
Source: https://www.ncl.ac.uk/postgraduate/degrees/4857f/ Parent: https://www.ncl.ac.uk/postgraduate/degrees/
Postgraduate Study
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Overview
Explore the essential concepts and critical issues shaping our oceans with our Marine Ecosystems MRes. This research Master’s programme offers a comprehensive understanding of marine environmental research, which is crucial for a career in academia and industry.
Through a combination of taught and research modules, you’ll learn about:
- the roles of science, policy, technology, and economic development in the marine environment
- marine environmental issues, their origins, and possible solutions
- processes maintaining and altering coastal water structure, function and ecosystem services
- key concepts and methods in ecosystem, environmental management and conservation science
- the context, purpose and implementation of resource mapping and evaluation
Your research project will be in one of the areas covered by the marine science research groups:
- Marine Resources and Renewable Energy:
- antifouling and ballast water treatment
- bacterial bioactive products
- bioenergy
- Ecology
- Modelling, Evidence and Policy
This Marine Ecosystems MRes will help you develop the skills and competencies for a successful career in academia or industry. Gain the knowledge and tools to address contemporary challenges with professionalism and expertise.
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Important information
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Your course and study experience - disclaimers and terms and conditions
Please rest assured we make all reasonable efforts to provide you with the programmes, services and facilities described. However, it may be necessary to make changes due to significant disruption, for example in response to Covid-19.
View our Academic experience page, which gives information about your Newcastle University study experience for the academic year 2025-26.
See our terms and conditions and student complaints information, which gives details of circumstances that may lead to changes to programmes, modules or University services.
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Qualifications explained
Find out about the different qualification options for this course.
An MRes is available in various subject areas. This award combines taught modules, research training and a dissertation.
Find out about different types of postgraduate qualifications.
What you'll learn
Through our taught modules, you’ll gain a solid foundation in:
- marine ecosystem dynamics
- research methodologies
- environmental governance
Modules
You will study modules on this course. A module is a unit of a course with its own approved aims and outcomes and assessment methods.
The module information below is intended to provide an example of what you will study.
Our teaching is informed by research. Course content changes periodically to reflect developments in the discipline, the requirements of external bodies and partners, and student feedback.
Full details of the modules on offer will be published through the Programme Regulations and Specifications ahead of each academic year. This usually happens in May.
To find out more please see our terms and conditions.
Optional modules availability
Some courses have optional modules. Student demand for optional modules may affect availability.
Marine Ecosystems MRes modules
| Compulsory Modules | Credits |
|---|---|
| MRes Research Project | 120 |
| Quantitative Ecological Research Methods | 20 |
| Sustainability of Human and Natural Systems | 20 |
| Understanding Marine Ecosystems | 20 |
How you'll learn
Three taught modules worth 60 credits are delivered in week blocks during semester one. A research project worth 120 credits is undertaken across semesters 2 and 3.
Depending on your modules, you'll be assessed through a combination of:
- Essay
- Professional skills assessments
- Oral presentation
- Report
- Research proposal
- Research paper
Additional assessment information
You'll develop your research skills by designing and completing a supervised project.
Major sites for projects include the:
- Arctic
- Maldives
- Bahamas
- Northumberland coast (UK)
The project will help you develop knowledge in your chosen research topic by drawing on the research communities in the:
You can design your research project and produce a research proposal upon application.
Topics can be highly varied to suit your interests. However, there are a few project ideas to choose from below, developed by staff working on existing larger research projects:
- Dredging up the Past – Assessing Current Scallop Dredging Impacts in Northumberland & Tracking Recovery from Historic Fishing Effort (PDF: 267KB)
- Effects of Trawling and Potting on Benthic Communities – Indicator Species Detection and Biological Traits Analysis (PDF: 242KB)
There are opportunities to get involved in key papers. Previous students have often led academic papers and projects.
Our mission is to help you:
- stay healthy, positive and feeling well
- overcome any challenges you may face during your degree – academic or personal
- get the most out of your postgraduate research experience
- carry out admin and activities essential to progressing through your degree
- understand postgraduate research processes, standards and rules
We can offer you tailored wellbeing support, courses and activities.
You can also access a broad range of workshops covering:
- research and professional skills
- careers support
- wellbeing
- health and safety
- public engagement
- academic development
Our staff have over 30 years of research and teaching experience, both in the UK and overseas. Their expertise spans the natural and social sciences in coastal-marine science and management.
The Ecology Research Group was formed in 2017 and comprises:
- 21 academics
- 12 postdoctoral researchers
- a large cohort of postgraduate research students
We work across the spectrum, from fundamental ecological science to application and translation into management and policy. We are interdisciplinary, applied, and, in some cases, develop cutting-edge technology. This includes work in complexity science and environmental genomics. We collaborate with colleagues from across the University, nationally and internationally and our work has societal impacts.
This research group has had notable successes in their work on:
- coral reefs (Dr James Guest, Dr Theresa Rueger, Dr Chancey MacDonald)
- marine spatial mapping and systems planning (Professor Clare Fitzsimmons)
- marine protected areas and management (Dr Fabrice Stephenson)
- kelp forest ecology (Professor Pip Moore)
They are also active in:
- marine time series (Dr Heather Sugden)
- climate change ecology and marine heatwaves (Professor Pip Moore, Dr James Guest, Dr Heather Sugden)
- citizen science and co-creation (Dr Jane Delany, Dr Heather Sugden)
- deep sea ecology and polar ecology (Dr Ben Wigham, Dr William Reid)
Your future
Further study
This MSC supports a route into PhD-level study. You’ll develop the research skills needed for advanced study during your course.
Careers
You will have the opportunity to engage with professionals from research, science and industry during the course. Graduates from this course have undertaken various roles including:
- Eco System Analyst at Joint Nature Conservation Committee
- Grants Case Manager at Marine Management Organisation
- Managing Director at Celtic Deep
Industry links
We have strong industrial links with organisations central to the marine environmental and science research sector. We have strong links with:
- Northumberland Inshore Fishery and Conservation Authority
- Ministry of Marine Affairs and Fisheries, Indonesia
- Haribon Foundation, Philippines (a major non-governmental organisation)
- King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), Saudi Arabia
- Cape Eleuthera Institute, Bahamas
- Banyan Tree Global Foundation, Maldives
These partnerships provide you with the opportunity for exchanges and involvement.
Our Careers Service
Our expert Careers Service is here to help you take the next steps in your professional life. We will support you while you’re studying with us and for up to three years after you graduate.\ \ You will have access to expert one-to-one advice and guidance through our campus careers centre and online, along with digital resources, workshops, networking opportunities, and careers and recruitment events.\ \ We’ve been awarded 5 QS Stars for Student Employability (2025). Many of our degrees are shaped by strong links with national and international businesses. We are committed to helping you access real-world experience opportunities and develop key skills through paid work placements and internships.
Visit our Careers Service website
Quality and ranking
All professional accreditations are reviewed regularly by their professional body
Recognition of professional qualifications outside of the UK
If you’re studying an accredited degree and thinking about working in Europe after you graduate, the best place to find current information is the UK Government’s guidance on recognition of UK professional qualifications in EU member states. This official resource explains whether your profession is regulated in another country, what steps you need to take, and which organisation you should contact.
Facilities
Our outstanding Marine Science facilities include:
Dove Marine Laboratory. Onsite facilities include:
- deep water tanks, with a water depth of 3m
- main aquarium for large-scale experiments
- five experimental cabinets for smaller tank experiments
Blyth Marine Station and Research vessel, The Princess Royal. The catamaran has an operational area around the North-East coast of England. It houses a floating laboratory with activities like:
- oceanographic characterisation of river plumes
- remote camera surveys of offshore habitats
The on-campus Great North Museum with a wide range of important biological collections.
Fees, Funding and Scholarships
Tuition fees for 2026 entry (per year)
As a general principle, you should expect the tuition fee to increase in each subsequent academic year of your course, subject to government regulations on fee increases and in line with inflation.
EU, other EEA and Swiss nationals - tuition fee status
Depending on your residency history, if you’re a student from the EU, other EEA or a Swiss national, with settled or pre-settled status under the EU Settlement Scheme, you’ll normally pay the ‘Home’ tuition fee rate and may be eligible for Student Finance England support.
EU students without settled or pre-settled status will normally be charged fees at the ‘International’ rate and will not be eligible for Student Finance England support. You may be eligible for a scholarship worth 25% off the international fee. Search our funding database.
If you are unsure of your fee status, check out the latest guidance here.
Scholarships
We support our EU and international students by providing a generous range of Vice-Chancellor's automatic and merit-based scholarships. See our searchable postgraduate funding page for more information.
What you're paying for
Tuition fees include the costs of:
- matriculation
- registration
- tuition (or supervision)
- library access
- examination
- re-examination
- graduation
Find out more about:
If you are an international student or a student from the EU, EEA or Switzerland and you need a visa to study in the UK, you may have to pay a deposit.
You can check this in the How to apply section.
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Entry requirements
The entrance requirements below apply to 2026 entry.
Qualifications from outside the UK
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This policy applies to all undergraduate and postgraduate admissions at Newcastle University. It is intended to provide information about our admissions policies and procedures to applicants and potential applicants, to their advisors and family members, and to staff of the University.
University Admissions Policy and related policies and procedures
Credit transfer and Recognition of Prior Learning
Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) can allow you to convert existing relevant university-level knowledge, skills and experience into credits towards a qualification. Find out more about the RPL policy which may apply to this course
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Get in touch
Questions about this course?
If you have specific questions about this course you can contact:
Professor Pip Moore\ Professor of Marine Science
School of Natural and Environmental Sciences\ Telephone: +44 (0) 191 208 8888\ Email: snes.admissions@ncl.ac.uk \ ncl.ac.uk/nes
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