Marine & Freshwater Biology

Marine and freshwater biology is the scientific study of life in aquatic environments, from the microscopic communities of river sediments and ocean surfaces to the complex ecosystems of coral reefs, deep sea floors, and freshwater lakes. It draws on ecology, evolutionary biology, physiology, oceanography, and taxonomy to ask how aquatic organisms live, how they interact with each other and with their physical environment, and how those environments are changing in response to human activity. As freshwater and marine ecosystems face mounting pressures from pollution, climate change, invasive species, and overexploitation, the scientific expertise to understand and respond to those changes has never been more important.

At Glasgow you will study this four-year full-time programme, developing your scientific knowledge and practical field skills across both marine and freshwater environments. Field courses on Loch Lomond and at the Field Studies Council centre at Millport in the Firth of Clyde are part of the programme, giving you direct experience of the environments you study. A year abroad is available within the degree, broadening your scientific perspective and your experience of different aquatic ecosystems.

Across the four years you will develop expertise in ecology, taxonomy, physiology, marine biology, limnology, and the research and analytical methods that underpin fieldwork and laboratory investigation in the biological sciences.

Graduates of marine and freshwater biology work in environmental consultancy, water management, fisheries management, marine protected area management, conservation organisations, and government agencies responsible for water and environmental regulation. Research roles in academic and government institutions are also accessible, and many graduates continue to postgraduate study in marine biology, freshwater ecology, conservation biology, oceanography, or environmental science. The combination of fieldwork experience and scientific rigour that this degree develops is highly valued by employers and postgraduate programmes alike.