Marine Geography

Marine geography occupies the space where physical geography, oceanography, marine biology and environmental science converge. It is concerned with the oceans as physical environments, studying currents, tides, coastal processes and the dynamics of the seafloor, but it is equally concerned with the ways in which human societies interact with the sea, including fisheries management, coastal planning, marine conservation and the governance of international waters. The oceans cover more than two thirds of the Earth's surface and regulate its climate, and yet they remain among the least understood and most threatened environments on the planet.

At Cardiff University you will study the physical processes that shape marine environments alongside the human and political dimensions of ocean use and governance. You will develop skills in fieldwork, geospatial analysis, remote sensing and data interpretation, and you will engage with environmental and sustainability debates that have direct policy implications. Cardiff's location gives you access to the Bristol Channel and the broader coastal geography of Wales, providing real fieldwork contexts that complement classroom and laboratory learning.

The programme encourages you to think across disciplinary boundaries, connecting physical processes to ecological and social outcomes.

Graduates from marine geography programmes go on to work in environmental consultancy, coastal and marine management, government agencies, conservation organisations, research institutes and international environmental bodies. The combination of technical spatial skills and policy awareness makes graduates particularly valuable in contexts where scientific knowledge needs to translate into practical decisions. Many continue to postgraduate study in marine science, environmental management, oceanography or physical geography.

As pressure on the world's oceans increases, the expertise this degree develops will become only more important.