Study Programme

Marine Sciences is a two-year English-taught Master’s programme that includes both lecture courses and research, awarding a total of 120 points in the European Credit Transfer System (ECTS). On this page you will find information concerning the curriculum, courses, educational methods, examinations and extracurricular opportunities.

Curriculum

The first year is devoted to course work, while the second year is primarily spent conducting independent research and/or a traineeship. The programme combines multidisciplinary courses with a wide range of elective courses in marine topics in the core disciplines of physics, chemistry, biology, and earth sciences.

Courses

In the courses you will study a wide range of subjects, i.e. from marine microbes, to geochemistry and ocean circulation, to past ocean reconstructions. You will examine the potential ecological consequences of major stressors of the marine environment, warming, acidification and anoxia in past, present and future oceans. Moreover, possible legal conflicts of issues such as energy and climate change, mining, pollution, the flow of traffic at sea, fisheries policies and coastal defences are treated. You will approach these complicated societal issues from various perspectives and study their interactions and relationships with physical, chemical, biological and geological processes. The courses, which focus on both knowledge and academic skills, will lead to a holistic vision on our changing seas and oceans.

Educational Methods

• Course work
• Field and laboratory research
• Independent research
• Internship/guided research

Examinations

• Final research papers
• Short papers or written exams
• In-class presentations
• Active participation and concluding reports
• Thesis