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
MRes research project
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.
Join us at Newcastle University and take the next step in your marine environmental research career.
READ LESS
Important information
We’ve highlighted important information about your course. Please take note of any deadlines.
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 2024-25.
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.
Qualifications explained
Find out about the different qualification options for this course.
MRes – Master of Research
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.
Course content changes
Module information 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 |
| Dynamics of Coupled Human-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:
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 (Professor John Bythell, Emeritus Professor Alasdair Edwards, Professor Nicholas Polunin)
- physical oceanography and climate modelling (Professor Andrew Willmott, Dr Miguel Morales Maqueda)
- marine spatial mapping and systems planning (Professor Clare Fitzsimmons)
- marine protected areas and management (Professor Nicholas Polunin)
- food webs (Professor Nicholas Polunin)
They are also active in:
- marine mammal monitoring (Professor Per Berggren)
- citizen science and outreach (Dr Jane Delaney)
- deep sea ecology and marine time series (Dr Ben Wigham)
Your future
There are exceptional opportunities if you see yourself in a marine environmental science research career. 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 award-winning Careers Service is one of the largest and best in the country, and we have strong links with employers. We provide an extensive range of opportunities to all students through our ncl+ initiative.
Quality and ranking
- 42% of our research is classified as 4* world-leading research – Research Excellence Framework 2021
- 65% increase in research power since 2014 – Research Excellence Framework 2021
- Global Top 130 University – QS World University Rankings 2025
- Global Top 170 University – Times Higher Education World University Rankings 2024
- Top 150 for Earth and Marine Sciences – QS World University Rankings by Subject 2024
- Top 25 in the UK and Top 100 in the world for sustainable development – Times Higher Education Impact Rankings 2024
- Top 90 for Life Sciences and Medicine – QS World University Rankings by Subject 2024
Professional accreditation and recognition
Institute of Marine Engineering, Science and Technology (IMarEST)
Our course is accredited by Institute of Marine Engineering, Science and Technology (IMarEST), the first Institute to bring together marine engineers, scientists and technologists into one international multi-disciplinary professional body.
Our accreditation gives you an additional benchmark of quality to your degree, making you more attractive to graduate employers.
All professional accreditations are reviewed regularly by their professional body
Recognition of professional qualifications outside of the UK
From 1 January 2021 there is an update to the way professional qualifications are recognised by countries outside of the UK
Facilities
The School of Natural and Environmental Sciences has an outstanding range of facilities to support our research and teaching, including:
- the Dove Marine Laboratory (Cullercoats)
- our versatile twin-hulled research vessel, The Princess Royal
- our shore station at Blyth
- dedicated computers and laboratories
Entry requirements
The entrance requirements below apply to 2025 entry.
Academic entry requirements
A 2:1 honours degree, or international equivalent in:
- biology
- zoology
- botany
- ecology
- marine science
- oceanography
- environmental science
- geography
- earth sciences
