BSc (Hons) Marine Science Bachelor's degree at the University of Exeter
BSc (Hons) Marine Science at University of Exeter. Rather than treating marine science as a purely classroom-based discipline, the course is built around direct engagement with the marine environment on your doorstep, giving you practical grounding alongside the academic theory.
About this course
Explore what Exeter graduates do | Career Zone | University of Exeter Section links Career Planning Reflect on yourself Explore your options Exploring Postgraduate Study Employment Sectors Explore what Exeter graduates do Anthropology Arab and Islamic Studies Archaeology Art History and Visual Culture Biosciences Class From the provider’s course page.
BSc (Hons) Marine Science is a Bachelor's degree (BSc (Hons)) at the University of Exeter, based in Penryn Campus. It runs 3 years, studied full-time.
For Engineering graduates from this provider, 90% were in work or further study 15 months after graduating, 95% in highly skilled roles, typical earnings around £33,000. (HESA Graduate Outcomes / LEO, via Discover Uni.)
For the typical curriculum, specialisations, career paths and graduate earnings for Engineering, see the sections below.
Course evidence score
The arithmetic mean of the official measures available for this course: NSS satisfaction, graduate activity and continuation.
Published threshold met NSS publication requires sufficient responses; small differences are not a rank. NSS mean of 7 published themes (Discover Uni snapshot 2026-06-21)
Moderate evidence Published sample: 50; avoid reading small differences as meaningful. Cohort 2022-23. Graduate Outcomes work or further study 90% (2022-23; Discover Uni snapshot 2026-06-21)
Published threshold met Discover Uni suppresses continuation data below its publication threshold. Cohort 2022-23. Continuation 100% (2022-23; Discover Uni snapshot 2026-06-21)
Curriculum & modules
Real modules published for this course, grouped only where the source gives a year, stage or level.
Year 1 11 modules
- Marine BiologyCompulsory30 credits
- Earth System ScienceCompulsory15 credits
- Introduction to Data ScienceCompulsory15 credits
- Atmospheric and Oceanic Systems, Their Interactions and ImportanceCompulsory15 credits
- Marine and Environmental Science Field CourseCompulsory15 credits
- Field Course: Environment and Sustainability on the Isles of ScillyCompulsory15 credits
- Global Issues in Environmental ScienceOptional15 credits
- Biodiversity and its ConservationOptional15 credits
- Earth and Environmental ChemistryOptional15 credits
- Quantitative Methods for GeoscientistsOptional15 credits
- A Legal Foundation for Environmental ProtectionOptional15 credits
Year 2 31 modules
- Remote Sensing for Environmental ManagementCompulsory15 credits
- Physical Ocean ProcessesCompulsory15 credits
- Research Design and MethodsCompulsory30 credits
- Research CruiseCompulsory15 credits
- Professional PlacementCompulsory120 credits
- One Year Study AbroadCompulsory120 credits
- Dissertation in Marine ScienceCompulsory45 credits
- Marine EcologyOptional30 credits
- Wildlife ExploitationOptional15 credits
- Geographical Information Science and SystemsOptional15 credits
- Green ConsultantsOptional15 credits
- BiogeographyOptional15 credits
- Ice Sheets: Glaciology, Climate and the OceansOptional15 credits
- Hazards and Human SocietyOptional15 credits
- Climate Change: The Physical Basis of the IPCCOptional15 credits
- Resilience, Justice and Environmental ChangeOptional15 credits
- Sedimentology and StratigraphyOptional30 credits
- Oceans and Human HealthOptional15 credits
- Python ProgrammingOptional15 credits
- Critical Elements of Environmental Humanities: Cultures of Earth and WaterOptional15 credits
- Environmental Regulation and RedressOptional15 credits
- Symbiosis in Marine SystemsOptional15 credits
- Ocean Management and ConservationOptional15 credits
- Marine Climate and Environmental ChangeOptional15 credits
- Biological OceanographyOptional15 credits
- Marine and Coastal Social-Ecological systemsOptional15 credits
- The Southern Ocean and Oceanic EddiesOptional15 credits
- Themes in Climate ChangeOptional15 credits
- Climate Change: Past and FutureOptional15 credits
- Marine Renewable EnergyOptional15 credits
- Law and Policy for Sustainable OrganisationsOptional15 credits
Source: provider course page. Modules can change; required/optional status, credits, descriptions and assessment are shown only when explicitly published.
Course in depth
What this course covers, who it suits and where it leads.
What you'll study
The course structure moves you through core theory in marine science before building towards research and methods training, so you develop the analytical and investigative skills needed to work with real marine data and systems. Applied practice runs alongside this, giving you the chance to put concepts into action rather than leaving everything at a theoretical level. As you progress, you take specialist options, allowing you to shape your studies towards particular areas of interest such as those found within the broader marine science field. The degree culminates in an independent project, where you take ownership of a piece of research from start to finish, and professional skills development runs throughout, preparing you for the practicalities of working life after graduation. Together these elements are designed to build both scientific understanding and the hands-on competence that marine science work demands.
Who it's for
This course suits someone who is genuinely curious about the sea and coastal environments, not just as a subject to study, but as a place they want to spend time in, whether that means being out on the water, walking estuaries, or examining samples in a lab. You'll likely enjoy a mix of fieldwork and analytical work, and be comfortable with the idea that a good deal of marine science involves patience: careful observation, data collection and methodical investigation rather than quick answers. If you're the sort of person who wants to understand how marine ecosystems function, and who doesn't mind getting outdoors in all weather to do so, the Penryn setting will feel like a natural fit. Most students accepted onto this course arrive with A-levels or equivalent qualifications, typically within the 112–127 UCAS tariff range, though this reflects the profile of recent entrants rather than a fixed requirement. Beyond the numbers, what matters most is a genuine interest in the marine world and a willingness to combine independent thinking with disciplined scientific method, particularly when it comes to the independent project you'll undertake in your final year.
Careers & job market
Nationally, Graduate Outcomes data shows that 90% of graduates across Engineering-related courses are in work or further study 15 months after graduating, with 80% of those in work described as being in highly skilled roles. These figures describe the national picture for graduates in this broad field rather than outcomes specific to this course or university, but they offer a useful benchmark for what graduates in this area tend to go on to do. National earnings data (LEO) indicates that graduates typically start on salaries between £29,000 and £35,000 fifteen months after graduating, with the range shifting to £26,775–£37,800 after three years and £33,150–£46,800 after five years. Again, these are national figures reflecting a spread of outcomes across the field, not a promise of what any individual graduate will earn. Marine science graduates go on to a variety of paths connected to environmental and marine work, drawing on the research, fieldwork and analytical skills built throughout the degree.
University & format
The University of Exeter is a public, research-intensive university and a member of the Russell Group, founded in 1955. It holds a Gold award in the Office for Students' TEF 2023 for teaching quality and was. This BSc (Hons) Marine Science course runs full-time over three years at the university's Penryn Campus in Cornwall. The university also offers bursaries and scholarships, details of which are available on its funding pages. Nationally, 88% of students on courses of this kind continue into their second year, either still enrolled or having completed their studies, giving a sense of typical progression patterns.
Student satisfaction
How students on this course answered the National Student Survey, by theme.
Share of students responding positively.
Published threshold met NSS publication requires sufficient responses; small differences are not a rank. NSS mean of 7 published themes (Discover Uni snapshot 2026-06-21)
Applicant information
The next application dates for this course, followed by facts the provider publishes.
- 2027 entryCompleted applications can be submitted
Your application needs a reference before you can send it.
- 2026 entryFinal date for 2026 applications
Applications must reach UCAS by 18:00 UK time.
- 2026 entryLast day to add a Clearing choice
Check that this course still has a vacancy before adding it.
- 2027 entryEqual-consideration deadline
18:00 UK time for most undergraduate courses.
Show 5 later dates
- 2027 entryUCAS Extra opens
Applicants who used all five choices and hold no offer may be able to add another choice.
- 2027 entryLast day applications go directly to providers
Applications received after 18:00 UK time are entered into Clearing.
- 2027 entryClearing opens
Eligible applicants can see vacancies and release themselves into Clearing.
- 2027 entryFinal date for 2027 applications
Applications must reach UCAS by 18:00 UK time.
- 2027 entryLast day to add a Clearing choice
Check that this course still has a vacancy before adding it.
The provider publishes contextual-offer information. Eligibility and any reduced offer are applicant-specific.
Professional placement year. Availability, selection and pay can vary.
See and book current events. Dates can fill or change.
Entry & how to get in
Who gets in
What recently admitted students actually held, official admissions data, not a stated requirement.
UCAS tariff of entrants
Grades are the A-level equivalent of each points band. Tap a band to check your own chances below.
Qualifications held on entry
| Qualification | Share |
|---|---|
| A-levels or equivalent | 90% |
| an Access course | 10% |
Entry & your chances
An honest read from the official entry data, plus your personal match.
Entry is set by the university and based on your offer. Use your predicted grades to see how you compare, then check the university's stated requirements.
Will you get in? Plot your grades
Pick your predicted A-levels and watch your UCAS points land on the real spread of students admitted to this course.
Each bar is the share of admitted students in that UCAS-points band (lower → higher). Grades show the A-level equivalent.
Based on the official admitted-student tariff distribution. Many universities make contextual (reduced-grade) offers, so a result below the range doesn’t rule you out.
How to apply
Undergraduate applications go through UCAS. Here’s what matters for this course, the right deadline, the grades to aim for, and the steps in order.
- 1Register on UCAS Hub
Create your UCAS application and add this course. One application covers up to five choices.
- 2Write your personal statement
A single statement covers all your choices, so keep it broad enough for similar courses while showing genuine interest in this subject.
- 3Submit by 13 January 2027, 18:00 UK time
UCAS equal-consideration deadline for most undergraduate courses. Source: UCAS 2027 dates.
- 4Reply to your offers
When decisions are in, pick a firm (first) choice and an insurance (back-up) choice with slightly lower grades.
- 5Results day & confirmation
On results day (mid-August) your place is confirmed if you meet the offer. Just missed? Talk to the university, or find a place through Clearing.
Fees & funding
What this course costs and how UK student finance covers it.
Tuition per year
Standard capped home fee at English providers (2026/27); Scotland, Wales & NI differ.
Check fees at University of Exeter →For students who normally live in England
2026/27 Student Finance England figures. Maintenance support is means-tested and this two-point view is not an entitlement calculator. The course total uses its published length and home fee where both are available; a missing full-time fee uses the clearly labelled England-cap scenario, while part-time fees and unknown lengths are never guessed. Use the official calculator. Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland use separate systems: SAAS, Student Finance Wales, and Student Finance NI.
Starting on or after 1 January 2027?
The Lifelong Learning Entitlement is a separate system. A new learner’s tuition entitlement is currently stated as £39,160 (about 480 credits at 2026/27 fee levels), subject to prior study and eligibility. Check the official LLE guide.
Paying for it
- Tuition Fee Loan: can cover eligible tuition up to the applicable limit and is paid straight to the provider.
- Maintenance Loan: up to £10,830/yr away from home outside London (England, 2026/27), means-tested on household income.
- Repayment: 9% of income above £25,000, nothing below it; written off after 40 years.
- Earn alongside: most students work part-time in term, part-time roles on the StudySmarter job board.
England figures shown; Scotland, Wales & NI run their own schemes, check gov.uk.
Scholarships & bursaries you could qualify for
That does not mean no funding exists. Check the university directory for current amounts, eligibility and application dates.
We only display a named award when its provider source identifies the award and who it is for.
Still deciding what to study?
StudyKit brings course choice, applications and funding together in one place, with a personal AI assistant. Find what really fits you and start your UCAS application step by step.
Careers & earnings
What Engineering graduates actually earn, from real outcome data, 15 months, 3 years and 5 years after graduating.
Graduate earnings: this course
| When | Median | Typical range | Graduates |
|---|---|---|---|
| 15 months after | £33,000 | £28,000 – £35,000 | 50 |
| 3 years after | £32,500 | £28,000 – £38,500 | 170 |
| 5 years after | £42,000 | £34,500 – £54,000 | 180 |
Nominal earnings for graduates of this course/subject at this provider. Moderate evidence. Published sample: 50; avoid reading small differences as meaningful. Cohort 2022-23.
Graduate outcomes, 15 months on: this course
- 1Graduate roleFirst role after the degree · 0–2 yrs
- 2Specialist / PractitionerWorking in engineering · 2–5 yrs
- 3Senior / LeadLeading work and people · 5–10 yrs
- 4Head of / ExpertSenior leadership or deep expertise · 10+ yrs
How pay grows: this course vs Engineering nationally
National figures for Engineering graduates, HESA Graduate Outcomes (15 months) and the Longitudinal Education Outcomes (LEO) dataset (3 & 5 years). These are national, not university-specific; actual pay varies by employer, region, role and experience. Different cohorts, so the bars are not one group over time.
Work out your pay
Headline figures hide a lot. Calculate realistic take-home pay for this field by role, region and experience, then check your CV before you apply.
What happened to 100 students?
Choose an outcome to translate the published percentage into a simple 100-person view. Each dot represents one percentage point, not an individual tracked student.
were in work or further study
15 months after graduation
Source: Discover Uni, using Graduate Outcomes and continuation data. Cohorts: 2022-23. Moderate evidence. Published sample: 50; avoid reading small differences as meaningful. Cohort 2022-23. Each tab is a separate published measure; categories can overlap and should not be added together.
Value compared with similar courses
How this course’s 5-year median earnings compare with Engineering courses at the same study level.
Compared with 2,256 courses with compatible official earnings data. This is a course-value comparison, not a quality ranking.
UK occupations graduates enter
Published graduate destinations, joined conservatively to UK SOC 2020, ONS pay and Skills England demand.
- Engineering professionalsSOC 2020 212 · 50% of published destinations · ASHE median £50,325
- Natural and social science professionalsSOC 2020 211 · 30% of published destinations · ASHE median £44,243
- Business, Research and Administrative ProfessionalsSOC 2020 243 · 25% of published destinations · ASHE median £48,746
- Conservation and environment professionalsSOC 2020 215 · 20% of published destinations · ASHE median £40,520
- Architects, Chartered Architectural Technologists, Planning Officers, Surveyors and Construction ProfessionalsSOC 2020 245 · 15% of published destinations · ASHE median £45,972
- Science, engineering and technology associate professionalsSOC 2020 31 · 10% of published destinations · ASHE median £34,828
Discover Uni JOBLIST/JOBTYPE; ONS ASHE 2025 provisional, all employee jobs; Skills England Occupations in Demand 2025. SOC is shown only for an exact normalised label match; demand is shown only at exact four-digit SOC. Published sample: 20; response rate: 55%. Pay describes the occupation across workers, not a guaranteed graduate salary.
Job market & outlook
How Engineering graduates fare in the labour market, and how AI is reshaping the work.
How AI is changing the work
AI doesn't replace the profession, it shifts it: routine tasks get automated, while judgement, working with people and using AI well become more valuable.
What AI takes off your plate
- Routine information gathering
- First-draft writing and summaries
- Standard analysis and admin
- Repetitive processing tasks
More human than ever
- Judgement and original thinking
- Working with and leading people
- Owning and sense-checking AI output
- Ethics and accountability
The strongest graduates pair subject depth with the ability to use AI tools critically.
Roles & employers
Where Engineering graduates typically go, indicative destinations from graduate career data. Each role links to live openings on the StudySmarter job board.
Roles graduates go into
Where they work
- Engineering & manufacturing firms
- Automotive & aerospace
- Energy & utilities
- Defence & consultancies
Jobs after this course
Current roles from the StudySmarter job board that suit Engineering graduates.
Engineering Surveyor (Machine Control)BAM UK & IrelandEngineering Operations Project ManagerFdo Consulting LimitedEngineering ManagerVerto PeopleEngineering ManagerRobert WaltersEngineering ManagerPremier Technical RecruitmentEngineering ManagerRedline Group LtdIs this course right for you?
The essentials UK applicants ask about: finance, outcomes, entry and quality.
Student finance
For comparison, the standard full-time England tuition cap is up to £9,790 per year in 2026/27; the actual fee varies by course and provider. If you normally live in England, eligible students can apply for a Tuition Fee Loan, plus a Maintenance Loan for living costs. Under Plan 5 you repay 9% of income above £25,000, nothing below that, and the balance is written off after 40 years.
Where graduates go
90% were in work or further study 15 months after graduating, with a median salary of £33,000. See the full breakdown in Careers & earnings above.
Your entry chances
Use the UCAS points calculator above to see how your predicted grades compare with admitted students, and whether a contextual offer could apply.
Official-data snapshot
Averaging the official measures published for it, this course scores 9.2 out of 10: NSS 86.3% · in work or study 90% · continued 100%.
Who studies here and in this subject?
Provider- and UK subject-level context.
The University of Exeter
Engineering and technology across the UK
HESA student record 2024/25. Counts are rounded.
Local crime-data context
A neutral snapshot around the published teaching location.
Around Penryn Campus
142 street-level reports returned within roughly one mile across 2026-04 to 2026-06.
Police.uk street-level API. Approximate locations, not confined to campus. England, Wales and Northern Ireland; not Scotland.
Is Engineering right for you?
Tick what applies to you and see how good a fit it is.
International students
What applying to University of Exeter from outside the UK involves: fees, English, visa, funding and living costs.
Tuition fees
International tuition is set per course by University of Exeter; international fees are typically £12,000–£30,000/year for classroom subjects and higher for lab/clinical ones. You’re not eligible for UK Tuition Fee or Maintenance Loans, so plan for fees plus living costs upfront.
English language
Most UK undergraduate courses ask for around IELTS 6.0–6.5 (no band below 5.5–6.0), or an accepted equivalent. If you’re just short, most universities run a pre-sessional English course that counts towards the requirement.
Student visa
You’ll usually need a Student visa (Student Route). After you accept an offer the university issues a CAS; you then show funds for fees plus about £1,023–£1,334/month living costs and pay the Immigration Health Surcharge for NHS access.
Scholarships & funding
Many universities offer international/global scholarships (often £2,000–£6,000/yr), check University of Exeter’s funding pages.
Living costs
Budget roughly £1,100–£1,400/month outside London and £1,400–£1,800/month in London for rent, food and travel; the figure also matters for your visa.
Working while you study
A Student visa usually allows up to 20 hours/week in term time and full-time in holidays, useful alongside study, though not something to rely on for fees.
Visa rules and fees change. Always confirm the current requirements with University of Exeter and gov.uk before you apply.
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Common questions
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What are the entry requirements?
What do graduates go on to do?
What will it cost me?
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