The City of Plymouth as an international centre for marine science research
Marine biology staff are members of the Marine Biology & Ecology Research Centre. Besides the University, Plymouth is home to other internationally renowned establishments, which make up the Plymouth Marine Sciences Partnership — the Marine Biological Association of the UK, Plymouth Marine Laboratory, Sir Alister Hardy Foundation for Ocean Science, the National Marine Aquarium, and the Diving Diseases Research Centre.
We collaborate in many research projects with these organisations and, as a student, you will have opportunities to benefit from the great intellectual environment this provides through numerous talks, events and activities. Many of our students gain valuable experience whilst working or volunteering, or conducting research for their final year dissertations in association with these organisations.
The South West - a superb natural environment for fieldwork
The shores and clear coastal waters of Devon and Cornwall provide an unrivalled resource for marine biologists. A diverse range of rich coastal habitats - estuaries, sandy beaches, and rocky shores - are readily accessible for field trips and your own projects.
A recent World Wildlife Fund report highlights the South Devon coast as the area of highest marine biodiversity in the whole of the UK. We have rich rocky shores right on the waterfront of the city – five minutes from the campus and a range of coastal sites with varied ecology just a short drive from the city. Our field work programme is constantly praised by External Examiners who have commented that “few other universities offering degrees in marine biology have such good facilities.”