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    KEY FACTS

    • Title
      FdSc Marine Studies
    • Course type
      Full-time
    • Duration
      3 years (no placement)
    • Award
      Foundation Degree in Science - FdSc
    • Faculty
      Faculty of Science and Technology
    • School
      School of Marine Science and Engineering
    • UCAS codes
      Institution P60
      Course J608
    • Location
      Plymouth
​Dry docking

​Ten reasons why you should study a marine course at Plymouth:

There are many factors which make the decision to study a marine course at Plymouth a great one: 
  • All courses are challenging, flexible and relevant to a range of future career paths.
  • Teaching staff are friendly, supportive and enthusiastic.
  • The courses contain plenty of hands-on experience and provide access to excellent equipment and facilities.
  • Plymouth's location makes it ideally situated for marine fieldwork.
  • Plymouth is the only university in the UK to have its own unique Diving and Marine Centre, offering a professional SCUBA diving qualification.
  • All courses have a vocational emphasis and reflect the dynamic, international nature of marine science, technology and industry.
  • Students benefit directly from links with many marine-related organisations in Plymouth and the surrounding area.
  • All courses help you to develop a range of skills which are transferable to many areas of work.
  • Student feedback confirms that teaching and the student experience in Plymouth are considered to be excellent.
  • The University, and the city of Plymouth, has recently undergone a great deal of exciting developments, e.g. Drake Circus - a new multimillion pound indoor shopping complex.

​Facilities

There are a wide range of facilities at Plymouth University for students on marine courses and of course one of our best assets is the sea itself!  Plymouth Sound is a beautiful natural harbour which provides the perfect platform for all kinds of watersports, as well as opportunities to gain a whole range of knowledge in marine science,
oceanography, navigation and many other important topics for a professional seafarer.
The University is very proud to have its very own Diving and Marine Centre on the waterfront, where a variety of boats and ribs are used to support diving, seamanship training and marine research activities. Our Moody 33 ‘Fair Tide’ is based there and marine studies students make regular use of this vessel to support what is learned in the classroom.

The main leisure watersports location is the Mount Batten Centre which is equipped with a range of sailing dinghies, as well as many other types of watercraft. There are hundreds of other privately owned yachts and powerboats in Plymouth and many students make connections with their owners and get opportunities to gain experience on the water.
Our main shore-based facility is our ship simulator – which is used extensively in our teaching. You can learn how to navigate any type of vessel from a small powerboat, right up to a supertanker or containership.
Cargo ship

​More information

To enter the Merchant Navy and obtain this valuable financial support you must be able to pass the ENG 1 seafarers medical examination and eyesight test to go to sea as a Deck Officer, so it is a good idea to take the test before starting the course.
 
Further details on this can be obtained from:
 
 
Merchant Navy Training Board: http://www.mntb.org.uk/
 
Maritime and Coastguard Agency (Accrediting Body): http://www.mcga.gov.uk/

​
Teaching and assessment

On a modern degree course you can expect to find many different approaches to teaching, it's not just a case of sitting there and taking notes!
 
Most modules include lectures, but you will also develop your learning through the following activities: 
  • Tutorials, seminars and groupwork
  • Problem-based learning and case studies
  • Debate and critiques
  • Oral and visual presentations
  • Project work and report writing
  • Fieldwork and practicals
  • Professional development planning.