Qualification -Certificate in Marine Studies

 MARINE STUDIES ONLINE STUDY COURSE

MARINE BIOLOGY AND MANAGEMENT COURSE -Study and Learn at Home

• 600 hour course
• foundation studies for people working or wishing to work in Marine conservation, tourism or research
  

How do I get a job in Marine Science?

These jobs are highly sought after and difficult to obtain. To gain employment you must actively market your skills and present yourself well to prospective employers.

Employers generally seek potential employees who already have substantial existing knowledge and skills - as it requires time and a large financial commitment to train new employees. If you already have these skills it will increase your competitive position in the job market.

If you are seeking to work in these industries, we often find people who a certificate like this, together with an Open Water Divers Licence and Boat Licence improve their chances of employment.  This course provides with knowledge and practical skills to people working or wishing to work in marine biology, marine environmental management and those wishing to understand more about this fascinating subject. This is a foundation entry level course to develop skills that would be valued for working in the field of marine research and management .

Modules

Note that each module in the Qualification -Certificate in Marine Studies is a short course in its own right, and may be studied separately.

What's covered by the Core Modules?

MARINE STUDIES I

This course has 9 lessons as follows:

1. Marine Ecology Systems
   Ecology; Marine Weather (including El Nino, Thermocline, Gulf streams, etc), Continental shelf, Nutrient cycle, Red tide, Plankton, Marine Plants (including Mangroves, Shallow & Deep water algae, etc)
2. Shallow Waters & Reefs
   Coral Reefs, Rocky Shorelines, Estuaries, Introduction to marine arthropods
3. Shellfish & Crustaceans
   Molluscs and Brachiopods. True Crabs, Hermit Crabs, Lobsters, Prawns etc
4. Squid, Octopus, and Other Primitive Animals
   (Cephalopods and Clupeoids, etc)
5. Fish Part A
   (Cartilaginous Fish) Sharks, Eels, Rays; Shark Lifecycle, How dangerous are sharks? Effect of sharks on tourism, etc.
6. Fish Part B
   (Bony Fish) Fish Anatomy/structure (identifying external & internal parts); legalities (protection of wildlife), types of fish, etc
7. Marine Mammals
   (Dolphins, Whales, etc) Types of marine mammals, protection and politics, position of these animals in the food chain, products derived from marine mammals & substitutes for those products.
8. Turtles, Sea Snakes and Seabirds
   Types of turtles & sea snakes; toxicity of sea snakes; turtle protection, penguins and other sea birds (eg stints, knots, pelicans, swans, gulls, eagles, ibis, egrets, terns, shearwaters, gannets, albatross, prions, oyster-catchers and petrels).
9. Human Impact on Marine Environments & Fishing
   Human impact on marine environments; commercial vs recreational fishing, significance of certain mesopelagic fish, techniques for managing stocks of fish & other marine life.

MARINE STUDIES II

There are 10 lessons as follows:

1. Introduction and Simple Organisms (Protists, Sponges etc)

2. Marine Plants

3. Cnidarians and Worms:   Anemones,  Jellyfish, Crustaceans, Flatworms

4. Arthropods

5. Molluscs

6. Echinoderms: Starfish, Sea Urchins, Sea Cucumbers

7. Non-Bony Fishes: Lampreys, Hagfishes, Sharks, Rays

8. Bony Fishes I

9. Bony Fishes II

10. Marine Mammals

EARTH SCIENCE

There are 9 lessons as follows:

1. Structure and Forces including plate tectonics and volcanoes

    

2. Rocks and Minerals - this lesson also looks at the formation and features of rocks and minerals

    

3. Surface Changes - erosion, weathering and surface waters

    

4. The Oceans - this lesson covers examines waves, seawater, tides and the corriolis effect

    

5. Air and Weather - the structure of the atmosphere, seasons,solar radiation and meteorology

    

6. The Greenhouse Effect - also including the ozone layer and atmospheric pollutants

    

7. Global Weather Patterns - looks at climate and climate classification

    

8. Geological Time - relative dating, radiocarbon dating, fossils and more

    

9. Modern Environmental Issues

Job Opportunities

Marine based industries are significant in coastal areas all around the world.

More people will work in Marine Tourism, Fishing, Boating and Diving than in Marine Research or Conservation

Graduates can find work opportunities arising in a very wide range of areas, including Marine Biology and Conservation Management.  To get the job you want though; sometimes you need to take work you might not want at first, to simply get a start in the industry. This is in fact the same in any industry!

There is high competition for jobs as marine scientists, however if a Marine Biologist has varied experience and qualifications it will increase their opportunity of finding a job as they can apply for a wider range.  Possible occupations include:

• Field Researcher
• Aquarium Assistant
• Ecotourism Expert Guide
• Marine Park Manager
• Lecturer/Tutor
• Marine Planner
• Environmental Consultant

Where Could you Work