Program Overview

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Course Overview

Marine biology is the study of marine organisms, their behaviours and interactions with the environment. If you’re fascinated by our amazing marine life and the coastal environments in which they live, then this major is for you. Western Australia's marine environment is a biodiversity hotspot with up to 80 per cent of fish, invertebrates and other organisms found nowhere else in the world, making WA an ideal living laboratory for your studies.

Course Structure

Our undergraduate degrees offer you a broad range of options allowing you to combine subjects in a way that matches your career goals and personal interests.

Level 1

• Core: Take all units (24 points):
  • BIOL1130 Frontiers in Biology (6)
  • BIOL1131 Plant and Animal Biology (6)
  • EART1105 Dynamic Planet (6)
  • SCIE1104 Science, Society and Data Analysis (6)
• Bridging: Bridging units must be successfully completed within the first 48 points of study.
  • CHEM1003 Introductory Chemistry (6)
  • MATH1720 Mathematics Fundamentals (6)
  • MATH1721 Mathematics Foundations: Methods (6)
  • SCIE1500 Analytical Methods for Scientists (6)

Level 2

• Core: Take all units (24 points):
  • BIOL2204 Marine Biology (6)
  • ENVT2221 Global Climate Change and Biodiversity (6)
  • ENVT2250 Ecology (6)
  • SCIE2204 Marine Systems (6)

Level 3

• Core: Take all units (24 points):
  • BIOL3305 Fisheries Science: Foundation and Application (6)
  • ENVT3306 Coastal Conservation and Management (6)
  • ENVT3307 Oceanography (6)
  • SCIE3304 Field Techniques in Marine Science (6)

Admission Requirements

The University of Western Australia welcomes applications from international and domestic school-leavers.

Minimum Entry Requirements

Below you’ll find a list of admission equivalencies for this course's Australian Tertiary Admissions Rank (ATAR).

• All India Senior School Certificate (CBSE): 9
• Canadian High School (except Quebec): 68
• French Baccalaureate: 10
• Gao Kao (PR China NCEE)/750: 507
• GCE A-Levels: 8
• German Abitur: 3.6
• Hong Kong Diploma of Secondary Education: 14
• Indian Senior School Certificate (CISCE): 45
• Indonesian Sekolah Menengah Atas (SMA) - Pass of 65: 75.5
• International Baccalaureate Diploma (IB): 24
• Malaysian STPM: 10
• Monash University Foundation Year: 254
• NCUK Foundation Program: 8
• Norwegian Vitnemål: 3.5
• Singapore - Cambridge A Levels: 6.5
• South African National Senior Certificate: 4
• South Korean College Scholastic Ability Test (CSAT): 324
• Sweden Slutbetyg: 14.5
• Trinity College Foundation: 280
• Unified Examination Certificate (UEC): 14
• University of Western Australia College (UWAC) Foundation Program: 61
• US College Board Advanced Placements: 7
• US College Board SAT: 1130
• Western Australian Universities' Foundation Program (WAUFP): 56
• Western Australian Certificate of Education (WACE) 2016 onwards: 75

Mathematics Requirement

This major requires a certain level of Chemistry and Mathematics. If you do not meet this level, you can take additional Chemistry and/or Mathematics units in your first year to satisfy this requirement.

• WACE prerequisite: Mathematics Methods ATAR and Chemistry ATAR

English Competency

English is the language of instruction and assessment at UWA and you will need to meet the English language requirements of the University to be eligible for a place.

• Minimum overall IELTS score of 6.5, with no band less than 6.0.

Fees and Scholarships

Domestic Student Fees

For Commonwealth-supported places, student contribution amounts are charged by unit, based on area of study. For a fee estimate, go to the Fee Calculator and select “I want to price my units”. Fees are subject to annual indexation.

International Student Fees

Annual course fee: $49,200.00 (2025)

Scholarships

Scholarships are available to students from a diverse range of backgrounds, including academic achievement, financial need, educational disadvantage, leadership and community service, artistic or sporting achievements, and being from a rural or remote area.

Careers and Further Study

This course opens up a world of future study pathways and career opportunities.

Career Pathways

You might pursue career opportunities in the following industries:

• Marine environmental consulting
• Government agencies that manage fisheries, marine conservation, or lead marine research projects
• Resource industry
• Marine industry
• Marine renewables
• Aquaculture
• NGOs
• Academia

Further Study

You might consider further studies in:

• Master of Biological Science
• Bachelor of Science (Honours) - Marine Science

Research

Rare Pictures Uncover Diverse Marine Life at Ningaloo Reef

Researchers at The University of Western Australia have collected rare imagery revealing rich marine biodiversity at Ningaloo Reef, after deploying baited underwater cameras to analyse various fish species.

Centres and Institutes

Indian Ocean Marine Research Centre

Purpose-built collaborative facility for marine science and ocean engineering research.

UWA Oceans Institute

The UWA Oceans Institute brings together the University’s multidisciplinary research strengths across areas including oceanography, ecology, engineering, resource management and governance to address key ocean challenges.