Program Overview

---

Bachelor of Marine Science and Master of Marine Biology

Gain specialised knowledge of marine life and a solid understanding of the physical processes across our coastal marine environments.

Course Details

• Duration: 4 years full-time or equivalent
• Delivery: On-campus
• Level of study: Undergraduate + Postgraduate
• Course Code: CM010
• CRICOS code: H
• Attendance: Full-time, Part-time

Careers and Further Study

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

Career Pathways

Graduates can find a range of employment opportunities in areas such as:

• Marine environmental consulting
• State and local governments who manage coastal planning and infrastructure
• Government agencies that manage fisheries (e.g., DPRID), marine conservation (e.g., DBCA) or lead marine research projects (e.g., CSIRO, AIMS, Geoscience Australia)
• Resource industry
• Marine industry
• Marine Renewables
• Aquaculture
• NGOs
• Academia

Fees and Scholarships

Learn more about the fees that apply to you for this course.

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: $49,900.00 (2025)

Onshore international students are charged an annual course fee, charged per credit point at a rate dependent on the course in which the student is enrolled. Annual course fees are calculated based on an annual study load.

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.

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): 16
• Canadian High School (except Quebec): 80
• French Baccalaureate: 13.5
• Gao Kao (PR China NCEE)/750: 570
• GCE A-Levels: 12
• German Abitur: 2.6
• Hong Kong Diploma of Secondary Education: 17.5
• Indian Senior School Certificate (CISCE): 79
• Indonesian Sekolah Menengah Atas (SMA) - Pass of 65: 86
• International Baccalaureate Diploma (IB): 30
• Malaysian STPM: 15
• Monash University Foundation Year: 308
• NCUK Foundation Program: 12
• Norwegian Vitnemål: 4.6
• Singapore - Cambridge A Levels: 12
• South African National Senior Certificate: 5.8
• South Korean College Scholastic Ability Test (CSAT): 344
• Sweden Slutbetyg: 16.5
• Trinity College Foundation: 338
• Unified Examination Certificate (UEC): 8
• University of Western Australia College (UWAC) Foundation Program: 74
• US College Board Advanced Placements: 12
• US College Board SAT: 1270
• Western Australian Universities' Foundation Program (WAUFP): 70
• Western Australian Certificate of Education (WACE) 2016 onwards: 90

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.

Prerequisites

This major requires:

• Mathematics Methods ATAR; OR
• Mathematics Applications ATAR with a mathematics unit taken in the first year; OR
• Students without ATAR mathematics to take two mathematics units in their first year.
• Chemistry ATAR or an additional chemistry unit taken in the first year.

How to Apply

The application process to this course is different for the assured and graduate entry pathways, and for international and domestic applicants.

Domestic Pathways

• Domestic Assured Pathway/School Leaver Entry: Applications are lodged via TISC. Refer to TISC Online for current course codes and application deadlines.
• Domestic Graduate Entry: Applications are lodged via GEMSAS, which open and close in accordance with the GEMSAS timeline. All domestic applicants must submit a valid GAMSAT score by the application closing date.

International Pathways

• International Assured Pathway/School Leaver Entry: Applications are lodged via UWA's online application system or via an authorised international education agent.
• International Graduate Entry: Applications are lodged via UWA's online application system or via an authorised international education agent.

Course Structure

In your first three years, you will complete the Marine Science (extended major) and a semester of postgraduate study. You will then complete your selected specialisation in the Master of Marine Biology.

Why Study This Course?

We have nationally unique facilities and resources that are used across our marine studies.

Learning is richly embedded with internationally recognised research, often led by UWA’s global experts, encouraging research-based inquiry through cutting edge science.

Western Australia’s unique marine environment has led UWA to identify the understanding our oceans and marine environment as one of its grand challenges, and our extended major provides students with the knowledge required to develop solutions to the threats facing our marine and coastal environments.

You'll Learn to

• Use a range of contemporary techniques and instrumentation to collect data in the field and in the laboratory
• Analyse, synthesise and interpret data that varies in space and time
• Interpret patterns and integrate knowledge of physical and biological processes to address real world problems

Fieldwork in Science

Find out more about our amazing field trips in the Natural and Physical Sciences interest area that'll take you all around Western Australia and beyond.

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.

Indian Ocean Marine Research Centre

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