MSc Marine Biology

including ISATEC

Welcome to the M.Sc. Marine Biology programme

The M.Sc. MarineBiology programme offers two study profiles: MarineBiology and International Studies in Aquatic Tropical Ecology (ISATEC). MarineBiology is strongly research-oriented. The graduates are trained to develop hypotheses-driven research concepts and to design appropriate experimental approaches in order to answer profound questions related to the large field of marine ecosystem and organism functioning and of potential impacts of local, regional and global environmental change. ISATEC has a more applied focus, addressing the sustainable use and conservation of tropical coastal ecosystems such as coral reefs and mangroves.

Teaching of the M.Sc. programme MarineBiology at the University of Bremen follows a unique concept. The University has very close ties and intense co-operations with several world-class marine research institutions located in the Federal State of Bremen. Most heads of departments and many principal investigators at the Alfred Wegener Institute for Polar and Marine Research (AWI), at the Leibniz Centre for Tropical Marine Research (ZMT), and at the Max Planck Institute for Marine Microbiology (MPI) are at the same time ordinary professors at the University of Bremen and contribute to teaching the M.Sc. programme MarineBiology. In addition, the university cooperates with the Thuenen Institute of Sea Fisheries and the Thuenen Institute of Fisheries Ecology, both located in Bremerhaven.

Many courses are actually taught in the laboratories and facilities of the institutes benefiting from cutting-edge research infrastructure and first-hand contact to leading experts. This unique context sets the scene for direct links from current state of research to academic training.

ISATEC is a member of the DAAD (German Academic Exchange Service) scholarship programme “Development-Related Postgraduate Courses”. If you are a citizen of a developing country, you may thus apply for a scholarship for the ISATEC profile through the DAAD.

  • 2-year full-time course with a high proportion of practical classes
  • Qualification as Master of Science (M.Sc.)
  • Maximum of 30 study places per year
  • Teaching in English language
  • Training in state-of-the-art methodologies by leading research teams
  • Specialisation according to personal interests with a wide choice of specialist courses
  • Advanced courses in different university departments and associated research institutions
  • Field trips, excursions or even the opportunity to participate in research expeditions
  • Flexibility to take courses at universities abroad

The University of Bremen and the associated research institutions offer a variety of opportunities to continue an academic career as Ph.D. candidate.

Employment opportunities for Marine Biologists exist worldwide at institutions committed to research and development, in the fishing and aquaculture industry as well as in the environmental conservation and management sector at governmental agencies or within NGOs and IGOs. Marine biologists also work at museums, zoological gardens, and aquaria. Additional employment opportunities for marine biologists include adjacent fields such as media (i.e. scientific journalism), eco-consulting, environmental impact assessments, and eco-tourism business. Marine biologists are also employed in the commercial and industrial sector, for instance for "Blue Biotechnology", coastal zone management and the sustainable use of marine resources.

Chairman of the Examination Board

Prof. Dr. Kai Bischof

BreMarE - Bremen Marine Ecology Center for Research & Education

More information

Study profile MarineBiology

PD Dr. Holger Auel
Marine Zoology (FB 2)
marbiolprotect me ?!uni-bremenprotect me ?!.de

Study profile ISATEC

Dr. Oliver Janssen-Weets
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