Bachelor of Marine Science and Master of Environmental Science

This is a four-year accelerated Combined Bachelor's and Master's (CBM) program. Over the first three years you will complete an extended major in Marine Science and a semester of postgraduate study. In the fourth year you will complete the final year of postgraduate study in the Master of Environmental Science, covering interdisciplinary content spanning physical and biological sciences through to policy and regulatory frameworks.

Yes. If you decide not to continue in the CBM after three years, you can exit with a Bachelor of Marine Science (Advanced). However, please note that the Advanced Bachelor Degree is available only as a CBM exit award — it is not offered for direct enrolment and is not awarded on completion of the full CBM.

The master's component provides knowledge and practical skills for the management of marine and coastal environments by covering interdisciplinary content spanning physical and biological sciences through to policy and regulatory frameworks. You will learn about threats and hazards facing coastal systems, the principles of conservation and management of nearshore resources including marine protected areas, and adaptation measures for coastal protection and sustainable aquaculture.

UWA has nationally unique facilities and resources used across its marine studies, and learning is richly embedded with internationally recognised research often led by global experts. Western Australia's coastline is a biodiversity hotspot with up to 80 per cent of marine life found nowhere else in the world. UWA is also ranked Top 100 in the world for Earth & Marine Sciences (QS 2026) and 3rd in Australia and 29th in the world for Oceanography (GRAS 2025).

You will 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, and interpret patterns and integrate knowledge of physical and biological processes to address real world problems. The course also involves lectures, laboratory exercises and field excursions across Western Australia and beyond.