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Studies & Degrees in Marine Biology

Marine biology is the study of life in the sea. Marine biologists study fish and other wildlife that inhabit the oceans, as the US Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) puts it, and the subject reaches from bacteria and plankton to seaweeds, invertebrates, seabirds and whales. Aquatic environments cover about 71% of the Earth's surface, so the field is also central to questions about climate, food from the sea and conservation.

A degree starts with general biology, chemistry and statistics and then moves to the sea itself: marine ecology, oceanography, the diversity of marine organisms, physiology, fisheries and aquaculture, and conservation. Newcastle University describes its course as the biology of marine life from microbes through to whales, with climate change and marine conservation. Fieldwork is what sets the subject apart. Students work on the shore, in aquaria and on research vessels, and learn to collect and analyse data. Most programmes end with an independent research project.

Qualifications and levels

  • Bachelor's degree. In the United Kingdom, a BSc in marine biology takes 3 years in England (Newcastle University) and four in Scotland (the University of Stirling lists its Marine and Freshwater Biology degree at 48 months). In the United States it is a bachelor's degree; Florida International University requires a minimum of 120 credits for its BS in Marine Biology.
  • Spain. Spanish universities do not usually offer a bachelor's degree (grado) called marine biology. The routes are a grado in Biología or a grado in Ciencias del Mar, both with 240 ECTS credits. The Universidad de Cádiz, for example, offers a Grado en Ciencias del Mar with three specialisations: oceanography, living resources (fisheries and aquaculture) and coastal management. Specialisation comes at master's level.
  • Master's degree. The Máster Universitario en Biología Marina is an official inter-university master's degree of the universities of Vigo, Santiago de Compostela and A Coruña. It has 90 ECTS credits, lasts two academic years and is taught in Spanish and Galician; graduates in Biología and Ciencias del Mar have first preference for admission, according to the Universidade de Santiago de Compostela.
  • Doctorate. A PhD is the route into research. The BLS notes that zoologists and wildlife biologists typically need a PhD to lead research projects.
  • Short courses and field stations. Marine stations run summer courses, internships and semester programmes for visiting university students, usually for credit at the home university.

Where to study it

SpainExchange lists 27 active schools for marine biology. Fourteen are in the United States and three in the United Kingdom; Spain, Australia and Chile have two each, and Sweden, Bermuda, Mexico and Ecuador one each.

Location matters more than in most subjects, because access to the sea shapes the teaching. Many schools on the list are on or near a coast. In the United States these include the University of North Carolina Wilmington, Florida International University in Miami, which describes its position at the crossroads of Biscayne Bay, the Everglades and the Florida Keys, the University of California Santa Barbara and Alaska Pacific University. In the United Kingdom, Newcastle University teaches at its Dove Marine Laboratory on the coast, and the University of Stirling offers a marine mammal field course at Millport. The ASU Bermuda Institute of Ocean Sciences (BIOS) is a research and education station on the edge of the Sargasso Sea.

For students who want to study in Spanish, the list includes the Universidade de Santiago de Compostela and the Universitat de Barcelona in Spain, the Universidad de Concepción and the Universidad Austral de Chile in Chile, the Universidad de Guadalajara in Mexico and the Escuela Superior Politécnica del Litoral in Guayaquil, Ecuador. Teaching in the United States, the United Kingdom and Australia is in English.

Careers

Marine biologists work in research institutes and universities, government fisheries and environment agencies, environmental consultancies, aquaculture companies, aquaria and conservation organisations. Research posts are competitive and usually need a postgraduate degree. Scientific societies such as the Marine Biological Association in the United Kingdom, active since 1884, are a useful source of information on careers and student opportunities.

The BLS does not publish separate figures for marine biologists; it counts them among zoologists and wildlife biologists. That group held about 19,500 jobs in the United States in 2025, 66% of them in government, and employment is projected to grow 4 percent from 2025 to 2035, about as fast as the average for all occupations. Entry-level positions typically need a bachelor's degree, and higher-level jobs may need a master's degree.

Frequently asked questions

Is marine biology the same as oceanography or marine science?

No. Marine biology deals with living organisms. Oceanography and marine science (Ciencias del Mar in Spain) also cover the physics, chemistry and geology of the ocean, with biology as one part.

Can I study marine biology in Spain?

Yes, usually in two steps: a grado in Biología or Ciencias del Mar, followed by a master's degree such as the 90-credit Máster Universitario en Biología Marina taught by the three Galician universities.

Do I need a PhD to work as a marine biologist?

Not for every job. According to the BLS, a bachelor's degree is the typical requirement for entry-level positions, a master's degree may be needed for higher-level jobs and a PhD is typically needed to lead research projects.