Marine Biology

Area	Sciences
Degree code	LM-6 Biology
Language	English
Access	Free – the adequacy of students’ knowledge will be tested
Venue	Ancona
Lectures	On site and online

Features and aims of the course

The course allows to increase the knowledge of the biology and ecology of marine organisms and habitats, their health status and changes occurring in the marine environment. The course aims to train experts in the management of marine environments and in the conservation of biodiversity and marine biological resources, developing skills related to the assessment, monitoring and recovery of marine species and habitats, including the application of “ecological restoration” protocols to recover degraded marine environments, aimed at enhancing the sector of Blue Growth.

The course allows students to acquire the most up-to-date methodologies to study marine biodiversity, to carry out sampling activities at sea, laboratory analyses and statistical data processing. Students will have the opportunity to gain experience through on-field activities (e.g., sampling activities in coastal waters, scientific scuba diving and educational trips in protected areas, also abroad), and therefore to acquire tools and advanced skills necessary to start the profession of Marine Biologist.

LEARNING OBJECTIVES

Marine Biology and Marine Ecology
Integrated course of Physical, chemical and biological oceanography
Marine genomics
Evolutionary biology of marine vertebrates
Marine conservation biology
Marine Protected Areas design and management
Integrated course of fields practices (Sampling and census of marine algae and seagrasses and
Sampling and census of marine animals)
Marine GIS and spatial planning
Fishery biology
Integrated course of Reproductive biology of marine vertebrates and aquaculture (commercial and ornamental)
Applied marine ecology
Marine ecotoxicology
Marine monitoring
Bioinformatica
Quantitative methods in marine science
Marine Policy and Governance
Transferable skills course: Science dissemination and communication
Scientific communication techniques (Video, TV and docufilm)
Marine ecosystem restoration: an introduction
Restoration of hard bottoms and tropical reefs: field work and practice
Restoration of seagrasses and algal forests: field work and practice

YOUR FUTURE CAREER OPPORTUNITIES

You will be able to work within:

National (e.g., Italian research institutes such as CNR, SZN, INOGS, ENEA, ISPRA) and international research institutes
International, National and regional bodies in charge of environmental management and protection (i.e., Ministry of environmentMinistry of in charge of fishery and aquaculture policies-, Regional offices, regional agency for environmental protection, such as the ARPA system in Italy) and marine protected areas
Fishery and acquaculture companies
Companies dealing with oil & gas and marine renewable energy
Companies managing environmental issues
Marine and maritime business
Professional and consulting enterprises dealing with environmental issues
Service companies dealing with the marine sector (including diving, underwater and environmental tour guides)
You will be also able to work as a freelancer or teach at secondary (junior-high and high) school

STRENGTHS OF THE COURSE

Laboratory and on-field activities are among the greatest strengths of the course: they are carried out within multidisciplinary laboratories and through activities at sea (also through scientific diving), with the support of research boats equipped for sampling or diving (ACTEA mobile laboratory and MYTILUS dinghy boat).
Students can attend diving courses for free and obtain the diving license. During the course, students will have the opportunity to carry out diving activities and to deepen their knowledge through educational trips in Italy and abroad (Italian MPAs or abroad).
Our course in Marine Biology is a very stimulating and highly scientific training environment, a truly international “laboratory” with foreign students coming from all around the world.

MASTER ERASMUS MUNDUS IMBRSea

The International Master of Science in Marine Biological Resources (IMBRSea) is a joint Master in the field of marine sciences organized by ten European universities, supported by the European Marine Biological Resource Center (EMBRC). IMBRSea is an Erasmus Mundus program which give students the opportunity to attend the best courses at leading European universities to respond to the rapidly growing sector of the blue bioeconomy and research on the sustainable use of marine resources.