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 A farmer tills a field with his tractor

Minor

Coastal and Ocean Science

Bachelors of Science / Arts

Examine the intricate relationship between climate, coastal systems and marine environments to solve complex challenges facing our oceans.

Dive into the scientific study of coastal processes, oceanography, ecology, marine geology and marine conservation.

Develop laboratory skills, analyse big data, and use remote sensing spatial data from satellites and drones.

You’ll learn to apply a wide range of evidence-based environmental and conservation strategies to protect vital coastal habitats and marine ecosystems across the globe.

Guided by Australia’s leading marine researchers, you’ll gain extensive fieldwork experience at UQ’s Heron Island Research Station on the southern Great Barrier Reef and UQ’s Moreton Bay Research Station on Minjerribah (North Stradbroke Island).

Enhance your employability by studying a complementary field, including ecology and conversation biology, earth science, genetics, microbiology, science communication, zoology or computational science.

Highlights

1 in Australia for environmental sciences

QS World University Rankings 2025

15 in the world for environmental sciences

QS World University Rankings 2025

Career possibilities

Our programs prepare you for your first job and beyond. Here are some of the careers you could be on your way to:

  • Marine environmental consultant
  • Fisheries research scientist
  • Marine biologist
  • Marine research officer
  • Marine ecosystems researcher
  • Conservation officer
  • Sustainability adviser
  • Conservation researcher
  • Environment adviser
  • Fisheries officer

Average annual salary range

Environmental Scientist

$80K–$100K

seek.com.au

Average annual salary range

Sustainability Officer

$110–$130K

seek.com.au

Next steps after graduation

In Australia, marine-based industries are worth more than $68 billion annually (AIMS Index of Marine Industry, 2023).

Demand for highly skilled coastal and marine scientists is on the rise. You’ll find opportunities in various fields including:

  • coastal management
  • engineering and consulting
  • environmental sciences
  • fisheries and aquaculture
  • food technology
  • government departments
  • marine parks and ecotourism
  • marine resource development
  • marine science research institutes
  • museums
  • oil and gas production
  • pharmacology
  • education
  • wildlife conservation.

Find out more about careers that started in science

How you'll learn

Your learning experiences are designed to best suit the learning outcomes of the courses you choose.

  • Lectures
  • Tutorials
  • Research experience
  • Laboratory work
  • Fieldwork

What you'll study

At UQ, subjects are called 'courses'. Here's a sample of the courses you could study:

  • Marine & Coastal Environmental Protection
  • Physical-Biological Oceanography
  • Living Oceans
  • Planet Earth: The Big Picture

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