Description

The B.Sc. Marine Biology has been designed using the programme structures of similar programmes offered at the University of Victoria, University of South Hampton, University of Essex, University of California, Davis Campus, University of Exeter, University of Plymouth and The University of The West Indies, Mona campus as guides. The final layout follows University of Guyana regulations and the approach of the B.Sc. Biology offered at both UG campuses. It is a four years degree programme delivered in blended modalities to students who are resident in Guyana or are otherwise capable of travelling to Guyana as required for specific programme and course activities.

Students may enter the programme in the first or third year depending on their application profile. Entry into the third year will require that the student holds at least an A.Sc. in biology from the University of Guyana or any other recognized tertiary level institution with a minimum GPA of 2.0. Students entering at Year One will be exposed to a curriculum aimed to develop general knowledge and skills for university level studies in life sciences. In addition to the core suite of courses in introductory biology and genetics and evolution, they will take courses in chemistry, physics, maths and statistics and language. Their laboratory courses in biology will introduce them to studying the marine environment safely, and they will be required to complete a competencies-based course in swimming skill.

In the second year of study students will complete a curriculum aimed at advancing their knowledge and skills for the study of marine biology at the university level. Courses will include basic botany, zoology, microbiology and biochemistry as well as courses in inorganic, organic and physical chemistry. Laboratory courses in biology will enhance their competences for working in the marine environment.

During the third and fourth year of the programme students will take a suite of courses designated as core courses for all marine biologists. They then choose an additional set of credits from a pool of courses to give their programme profile a focus on either fisheries and aquaculture or climate and pollution. Students who wish to have neither of these two concentrations may choose courses from both pools to make for a general degree in marine biology. All students must complete a capstone research project or an internship related to the focus of their degree. In a small way these will contribute to increasing knowledge of the marine ecosystems in Guyana while preparing the graduate as a researcher and/or professional.

All students will receive appropriate career development support over the course of their studies. They will be encouraged to form and/or join student clubs and societies within the institute and across the University campuses. Students will also be encouraged and supported to seek out and gain volunteer and internship positions with appropriate institutions.

Overall, this programme will produce well rounded graduates who have acquired the breadth of knowledge and understanding, and skills for analysis and synthesis required of marine biologists at the bachelor’s level. Students will learn from in situ experiences with adequate hands-on training. They will interact with professionals in the industry and be competent to enter the workforce at the appropriate levels and perform excellently.