MSc Marine Mammal Science

• A first or 2.1 (Honours) undergraduate degree or equivalent in a biological science. Other scientific, engineering or mathematics degrees may be acceptable. If you studied your first degree outside the UK, see the international entry requirements.
• Training in advanced mathematics and statistics (at least to UK school SQA Higher, GCE AS or A-Level, International Baccalaureate or equivalent).

Very good baseline IT skills including word-processing, spreadsheet use, email and internet.

Please contact the School if you are unsure about your qualifications.

In addition to the above minimum requirements, it is highly desirable for applicants to have:

• relevant field or lab experience from previous employment, project or volunteer work
• further IT skills, e.g. programming, database software and statistical packages for analysing (such as MATLAB, SPSS, SAS or R)
• dedicated calculus or statistics modules at university level.

The qualifications listed are indicative minimum requirements for entry. Some academic Schools will ask applicants to achieve significantly higher marks than the minimum. Obtaining the listed entry requirements will not guarantee you a place, as the University considers all aspects of every application including, where applicable, the writing sample, personal statement, and supporting documents.

Application requirements

• CV 
• completed Marine Mammal Science MSc application form supplement 2025 (Word)
• two original signed academic references 
• academic transcripts and degree certificates

These must all be submitted by the application deadline.

For more guidance, see supporting documents and references for postgraduate taught programmes.

For fees and funding options, please visit website to find out more

Graduates of the course have gone on to complete PhDs or work as research scientists for government agencies, industry, environmental consultancies or marine conservation organisations as well as in academic institutions worldwide. 

Graduates also become part of a large and growing alumni network, with many students continuing on to become research scientists, either at St Andrews or as part of international collaborations. SMRU has held noteworthy alumni gatherings at professional conferences, and graduates can stay in touch with each other using a Master-course-specific Facebook group. 

The Careers Centre offers one-to-one advice to all students as well as a programme of events to assist students in building their employability skills.

Compulsory

• Conservation and Management of Marine Mammals: explores human and marine mammal interactions. 
• Principles of Marine Mammal Biology: introduces the zoogeography of marine mammals and the morphological, physiological and behavioural adaptations that have enabled this diverse group to successfully colonise all of the world's oceans and some freshwater systems. 
• Mathematical and Statistical Modelling for Biologists: applies mathematical ideas to questions in biology and introduces methods for fitting models to biological data mainly using R software. 

Optional

Students choose three optional modules in Semester 2. Optional modules are subject to change each year and require a minimum number of five participants to be offered; some may only allow limited numbers of students (see the University’s position on curriculum development). 

Here is a sample of optional modules that may be offered. 

• Advanced Bioacoustics for Marine Mammal Science: theoretical and practical application of techniques used to study marine acoustics. 
• Current Issues in Biologging: presents an introduction to the theory and practice of logging and relaying physical and biological data using animal-attached tags. 
• Current Issues in Marine Mammal Behaviour: current views and recent advances in the study of marine mammal social behaviour and cognition.
• Estimating Animal Abundance and Biodiversity: introduces the main types of survey methods for wildlife populations. 
• Population Biology: covers the essentials of population dynamics and population modelling including population genetics, trophic interactions and spatial dynamics. 
• Predator Ecology in Polar Ecosystems – Antarctica: theoretical and practical field course including a vessel-based trip to Antarctica (requires payment of an expedition fee, offered only if international travel conditions allow).

Research Project

Throughout the academic year, students complete a research project which will culminate in a written dissertation and presentation of a poster at the MSc student conference. Projects may involve some fieldwork but will be primarily focused on the analysis of existing data. Projects will be supervised by SMRU staff but may be carried out with joint supervision from staff in other institutions. Students can choose from a range of projects suggested by supervisors and also take an active role in designing their own project plan.

If students choose not to complete the dissertation requirement for the MSc, there are exit awards available that allow suitably qualified candidates to receive a Postgraduate Diploma. By choosing an exit award, you will finish your degree at the end of the second semester of study and receive a PGDip instead of an MSc.