Marine science

badabinbadaboom

Hi all, im seriously considering doing marine science, is there anyone here doing it that can tell me more about it? What are the class sizes like, how hard are the maths, do you get to spend much time at sea and do you do much in Carna.#
THANKS!!

Weidii

Hey , I'm studying Marine science at the moment and I'm in second year.

Firstly, to get into Marine science you'll have to do four general subjects in first year and then you'll pick and choose as you go on. To be honest, I'd suggest leaving your options open and go for general science as opposed to Marine Science. I did general science and I'm in all the same subjects as the marine science people now, except I don't do the maths.

The only bad point for me (as a dyscalculic person) is the maths, I found them quite difficult in first year and had to repeat it last year. I think they're doable as long as you keep on top of them and don't be afraid to get a grind if you find yourself condused after the christmas exams. In second year there's a bit of maths and physics involved, but it's all applied and made useful, so that makes it alot easier. I wouldn't let it put me off.

I must say, it's a very broad subject, covering methods of mapping/measuring the ocean to marine geophysics, to chemo oceanography as well as whatever biology aspect you choose (micro, zoo or botany).. the list goes on.

Generally I find the lecturers are very good at what they do, they're very into it and are willing to give help outside the lecture theatre if it's needed. They're also up to date, encouraging research online on websites like NASA and they have loads of online quizzes (as opposed to pen and paper ones)

The labs are good fun too, and although we've been out by the sea we haven't been out on a boat yet. There are alot of field studies etc involved and I hear from my friends who are in 3rd year that they can be good craic.

It's a very relevant subject, with climate change and all that, so there should be jobs available in it in the future.

Another minor and slightly irrelevant bonus of doing the subject is that you get to have your lectures in some of the coolest buildings in the college.

To sum it up, I'd say go for it.

Feel free to PM me for more info.

Sarky

I graduated from the course back in '03. I couldn't tell you how much has changed, but the lecture material was always up to date, the lecturers were almost all friendly and approachable. Class size was never much more than about 30 (although for the first year or two you'll all be in lectures with another hundred or so people)

You probably won't get near a field trip until 3rd year (the course didn't get awfully marine-orientated until then), but a generous professor might well organise a trip to an aquarium, or fishery, or something, and the marine science society had a serious thing for organising a trip out to Spiddle for International Low Tide Day when I was there, so if you look out for things like that you'll get out and about from day one.

Nonetheless, I found the coursework really interesting and (very) broad, the staff were great, the field trips were fascinating (don't know if they still get you a day or two on the Marine Institute's research vessels, but those were awesome), and it was generally very good fun. If you have an interest in the sea you'll find something there that appeals to you, there's an awful lot of every kind of science involved in the ocean.

Weidii

Summed up well there by Sarky, the articulate one.

Oh another good point about doing marine science in NUIG is that it has a very decent sub aqua club, which go together for obvious reasons.