Heriot-Watt University
Marine Biology BSc (Hons)
Heriot-Watt University

Key Course Facts

Student Reviews

Below you can see course specific reviews for 10 graduates of Marine Biology BSc (Hons) at Heriot-Watt University for each of the survey questions in comparison to the average for all UK degree courses in Ecology and Environmental Biology.

The NSS is commissioned by the Office for Students

Salary

Salary of Graduates in Biosciences

Important: Salary data below is not course specific, but contains data of all students of Ecology and Environmental Biology at the university. Due to data collection methodology, salary data is mainly based on data related to undergraduate students.

  15 months after graduation 3 years after graduation 5 years after graduation
Median salary £25000 £22500 £24500
25-75 percentile range £23500 - £28000 £17000 - £28000 £19000 - £32000


Salary of all UK Graduates of Biosciences

  15 months after graduation 3 years after graduation 5 years after graduation
Median salary £21866 £19075 £23442
25-75 percentile range £18953 - £24799 £14408 - £23761 £18123 - £29056

Course Description

Biology at Heriot-Watt University addresses issues of key importance in the modern world with emphasis placed on the applied aspects of each area, so that knowledge gained may be used to benefit society.

Our biology graduates have a strong record of employment in fields ranging from marine biology to pharmaceuticals, medical, water, the food industry and public sector organisations.

Studying biology at Heriot-Watt provides a thorough grounding in cell and molecular biology, microbiology, marine and environmental biology, toxicology and biotechnology. Emphasis is placed on the applied aspects of each discipline, so that knowledge may be used for the benefit of society.

The suite of biology degrees sits within the Institute of Life and Earth Sciences at Heriot-Watt University. We offer seven degrees within the biology subject area, each allowing students to gain a firm foundation before specialising into their preferred field. Each degree comprises one or more key compulsory courses with a choice of optional courses that allows it to be fashioned to an individual student’s interests, within the constraints of the programme of study.

The newest addition to the suite of degrees is our Sports and Exercise Science BSc (Hons). The Sports degrees open to applications for September 2022 entry. These degrees comprise a core of sport and exercise science with an additional emphasis on the study of topics central to human health and well-being, such as biology, nutrition, physiology, and psychology.

Our biology degrees (with the exception of the Sports degrees) share courses at Level 1 while in later levels they comprise a mixture of compulsory and optional courses that reflect the specialist subject. Transfer between degrees is flexible during Levels 1 and 2, and possible in some cases during Levels 3 and 4.

Jobs & Career Perspectives

15 months after graduation, graduates of this course were asked about what they do and, if they are working, about their current job and their perspectives.

Current jobs

Required skill level of job after 15 months

Jobs of graduates of this course (15 months after graduation)

Example below based on all graduates of Marine Biology BSc (Hons) at Heriot-Watt University

20% Administrative occupations
20% Leisure, travel and related personal service occupations
10% Customer service occupations
10% Web and Multimedia Design Professionals
10% Sales occupations
10% Artistic, literary and media occupations
10% Teaching Professionals
10% Business, Research and Administrative Professionals
10% Welfare and housing associate professionals

Entry Requirements / Admissions

UCAS Tariff of Accepted Students for this course

Get advice on which foundation courses are best for you to still study Marine Biology, BSc (Hons), if you do not meet the minimum requirements in terms of UCAS score, A levels, or English language requirements.

Costs

Tuition Fees Marine Biology BSc (Hons)

England UK £9250 year 1
Northern Ireland £9250 year 1
Wales £9250 year 1
Channel Islands £9250 year 1
Ireland £9250 year 1
Scotland £1820 year 1
EU £24048 year 1
International £24048 year 1

Average student cost of living in the UK

Rent £518
Water, gas electricity, internet (at home) £50
Supermarket shopping £81
Clothing £35
Eating out £33
Alcohol £27
Takeaways / food deliveries £30
Going out / entertainment (excl.alcohol, food) £24
Holidays and weekend trips £78
Transport within city £17
Self-care / sports £20
Stationary / books £13
Mobile phone / internet £13
Cable TV / streaming £7
Insurance £51
Other £95
  
Average student cost of living £1092

London costs approx 34% more than average, mainly due to rent being 67% higher than average of other cities. For students staying in student halls, costs of water, gas, electricity, wifi are generally included in the rental. Students in smaller cities where accommodation is in walking/biking distance transport costs tend to be significantly smaller.

How to apply

Application deadline:

January 1, 2025

This is the deadline for applications to be completed and sent for this course. If the university or college still has places available you can apply after this date, but your application is not guaranteed to be considered.

Possible Entry Points:

  • year 1 (Default entry point)
  • year 2
  • year 3

University Rankings

Positions of Heriot-Watt University in top UK and global rankings.

See all 27 university rankings of Heriot-Watt University

About Heriot-Watt University

Heriot-Watt University is a prominent research education institution located in the Scottish capital, Edinburgh. Recognised globally for their research contributions in Engineering and Science in particular, this university enjoys a formidable reputation among education ranking listings such as Times Higher Education and QS World University Rankings. Despite the university’s campus not being centrally located in the city, students almost unanimously agree that there is more than enough fun to be had on-site, thanks to a proactive Student Union that is constantly working to create spaces and resources for clubs.

List of 102 Bachelor and Master Courses from Heriot-Watt University - Course Catalogue

Where is this programme taught

Edinburgh Campus
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Similar courses

Program University Student satis­faction Unem­ployed Drop­out Tuition (UK) Tuition (Inter­national) UCAS Tariff City
Marine Biology (Including Foundation Year) BSc (Hons) University of Essex - 5% 0% £9250 £22100 111 Colchester On campus Full-time
Marine Biology BSc (Hons) University of Essex 79% 5% 5% £9250 £22100 112 Colchester On campus Full-time
Marine Biology (with foundation year) BSc (Hons) University of Hull 74% 0% 10% £9250 £9250 £18300 £19500 93 Hull On campus Full-time
Marine Biology BSc (Hons) University of Exeter 88% 5% 7% £9250 £29700 156 Exeter On campus Full-time
Marine Biology (Including Placement Year) BSc (Hons) University of Essex 82% 5% 7% £9250 £22100 128 Colchester On campus Full-time
Marine Biology with Professional Studies BSc (Hons) Queen's University of Belfast 68% 0% 0% £9250 £25300 134 Belfast On campus Full-time
Marine Biology BSc (Hons) University of Hull 68% 5% 5% £9250 £9250 £18300 £19500 131 Hull On campus Full-time
Marine Biology with foundation year BSc (Hons) University of Southampton - - - £9250 £23620 - Southampton On campus Full-time
Marine Biology BSc (Hons) University of Portsmouth 73% 0% 1% £9250 £20200 137 Portsmouth On campus Full-time
Marine Biology BSc (Hons) University of Aberdeen 73% 0% 0% £9250 £26100 £24800 162 Aberdeen On campus Full-time