Physical Oceanography

Highlights

Study to master’s level on this four-year integrated undergraduate degree programme. No need for a separate master’s application process and you’ll benefit from undergraduate fees and financial support. Undertake boat and lab-based analysis using £3.5m Prince Madog shelf sea research vessel, and smaller work boats.

Supercomputers, state-of-the art survey equipment and oceanographic moorings for data collection. Our staff are world leaders in oceanographic research. Yueng-Djern Lenn and Mattias Green co-wrote '30-Second Oceans' - a popular book in the field.

Specialist learning facilities include scientific laboratories for fluid dynamics, geotechnics and sedimentology, and computing facilities for industry-standard GIS and analytical software to support your learning and develop strong employability skills. Global links with the offshore survey and marine renewables industries, leading environmental consultancies, and government bodies, including the Met Office, National Oceanography Centre, HR Wallingford, CGG, and National Resources Wales.

Course overview

The additional fourth year of this integrated master’s in Physical Oceanography allows you to graduate with a master’s-level qualification. Focusing on the study of the physics of the ocean and the processes which link it to the atmosphere and the cryosphere, the extended research project is designed to boost your future employability. You will study a wide range of factors - natural and caused by human beings - ranging from the lunar cycle, solar system, tidal waves and water levels to the interaction between ice and oceans and the habitability of other planets.

We place a particular emphasis on developing knowledge and skills, including field, lab and computer-based techniques, of direct relevance to industry, particularly in relation to issues such as future climate change, sea level rise, marine pollution and exploitation of marine renewable energy. Situated next to the Menai Strait and Irish Sea, our location provides a rich context to studies. You’ll observe the ocean and seabed on our £3.5 million ocean-going research ship, using state-of-the-art technology and sub-sea instruments in its onboard laboratories.

Local fieldwork on the coasts and in the estuaries of North Wales will link climate change with coastal erosion, flood risk and water quality. You will also conduct field trips to Eryri National Park (also known as Snowdonia) and the UNESCO designated GeoMôn Global Geopark - one of the world’s top 100 geosites. Bangor University has been teaching Physical Oceanography for over 50 years.

Our staff are world leading experts in the oceanography of the shelf seas which surround the continents, and the polar oceans. They are at the forefront of pioneering research in oceanography and geophysics, from climate change and the Atlantification of the Arctic to the expanding offshore renewable energy industry. Actively supporting the global push for a net zero carbon future, we are improving understanding of marine renewable energy, climate and sea-level change, and coastal erosion.

With a dedicated School of Ocean Sciences, the University is one of the largest and oldest university centres in Britain for teaching and research in marine sciences with some of the best specialist facilities and equipment. On this MSci in Physical Oceanography, you’ll be taught by staff whose specialisms include global climate change, coastal processes, tidal evolution, polar oceanography, physical oceanography and marine renewable energy. The University is home to the Marine Centre Wales and Environment Centre for Wales, a partnership with the UK Centre for Ecology and Hydrology (UKCEH).

Elsewhere in Bangor, you’ll find regional offices of Natural Resources Wales (NRW) and Dŵr Cymru/Welsh Water. Strong links with these employers provide opportunities for work placements, research projects and some contribute to teaching. You’ll never be short of things to…