Marine/ ocean science

2

My son is thinking of doing Marine science and is trying to decide between Plymouth uni, Exeter (Penryn) and Bangor. Although Exeter has a better ranking than Plymouth, he is leaning towards Plymouth as it seems the course has a lot of field trips from the start. I wonder if rankings really matter when choosing a uni. Plymouth is not a beautiful city, did this and its ranking affect your choices?

Reply 1

Muttley79

20

Original post

by ajsbxl

My son is thinking of doing Marine science and is trying to decide between Plymouth uni, Exeter (Penryn) and Bangor. Although Exeter has a better ranking than Plymouth, he is leaning towards Plymouth as it seems the course has a lot of field trips from the start. I wonder if rankings really matter when choosing a uni. Plymouth is not a beautiful city, did this and its ranking affect your choices?

Exeter's course aso has field work in Year 1 - modules here: https://www.exeter.ac.uk/study/undergraduate/courses/geography/marine/#course-content

Reply 2

rubenmc

4

I am currently doing Marine Biology at Bangor. We do field trips but most are in the second semester. I love the social side here and the countryside. You can also do combined courses here if preferred, such as Marine Biology combined with zoology. Also, you get a lot of support here too. If you, or he, has any questions feel free to ask.

Reply 3

ExeterStudentRep

Official Rep

13

Original post

by ajsbxl

My son is thinking of doing Marine science and is trying to decide between Plymouth uni, Exeter (Penryn) and Bangor. Although Exeter has a better ranking than Plymouth, he is leaning towards Plymouth as it seems the course has a lot of field trips from the start. I wonder if rankings really matter when choosing a uni. Plymouth is not a beautiful city, did this and its ranking affect your choices?

Hi ajsbxl,

Great to hear that your son is considering studying at the University of Exeter's Penryn Campus. I'm a current PhD student here (based within Centre for Ecology and Conservation), and I've also studied here for my undergraduate and Masters degree too.

Just to add to the previous poster, the Exeter course also has a real emphasis on field trips and practical teaching throughout the degree. You can find out more about the course structure here, and may particularly be interested in the Fieldwork tab of the website which includes more details, such as the residential field course to the Isles of Scilly and the research cruise trip to Oban in Scotland. Fieldwork and smaller group teaching is a real emphasis of our Penryn Campus which I found really helped me to engage with the degree quickly and bond with the rest of my cohort.

As a PhD researcher now, I would say it's also important to consider the ranking and research output of the different universities your son is considering. As part of the Russell Group, Exeter is a research-intensive university where the same academics who teach and lecture are also expert researchers in their field. This directly influences the undergraduate degree, as it informs what we teach about. Often you can be learning about the latest science before anyone else in the world. For example, in third year of the Marine Science BSc you can study GEO3454, Antarctica: Science from a Frozen Continent. This is a module taught by one of our academics, Katy Sheen, who has first-hand experience as a research oceanographer working and collecting data in the Antarctic, and this experience and expertise directly informs her teaching in this module. You can find out more about Katy and the rest of our academic staff and their research interests at the relevant webpages here (for Earth and Environmental Science) and here (for Marine Biology). It may be worth your son looking through the different profiles on this pages and seeing if any of the research interests of our academics match with his own motivations and interests in Marine Science.

At Exeter we also have a particular strength in the environment and sustainability, and have a world-renowned reputation for our research and teaching in these subjects. For example, in the Shanghai University Rankings, which ranks universities internationally based on the quality of their research outputs in specific subjects, we rank 4th, 20th, 22nd and 25th in the world respectively for Ecology, Earth Sciences, Geography and Atmospheric Sciences - all of which will be components of studying Marine Science (check these rankings for yourself and explore other universities here). We also rank top 100 worldwide for Oceanography too. The quality of research and reputation of the university can impact your degree as it directly informs the cutting-edge content of the teaching (as explained above), but can also improve the opportunities available from employers and industry once graduating. This is especially true in fields like marine conservation or marine science which can be quite small and close-knit.

Finally I'd also encourage you to consider the student lifestyle and experience at the different universities you've mentioned. Living in a coastal seaside town like Falmouth, with lots of independent shops and bars, could be quite different to living in a larger city like Plymouth. If possible, consider visiting on an open day as this will be the best way for you to speak to current students and assess whether that university is the right fit for you. For Exeter's Penryn Campus, you can find out more about visiting us here, which includes larger formal open days but also the opportunity for more ad-hoc campus tours - for example if you're visiting the region on holiday.

I hope this is helpful, but let me know if you or your son have any questions and I'd be happy to help.

Kingsley
University of Exeter Student Ambassador

Reply 4

University of Plymouth Undergraduate Student Rep

Official Rep

12

Original post

by ajsbxl

My son is thinking of doing Marine science and is trying to decide between Plymouth uni, Exeter (Penryn) and Bangor. Although Exeter has a better ranking than Plymouth, he is leaning towards Plymouth as it seems the course has a lot of field trips from the start. I wonder if rankings really matter when choosing a uni. Plymouth is not a beautiful city, did this and its ranking affect your choices?

Hey there! I'm a current Plymouth student studying Zoology but with an interest in marine biology so I have a lot of knowledge/friends in marine sciences etc. and there is a lot of overlap for me between these courses 😊

These three universities were also my top 3 choices I had to decide between when applying! The reasons I chose Plymouth were a mix of the university being in a great city/location, having great facilities/offerings, and the trips/field work available.

Already, I've been on 2 field trips (one being to Kenya), regularly undertake field work along the coast, use the university boats and marine station, help out at the National Marine Aquarium, and about to go on a marine placement to South Africa. Depending on which marine course you opt for, there is a field trip in both first and second year (with some exciting destinations abroad), with options to undertake HSE scuba diving courses, boat work, marine station practicals, and visiting local sites along the coastline 🌍️

Rankings was something that I also had questions about but asked lots of students and staff at open days about this. In short- for me, I realised that it didn't matter too much personally. What you gain from the degree in terms of skills, work, practicals, experience, and connections, is far more important than the name of the university at the end as many employers won't look into this very much as having a marine science degree is already such an achievement in itself! Although saying that, Plymouth has been a fantastic university for me with a great marine department, specialist equipment and facilities, supportive staff, and varied teaching/assessment methods.

Plymouth as a city, however, was probably the main draw for me as a student. It was a much more lively city and well-equipped compared to my other options. I'm able to walk anywhere I need to be in the city in under 20 minutes maximum, there are hundreds of shops, restaurants, cafés and entertainment venues just minutes from the campus, and I have found the city to be budget friendly and welcoming overall. Not forgetting about the National Marine Park, marine station, coastline, sea swimming areas and beaches just a short walk from the lecture halls too (which are all well-used in marine courses!) 🐳

I hope this helps and if you have any more questions, feel free to reach out, or contact our marine student Albert on our Unibuddy site! Best of luck with the application process and don't forget to visit for an open day (our next one is on the 26th April!) as this really helped to inform my decisions (there is even a shuttle bus and talks down at the marine station on the shoreline so be sure to take a look!).

-Alfie, University of Plymouth Undergraduate Student Rep 😊

Reply 5

mrfran

6

Original post

by ajsbxl

My son is thinking of doing Marine science and is trying to decide between Plymouth uni, Exeter (Penryn) and Bangor. Although Exeter has a better ranking than Plymouth, he is leaning towards Plymouth as it seems the course has a lot of field trips from the start. I wonder if rankings really matter when choosing a uni. Plymouth is not a beautiful city, did this and its ranking affect your choices?

I can't speak more highly about Bangor. I'm in my 3rd year MSci and loving it. Renowned lecturers, great teaching staff and very hands on and they're always there for you if you have doubts. Plymouth may be more attractive as a city but I have no regrets as you're on the doorstep to Snowdonia. A great student atmosphere, relatively cheap. The options on offer to study are so varied that it's difficult to decide at times- which is a good thing.
Anything connected with Ocean Sciences, Bangor is the place to go and internationally recognised as pioneers in the subject

Reply 6

ajsbxl

OP

2

Thanks for that. Went to both Plymouth and Southampton open days. We liked Plymouth a lot as a place to live and the uni was really inspiring with great facilities. Southampton has fantastic facilities down at the NOC, but it was far away from the main campus which meant we actually didn't get to see the campus on the open day due to time constraints. My son has had offers from Southampton, Portsmouth and Bangor and he's waiting to hear from Plymouth. He will probably go on two or three offer holder days to help him decide on his first and insurance choice.

Reply 7

Anonymous #1

Original post

by ajsbxl

My son is thinking of doing Marine science and is trying to decide between Plymouth uni, Exeter (Penryn) and Bangor. Although Exeter has a better ranking than Plymouth, he is leaning towards Plymouth as it seems the course has a lot of field trips from the start. I wonder if rankings really matter when choosing a uni. Plymouth is not a beautiful city, did this and its ranking affect your choices?

Hi!

I wanted to reply as my daughter is in the same boat. She currently holds Unconditional offers for Bangor and Plymouth, waiting to hear from Exeter.
Personally we are struggling to decide between Exeter and Plymouth. Although they all have good reviews (and comments here haven't helped!) I worry about accommodation beyond year 1, particularly somewhere as beautiful as Exeter, Penryn.

Are you attending Plymouth open day next day? I'm hoping that helps make our minds up.

Reply 8

University of Plymouth Undergraduate Student Rep

Official Rep

12

Original post

by ajsbxl

Thanks for that. Went to both Plymouth and Southampton open days. We liked Plymouth a lot as a place to live and the uni was really inspiring with great facilities. Southampton has fantastic facilities down at the NOC, but it was far away from the main campus which meant we actually didn't get to see the campus on the open day due to time constraints. My son has had offers from Southampton, Portsmouth and Bangor and he's waiting to hear from Plymouth. He will probably go on two or three offer holder days to help him decide on his first and insurance choice.

Hi there, I'm glad you have some more information now going to open days to look round the cities and facilities! They're definitely the best way to get the best idea of where your son could be studying and living and what it feels like to speak to staff, students, and spend time on campus. ☺️

I would definitely recommend going to as many of the open days as possible as they also give you a more in-depth look into the course, practical sessions, laboratories, facilities, field work, and more (than you would get with a normal open day). Your son will have lots more insight alongside lecturers, staff, and current students and there will be plenty of time to ask questions and find out more whilst exploring the facilities and getting involved with hands-on practical sessions, workshops, and talks.

Hopefully Plymouth will respond with an offer soon (keep an eye out!) and if you have any questions on the application, feel free to contact [email protected]

You can expect, once receiving an offer, to hear about upcoming offer holder days in the new year too, so be sure to look out for those invites as well! 😄

If you have any more questions or need any more help, feel free to reach out and I'd be happy to help! 🙂

-Alfie, University of Plymouth Undergraduate Student Rep

Reply 9

University of Plymouth Undergraduate Student Rep

Official Rep

12

Original post

by Anonymous

Hi!
I wanted to reply as my daughter is in the same boat. She currently holds Unconditional offers for Bangor and Plymouth, waiting to hear from Exeter.
Personally we are struggling to decide between Exeter and Plymouth. Although they all have good reviews (and comments here haven't helped!) I worry about accommodation beyond year 1, particularly somewhere as beautiful as Exeter, Penryn.
Are you attending Plymouth open day next day? I'm hoping that helps make our minds up.

Hi there, glad to hear your daughter is also considering Plymouth with her unconditional offer (congratulations!) 🙂

I'm a current student here at Plymouth, so if you have any questions or want to find out more about anything in particular, feel free to reach out and I'd be more than happy to help!

In the meantime, feel free to read my replies above as they cover a lot of the points you might be thinking about when making a decision on choices. Also, do keep an eye out for offer holder day invites as they are the best way to get a thorough insight into the course with hands-on practical sessions, in-depth discussions, and other workshop opportunities!

Regarding accommodation beyond year 1, there is nothing short of many options in Plymouth; from private halls (including one of the tallest buildings in the South West dedicated to student living options), to student lets, house-shares, studio flats, and more, you definitely won't need to worry about this for second year. The university also supports students in their accommodation search by providing information, professional advice (such as tenancy agreements or maintenance issues), and putting on accommodation fairs where students can chat to different accommodation providers to go through options and explore the best second year home for them. 🏡

Best of luck! 😊

-Alfie, University of Plymouth Undergraduate Student Rep

Reply 10

Anonymous #1

Original post

by University of Plymouth Undergraduate Student Rep

Hi there, glad to hear your daughter is also considering Plymouth with her unconditional offer (congratulations!) 🙂
I'm a current student here at Plymouth, so if you have any questions or want to find out more about anything in particular, feel free to reach out and I'd be more than happy to help!
In the meantime, feel free to read my replies above as they cover a lot of the points you might be thinking about when making a decision on choices. Also, do keep an eye out for offer holder day invites as they are the best way to get a thorough insight into the course with hands-on practical sessions, in-depth discussions, and other workshop opportunities!
Regarding accommodation beyond year 1, there is nothing short of many options in Plymouth; from private halls (including one of the tallest buildings in the South West dedicated to student living options), to student lets, house-shares, studio flats, and more, you definitely won't need to worry about this for second year. The university also supports students in their accommodation search by providing information, professional advice (such as tenancy agreements or maintenance issues), and putting on accommodation fairs where students can chat to different accommodation providers to go through options and explore the best second year home for them. 🏡
Best of luck! 😊
-Alfie, University of Plymouth Undergraduate Student Rep

Thank you for your reply Alfie. It is very reassuring. We are booked to look around Plymouth University next weekend, and it is becoming the favourite for me. But we still have Exeter to hear back from.

Reply 11

University of Plymouth Undergraduate Student Rep

Official Rep

12

Original post

by Anonymous

Thank you for your reply Alfie. It is very reassuring. We are booked to look around Plymouth University next weekend, and it is becoming the favourite for me. But we still have Exeter to hear back from.

No worries, happy to help! Glad to hear you're booked in to have a look round the campus- you'll have to let us know what you thought 😄

If you're interested in marine/ocean courses, I would recommend jumping on the free shuttle bus to explore the marine station. Throughout the day, you'll have the chance to speak to staff and students on the main campus, listen to the talks, take a campus tour guided by students, or join a free guided city bus tour to explore what Plymouth has to offer. (Don't forget to grab a free pasty too!)

Hope you enjoy and best of luck! 🙌

-Alfie, University of Plymouth Undergraduate Student Rep

Marine/ ocean science

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