Master's degree Marine Sciences Track Coastal Ecosystems and Physiology of Species Exploited by Fishing Aquaculture
This programme is taught in French.
field(s) of training :
Science, Technology, Health
diploma level :
Master's degree (five-year degree)
duration of the program :
2 years
location(s) :
Caen
Course overview
Algae, mollusc, shrimps, fish… Coastal ecosystems display very diverse fauna and flora, exploited by human activity and affected by strong anthropic and climatic pressures. The master’s degree in Marine Sciences will allow you to acquire polyvalent knowledge and skills in marine biology, physiology and ecology, as well as the fishing and aquaculture industry, and the management of coastal ecosystems.
With this master’s degree, you can specialise in Coastal Ecosystems and Physiology of Exploited Species by Fishing and Aquaculture. You will learn how to manage fishing resources, aquaculture productions, and coastal ecosystems management. This programme allows you to specialise progressively to work either as a consulting engineer in a company or a public service or as a researcher in a laboratory (private or public).
Highlights
The master’s programme is supported by the Laboratory of biology of aquatic organisms and ecosystems (BOREA) in the Coastal Environment Research Centre (CREC) (website in French), the Marine Station of the University of Caen Normandy. You will get to go on fieldwork in fish farming and laboratories.
Moreover, the master’s in Marine Sciences has many local professional partners in fish farming, aquaculture and management of coastal ecosystems. These partnerships include several French research institutions, such as:
- The National Centre for Scentific Research (CNRS)
- French Research Institute for Exploitation of the Sea (IFREMER)
- Research Institute for Development (IRD)
- National Research Institute for Agriculture, Food and Environment (INRAE Rennes)
Welcoming international students
Since 2019, the University of Caen Normandy has been awarded the "Bienvenue en France" label by Campus France, highlighting the quality of the university's welcome for international students.
Application requirements
Entry requirements
To enter this master’s, you should
- Master fundamentals in Physiology and Ecology
- Graduate from a degree in Life Sciences, Life and Earth Sciences, Aquaculture, Engineering…
Specific conditions
If you have completed Year 1 of this master's, you will automatically enter Year 2.
If you have completed Year 1 of another master's, you can apply to Year 2.
Apply and register
The registration process takes place in 3 steps:
Application process
Admission and registration requirements may vary depending on your nationality, country of residence, foreign secondary school leaving certificate, and the nature of your programme of study. Discover how to apply to the University of Caen Normandy.
Course structure
Courses
- Take place on site
- on Campus 1 (Caen) of the University of Caen Normandy
- in the Coastal Environment Research Centre (CREC) in Luc sur Mer (15 km to the North of Caen)
- Amount to 830 contact hours if you specialise in research; 1080 contact hours if you specialise to work for public or private organisations
- Are completed by two compulsory internships
Course units
The fishing and aquaculture industry or the management of coastal ecosystems opens opportunities both in research and industry. As such, you can choose options corresponding to each specialty.
Year 1 relies on a core curriculum:
- Cell biology and physiology
- Evolutive and comparative endocrinology
- Littoral ecosystems and oceanography
- Habitat factors and adaptations
- Marine organisms’ physiology and ecophysiology
- Applied ecology and biogeography
- Development biology of aquatic organisms
This curriculum includes 2 labs units and 1 fieldwork unit (with 6 field trips).
Year 2 will go deeper into theoretical knowledge:
- Marine organisms’ physiology
- Coastal ecosystems and trophic networks
- Coastal zones: knowledge and sustainable management
- Exploitation of mollusc and alga species
- Exploitation of fish species
Then you will put your skills and knowledge into practice in more practical units, divided in research and industry option:
- Research:
- Introduction to research tools
- Research project and literature review
- Industry:
- Introduction to the professional environment
- Application project and professional press review
- Fish farming, aquaculture, and associated techniques
- Product quality: production, transformation and valorisation
Although the programme focuses on scientific and technical units, you will also attend units providing transferable skills:
- English
- Data processing
- Supervised projects in Year 1
- 20-metre-deep diving certification (optional course of training)
Internships and placements
The master’s programme includes two compulsory internships, in a company or a laboratory (depending on your specialisation), in France or abroad:
- Year 1, 2nd semester: 8 weeks
- Year 2, 2nd semester: 6 weeks
Both internships will be evaluated through detailed written report and an oral presentation of this report.
Coursework and assessment
The course lasts 2 years and is divided in 4 semesters, each comprising several courses units. Examinations are held at the end of each semester and are graded on a scale from 0 to 20, 20 being the best grade. Grade compensation is organized without eliminatory marks and on the basis of the general average obtained in every course unit.
The 2 semesters do not compensate each other in year 2.
To successfully complete a semester, you must have an average mark of at least 10 points out of 20. If you have not completed your semester, you can retake the courses units you failed; you do not have to retake the courses in which you have obtained at least 10 points out of 20.
Language
French
Study abroad
You wish to go abroad during your master’s programme? You can do your internship in a foreign company or laboratory!
Learning outcome
By the end of this course, you will be able to
- Know the biology of marine species in their habitat
- Manage stocks, breeding techniques, and anthropisation issues
- Master database tools, statistical analysis and modelling tools, as well as geographic information systems (GIS)
- Manage and assess the quality of coastal ecosystems
- Manage the jurisdictional fundamentals applying to littoral zones design and conceive a project on your own or in a group
- Master communication and writing skills in French and in English
Further study
Once you’ve obtained your master’s, you can enter the workforce! If you’ve specialised yourself in research, and depending on your research topic and professional project, you are encouraged to pursue doctoral studies.
Careers
With an expertise in marine sciences, you can notably work as:
- Executive in aquaculture production
- Hatchery technical manager
- Project manager in aquaculture
- Local consultant in aquaculture
- Research and development engineer
Course leader
formation : Pascal Claquin · pascal.claquin@unicaen.fr