Marine biology facilities

You’ll benefit from the outstanding facilities and resources of a network of institutions.
Marine biology facilities

With Devon’s diverse coastal waters on your doorstep, a suite of laboratories at your disposal and our dedicated Marine Station offering diver training and a range of technical support, you’ll benefit from outstanding facilities and resources that will aid your development and prime you for a successful career.

The Marine Station

The Marine Station is a landmark £4.65 million development opened in 2014 and is the base for our marine expeditionary work. You’ll benefit from this exceptional teaching and research facility that’s located on the shores of Plymouth Sound – part of our ‘Waterfront Campus’, with classrooms extending out into the natural environment. The Marine Station includes:

  • lecture facilities overlooking the sea
  • a wet lab for sample examination and analysis
  • a seawater aquarium
  • field equipment storage and changing facilities.

Unique to higher education in the UK, the Marine Station is also a centre of excellence for diving that enables you to get professional diving qualifications and develop valuable industry-relevant skills. Such skills have enabled our graduates to work as divers for television documentaries and surveyors for the British Antarctic Survey.

“Becoming a HSE PRO SCUBA commercial diver makes you more employable during and after university. I did it, and now I dive in the National Marine Aquarium and dive for PhD students helping them to collect data.”
– Rachel Cole, Marine Biology student

Marine Biology and Ecology Research Centre

Our Marine Biology and Ecology Research Centre engages in a wide range of research across a number of themes, from marine pollution to animal behaviour. You’ll benefit from the centre’s laboratories, allowing you to learn new techniques and hone vital lab skills in precisely determined conditions. The centre has access to a host of facilities, including:

  • equipment for processing field samples and identifying organisms, molecular and physiological laboratories, controlled temperature chambers and wet labs for experiments on a variety of scales
  • boat provision and diving expertise allowing for sub-tidal investigation
  • Remotely Operated Vehicle for carrying out surveys of the seabed.

Collaborative research

Plymouth is an internationally renowned centre for marine science research – making it an inspirational place to study with plenty of opportunity for collaboration. At the core of the MRes lies the link with the Marine Biological Association of the UK who are responsible for the delivery of the course-specific taught modules in term one. Other collaborating establishments operating in the city include: