School of Biological and Marine Sciences

MRes Scientific Diving

Programme code 7892
Duration

1 year
Course type

Full-time
Study location 91porn
Register for open evening

Delivering a cutting-edge scientific diving programme to students with a background in biology, marine biology or marine sciences. Learn the skills you need to be a professional scientific diver on the only masters level scientific diving programme in the world and contribute to our understanding of the oceans in your future career.

  • H

    Join this course from January 2026

Meet the lecturers

Register now and join our virtual drop-in sessions to speak with our postgraduate programme leaders.
Please contact admissions@plymouth.ac.uk or telephone +44 (0)1752 585858 to register your interest in applying for this programme.
Please include your name, contact details, email and telephone number, the course that you are interested in and the year you wish to start your studies.
You will be sent further details on how to apply as soon as possible.

Careers with this subject
With the strong and increasing international interest in marine conservation and research, highly trained scientific divers are a critical resource.
Scientific diving is a highly useful skill to the marine scientist, but obtaining professional standard training is very difficult. Many science divers start off with recreational diving qualifications and gradually gain professional skills over many years. The MRes Scientific Diving programme aims to train you comprehensively in the core skills you need to work professionally as a diving scientist at the start of your scientific career. With the increasing understanding of the importance and vulnerability of the oceans, and the push to protect 30% of our oceans by 2030, employment potential for highly skilled graduate scientific divers globally is increasing, from the poles to the tropics.

Key features

  • 8We are currently the only university in the UK offering a professional scientific diving programme and have 30 years experience of delivering professional diver training

  • 8We are ranked #1 in the world for the impact of our marine research in support of ocean global sustainability goals (Times Higher Education Impact Rankings 2021)

  • 8We are one of the largest trainers of scientific divers in Europe

  • 8Industry focussed content with some delivery by industry partners

  • 8Hands on, experiential training

  • 8A bespoke programme delivered by academic and technical staff currently involved at the cutting edge of delivering scientific diving projects internationally

  • 8A research-driven programme, with the opportunity to undertake research projects embedded within leading organisations undertaking scientific diving worldwide.

Course details

  • Year 1

  • The programme is structured around four new modules:
    • Professional scientific diving practices - Including the existing HSE SCUBA Diving Course with alternative options for students who already hold this qualification, as well as the theory and practice of a wide range of scientific diving methods.
    • Scientific diving field project design and delivery – This project will include training in how to run field-based projects and expeditions, marine species identification as well as statistical and experimental design.
    • Tropical field course – A module in which students apply the skills they have learnt in planning, executing, analysing and presenting the results of a tropical field diving expedition.
    • Dissertation project - A nine-month research project either based at the Marine Station , or embedded within a UK-based or international organisation that utilises scientific diving.

    Core modules

    SCIDIV5000
    Scientific Diving Dissertation Project

    The dissertation project will generally be based with an external organisation, although some projects may be based at the University. It will provide students the opportunity to draw together what they have learnt, while planning a scientific diving research project, collecting data, analysing that data and producing a dissertation, or report, to a professional standard, as well as presenting their findings orally.

    SCIDIV5001
    Scientific Diving Field Course

    This module will provide the students with the opportunity to apply the scientific skills they have learnt during the programme to undertake a multi-day scientific diving fieldwork programme as part of a dive team. In addition, the module will provide the students an opportunity to apply their newly gained underwater research, experimental design and species identification skills.

    SCIDIV5002
    Scientific Diving Research Skills

    This module will introduce the students to the theory of experimental design and statistics, providing knowledge on how to design, plan and implement scientific diving fieldwork, as well as gain species identification skills. A series of face-to-face and online seminars will give students an understanding of the logistics involved with planning and executing expeditions and fieldwork around the world.

    SCIDIV5003
    Scientific Diving Theory and Practice

    This module provides the core professional HSE SCUBA diving skills for the programme and an alternative suite of training courses for those students who already hold the HSE SCUBA qualification. Thereafter, the module will build on these skills and teach the key theoretical knowledge and in-water practical skills required to be a scientific diver, in research, governmental, or commercial roles.

The modules shown for this course or programme are those being studied by current students, or expected new modules. Modules are subject to change depending on year of entry.

Entry requirements
An honours degree in a relevant discipline such as marine biology, marine science, biology, zoology, ocean science, or an overseas equivalent at 2.1 or better.
If a candidate applies with a degree in a non-related discipline this may be considered if the applicant has significant relevant industry experience.
A minimum of grade C in English language at GCSE level OR a minimum overall score of 6.5 in IELTS with no less than 5.5 in any component.

Fees, costs and funding
2024-2025 2025-2026
Home N/A £18,000
International N/A £25,000
Part time (Home) N/A £1,000
Full time fees shown are per annum. Part time fees shown are per 10 credits. Please note that fees are reviewed on an annual basis. Fees and the conditions that apply to them shown in the prospectus are correct at the time of going to print. Fees shown on the web are the most up to date but are still subject to change in exceptional circumstances. More information about fees and funding.

Scholarships for international students

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How to apply

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Exceptional facilities

You’ll mainly be based at our Marine Station , situated on the shores of 91porn Sound as part of our ‘Waterfront Campus’. The facility offers labs and classrooms extending out into the natural environment.
It is the base for our research vessels and a centre of excellence for diving.
Marine station

91porn is one of the top UK diving destinations and people come from all over the UK to dive there. As a student on the HSE diving course you get to dive these areas as part of the course - from famous ship wrecks to reefs with large amounts of marine life. Having the HSE diving qualification helped me get my dream job as a Marine Biologist working for The British Antarctic Survey and to this day keeps me in an exciting marine science career.

Terri Souster, BSc (Hons) Marine Biology graduate
Terri Souster sitting in the snow

People

Meet our school technical staff

Our technical staff are integral to the delivery of all our programmes and bring a diverse range of expertise and skills to support students in laboratories, workshops, and the field.