The University of Cape Town, through member Departments of the Marine Research (MA-RE) Institute and the Africa Centre for Climate and Earth System Science (ACCESS) offers:

 A full-time Masters programme in Applied Marine & Earth System Science
(Registration is allowed for individual short courses for non-degree purposes, space permitting)

The programme involves coursework, research, field trips to explore the marine, geological, climatic and biological diversity around Cape Town, and a student-organized,  weekly seminar that deals with the scientific, engineering, economic and ethical aspects of global warming and related issues. The field trips and outings allow the students to worktogether in groups, and also to network with possibleemployers and researchers/industry/NGOs etc.in the arenas of marine sciences, global warming and climate change. Students often have opportunities to participate in fisheries, oceanographic or Antarctic research ship cruises.

Coursework:Breadthof knowledge is developed by offering, during the first two weeks of the    semester, a broad overview of how the interactions between Earth's different components (the atmosphere, ocean, land, biosphere etc.) maintain habitable conditions on the planet. Students then select, from the list given below, courses that add new knowledge and reinforce skills such as communication,numeracy, analytical thinking, and the ability to solve problems. The course is divided into two streams: Marine Biology and Earth System Science, each with core modules and options that may include one senior semester course.

The following core and optional topics are likely to be offered:

A. Earth Systems

1. How to build a habitable planet:  Physical  processes, Greenhouse effect, atmospheric and oceanic circulations, air-sea interactions, climate variability, paleo-climates, global warming.

2. How to build a habitable planet:  Chemical and Biological processes, Origins and history of the Earth, and of life on Earth, photosynthesis and the carbon cycle, oxygen and the ozone layer, man and carbon dioxide.

B. Marine Biology

1. Fisheries Management & Ecosystem Approach Fisheries
2. Biodiversity, Policy and Eco-tourism
3. Aquaculture and Marine Conservation
4. Integrated Coastal Management
5. Marine Environmental Law and Project Management

C. Quantitative Tools:
1. Biostatistics and Multivariate Analysis
2. Graphical and Time-series Analyses
3. Numerical Modelling Methods
4. Decision Analysis

Senior semester courses in certain departments that are available include applied mathematics, botany, chemistry, geology, physics, zoology, etc. Advanced topics and research projects: Any of the above plus, satellite oceanography, regime-shifts, marine protected areas and hydro-acoustics.

Research Project:Depth of knowledge is acquired by carrying out a focused, independent research project, intended for publication as a scientific paper, from September to February (expected duration is 4-5 months). This project, which counts for half the final assessment, can deal  with any of the  topics covered in the course.

Entrance Requirements: A BSc. Honours or an equivalent four year degree in a related discipline with an appropriate level of competence. 

Financial Assistance: A limited number of competitive bursaries are available based on merit and need.  Please go to the MA-RE website for more information or contact us directly at ma-re@uct.ac.za

Applications: The course starts in late January each year and lasts for approximately 13 months. Applications close at the end of September each year, but applicants from outside South Africa are encouraged to send the required documents to the MA-RE Institute by 31 August to allow them to have time to secure funding and study visas. All foreign students are strongly advised to contact the UCT International Academic Programmes Office (IAPO) at iapo@world.uct.ac.za as they will assist you with all necessary documentation required to study in South Africa and any other related queries.

Please return your application form to the MA-RE institute with the application fee, and the other documents required (see website for these). The departmental application form can be found at http://www.ma-re.uct.ac.za/

Checklist: Your applications must include:

1. Letter of application
2. Completed Departmental Application Form
3. Full Curriculum Vitae
4. Contact details including e-mail addresses of at least two referees
5. A certified copy of your undergraduate academic transcript
6. Certified copies of transcripts of any subsequent postgraduate qualifications should also be included here
7. A certified copy of the original degree certificate (and any subsequent qualifications mentioned above)
8. A certified copy of the original TOEFL or PTEEP certificate or other English qualification as mentioned above
9. A motivation (one-two pages, typed) outlining why you chose to apply for a place on the MSc-Course 
10. Completed UCT admission form, which are on the UCT website (www.uct.ac.za)

PLEASE NOTE that cheques must be made payable to the University of Cape Town.UNDER NO CIRCUMSTANCES WILL MONEYGRAMS BE ACCEPTED. 

Completed funding application forms for AMS bursaries, if applicable. 

Late applications may be consid-ered but only if space and funding are available. Successful students must complete both the course-work and dissertation parts of the programme, and should graduate in June the following year.

Please address applications or queries to:

Scientific and Communications Officer
MA-RE Institute
Oceanography Dept
University of Cape Town
Private Bag X3
Rondebosch 7701
SOUTH AFRICA

Tel: +27 21 650 5442
Fax: +27 21 650 3283
Email: MA-RE@uct.ac.za