Studying coastal management abroad

Be a part of the growing movement in protecting and sustaining our coastal and marine environments

Offered mainly as a postgraduate degree, coastal management deals with the protection, defence, and development of coastal areas and coastal zones. You will explore your understanding of coastal and marine environments, and what we can do to protect them. This area of expertise is in increasingly high demand due to the current climate change issues, as well as the inevitable erosion of our coastlines.

Depending on where you choose to study, you may be able to specialise throughout your degree. This could be in the form of choosing certain modules, or simply picking your area of research for your final project. The specialisation you choose can influence the area in which you choose to work after you have graduated.

Common specialisations include:

Marine Ecosystems
Coastal Environments
Flood Risk Management and Natural Resources
Coastal Erosion
Port Policy and Management
Lake Ecology
Marine Resources

If your degree requires you to write a dissertation or submit a final major research project, this will give you the opportunity to further explore an area of interest within coastal management.

Career opportunities

Graduates of a coastal management degree will find there are a wide variety of career opportunities available to them. If you choose to work in a role directly related to your degree, jobs might include coastal engineer, marine manager, port manager, or oceanographer.

You will have gained a wide variety of transferable skills throughout your degree in coastal management. These skills could include critical thinking, project management, and data collection and analysis.

A postgraduate degree in coastal management will build upon the knowledge you gained at undergraduate level. Normally, you will have studied your undergraduate degree in a closely related subject area, so you will have a foundation of knowledge. You will have the chance to apply those skills to more specific issues, tailoring your knowledge to an area of interest.

Your degree will be delivered through a mixture of modes. These will include lectures and seminars, as well as practical sessions and field trips. You may also be presented with the opportunity to take part in a work placement module as part of your degree. This will allow you to apply your skills in a real world environment.

The accreditation of your degree will depend on where you choose to study. Different countries have different accreditation systems. Typically, you can expect to be awarded a Master of Science (MSc) for a postgraduate degree in coastal management.

Depending on your career path once you have graduated, you may be able to gain further academic and professional qualifications and certifications. These can help to progress your career, as well as enhancing your knowledge and skill set.

Generally, a postgraduate degree in coastal management can take one to two years to complete. Postgraduate diplomas and certificates can last up to two years, when studied full-time. Your institution might offer part-time or online study options, which may change the duration of your degree course.

After successfully completing your degree, you can choose to either seek employment in your chosen area, or further your studies. Continuation of your studies could be in the form of a research degree, such as an MPhil or PhD, or a postgraduate diploma or certificate.