Overview (2027)
Key Information
Duration
Minimum 1 Year, up to a maximum of 3 years.
Location
CRICOS: 096367G
Duration
Minimum 1 year, up to a maximum of 3 years.
Location
As a gateway to Antarctica and with a natural marine laboratory on our doorstep, the University of Tasmania provides an ideal base for studying a career in marine biology and the fisheries and aquaculture industries.
Our Graduate Diploma in Marine and Antarctic Science provides you with a solid coursework foundation in your chosen area of specialisation and serves as a pathway to progress to our Master of Master of Marine and Antarctic Science.
This unique course combines marine science with a focus on the Southern Ocean and Antarctica. You’ll have access to industry-leading facilities at the Institute for Marine and Antarctic Studies (IMAS) and internationally recognised experts to help you kick-start your career.
The Graduate Diploma of Marine and Antarctic Science provides:
- Practical skills alongside theoretical studies to broaden your experience and give you an edge in employment.
- More than lectures, labs, and tutorials, with study trip units that extend learning to the Southern Ocean and into Australia's largest fisheries, aquaculture, and seafood industries.
- Contacts, work experience, and research links in Australia's largest fisheries and aquaculture industries (based in Tasmania).
- Access to our international partner organisations and internationally recognised marine science organisations based in Tasmania.
You'll have the choice to study one of the following streams: Fisheries Management or Marine Biology.
- 1 Support the decision making of specialist and non-specialist audiences by using concepts and principles relevant to marine and Antarctic studies
- 2 Use analytical techniques and evidence-based research for professional practice in marine and Antarctic fields
- 3 Implement the scientific method to analyse research and scientific results from laboratory and field operations
- 4 Assess current developments and emerging challenges for open issues relevant to marine and Antarctic studies
Your university learning experience goes beyond lectures, labs, and tutorials.
IMAS has strong relationships with international experts and industry-leading facilities, including the Australian Antarctic Division, CSIRO, CCAMLR, and Institut Polaire. As the only university in Tasmania, we have prime access to a broad range of fisheries and aquaculture businesses in the state.
During your studies, you'll gain hands-on experience in field research techniques and laboratory methods. Many units in this degree include field trips to marine reserves, fishing expeditions, or visits to commercial aquaculture businesses throughout Tasmania.
Career outcomes
The University's Institute of Marine and Antarctic Science (IMAS) provides our students with access to some of the world's leading research facilities, giving you the best career foundation.
With an annual value to Australia of approximately $40 billion and growing, graduates from the University of Tasmania are highly sought-after in a range of fields. The commercial fishing and aquaculture industry directly employs 7,000 people in Australia, and Tasmania is the country's largest commercial operator in this area.
We have graduates working across the world in a variety of positions and organisations.
Career opportunities (dependent on field of study)
- Scientific officer
- Coastal community engagement officer
- Federal or state government advisor (policy/environment)
- Antarctic researcher – Australian Antarctic Division
- Marine park manager
- Commercial diver
- Conservation biologist
- Marine biologist
- Australian Customs
- Fish health officer/Fisheries biologist
- Aquarium manager
- Aquaculturist/aquaculture entrepreneur
- Aquaculture farm manager
- Ice core chemist
- Climatologist
- Glaciologist
- Hatchery technician
- Fisheries management officer
- Fishery stock assessment
- Quota licensing officer
- Fisheries biologist
- Quality assessment technician
- Researcher or university lecturer
Further Study Opportunities
Upon completion of the Graduate Diploma in Marine and Antarctic Science, students can progress into the Master of Marine and Antarctic Science.
The Master's course provides a clear pathway for students interested in pursuing a research higher degree, such as a PhD, in their specialist area. IMAS is an ideal institution for further study, offering supervisors who are international experts with global connections.
Course structure
The Graduate Diploma of Marine and Antarctic Science is a one-year graduate diploma course.
Students will complete coursework consisting of four core units (50%) and four specialisation units (50%).
KSA405 is a dynamic unit designed to immerse you in the interdisciplinary realm of marine and Antarctic research practices, preparing you for both the scientific technical workforce and advanced research endeavours at the Honours/Masters level and beyond. Throughout this unit,…
Credit Points: 12.5
| Location | Study period | Attendance options | Available to | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hobart | Semester 2 |  |  |  | |
- Key:
- On-campus
Off-Campus- International students
- Domestic students
View all details for KSA405 Research Methods in Marine and Antarctic Science
KSA726 offers an interdisciplinary exploration into the management of marine and Antarctic environments. You will be introduced to the core concepts of governance, policy and management and contemporary management practices with a focus on the science-policy interface. You will explore…
Credit Points: 12.5
| Location | Study period | Attendance options | Available to | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hobart | Semester 2 | | | | |
- Key:
- On-campus
- Off-Campus
- International students
- Domestic students
View all details for KSA726 Marine and Antarctic Environments and their Management
Quantitative skills are fundamental tools for marine and Antarctic scientists. They are necessary to design studies, analyse data, and to assess and interpret published studies. This unit provides a solid grounding in appropriate ways to collect and analyse and present…
Credit Points: 12.5
| Location | Study period | Attendance options | Available to | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hobart | Semester 1 | | | | |
- Key:
- On-campus
- Off-Campus
- International students
- Domestic students
View all details for KSM721 Quantitative Methods in Marine and Antarctic Science
The unit covers fundamental building blocks (cell biology, biochemistry, genetics) and key processes (marine primary and secondary production, and marine microbial ecology) underpinning life in the ocean and introduces students to key organisms (marine algae, invertebrates, vertebrates) of local ecosystems.…
Credit Points: 12.5
| Location | Study period | Attendance options | Available to | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hobart | Semester 1 | | | | |
- Key:
- On-campus
- Off-Campus
- International students
- Domestic students
The Fisheries Management specialisation is comprised of four core units. The units in this specialisation explain the sustainable development of fisheries based on the principles outlined in international and national policies and legal instruments. This specialisation focusses on optimising the economic and social benefits while minimising any negative biological and ecological impacts of fisheries using an ecosystem-based fisheries management framework. This specialisation builds contemporary knowledge on fisheries and assessment techniques across freshwater and marine recreational, traditional and commercial fisheries, and integrates ecosystem indicators and reference points into fisheries decision making using marine strategy evaluation.
The unit will introduce the student to the factors that influence the design of a range of commercial fishing gears and methods as well as the fishing vessels that are required for their effective operation to produce high-quality seafood. Special…
Credit Points: 12.5
| Location | Study period | Attendance options | Available to | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hobart | Semester 1 | | | | |
- Key:
- On-campus
- Off-Campus
- International students
- Domestic students
In this unit, you will study fisheries biology and population dynamics by exploring how age, growth, reproduction, and life history strategies affect the exploitation of fisheries species. The unit covers methods required for the biological investigation of population dynamics of…
Credit Points: 12.5
| Location | Study period | Attendance options | Available to | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hobart | Semester 2 | | | | |
- Key:
- On-campus
- Off-Campus
- International students
- Domestic students
View all details for KSM606 Fisheries Biology and Population Dynamics
In this unit, you will learn how to measure the abundance and biomass of fish populations to inform sustainable fisheries management. The unit will cover the theory of marine population dynamics and critically discuss the assumptions underpinning a diverse range…
Credit Points: 12.5
| Location | Study period | Attendance options | Available to | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hobart | Semester 1 | | | | |
- Key:
- On-campus
- Off-Campus
- International students
- Domestic students
This unit focusses on the application of strategic management and planning processes to fisheries case-studies. Students will critically appraise issues (biological, ecological, economic and social) for the management of a fishery under the principles of ecologically sustainable development, define fisheries…
Credit Points: 12.5
| Location | Study period | Attendance options | Available to | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hobart | Semester 2 | | | | |
- Key:
- On-campus
- Off-Campus
- International students
- Domestic students
View all details for KSM609 Fisheries Management and Planning
The Governance and Policy specialisation is comprised of four core units. The units in this specialisation explain the key environmental problems affecting the world’s oceans, atmosphere and Antarctica. These units employ leading theories of environmental governance to assist in designing effective management responses to these problems.
In this unit, you will investigate the global role of marine protected areas (MPAs) in balancing biodiversity conservation and sustainable food production. Using examples worldwide, you will study various MPAs and other types of area-based management - from small fishery…
Credit Points: 12.5
| Location | Study period | Attendance options | Available to | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hobart | Semester 1 | | | | |
- Key:
- On-campus
- Off-Campus
- International students
- Domestic students
The unit explores environmental governance in the context of areas of global concern and shared international management – focusing on the polar regions, the oceans and the global climate. The concepts of sustainable development and the global commons are crucial…
Credit Points: 12.5
| Location | Study period | Attendance options | Available to | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hobart | Semester 2 | | | | |
| Online | Semester 2 | | | | |
- Key:
- On-campus
- Off-Campus
- International students
- Domestic students
This unit provide an introduction to the management of uses of the marine environment in arras beyond national jurisdiction. International Marine Management incorporates distinct yet interconnected themes: commercial resource exploitation (living and non-living); tourism, recreation and other non-extractive commercial uses…
Credit Points: 12.5
| Location | Study period | Attendance options | Available to | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hobart | Semester 2 | | | | |
| Online | Semester 2 | | | | |
- Key:
- On-campus
- Off-Campus
- International students
- Domestic students
Antarctica and the Southern Ocean are a unique biophysical region of the planet and similarly have unique governance arrangements. This unit provides an advanced analysis of the institutions, rules and power structures which govern the Antarctic region. The unit closely…
Credit Points: 12.5
| Location | Study period | Attendance options | Available to | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hobart | Semester 1 | | | | |
| Online | Semester 1 | | | | |
- Key:
- On-campus
- Off-Campus
- International students
- Domestic students
View all details for KSM715 Antarctic Governance and Policy in the 21st Century
The Marine Biology specialisation is comprised of four core units. The units in this specialisation explain the key environmental problems affecting the world’s oceans, atmosphere and Antarctica. These units incorporate modern laboratory techniques and field-work, conservation management and an undertanding of the structure of marine ecosystems.
This unit explores the suite of molecular tools available to biologists and how they can be applied to questions concerning the biology, ecology, taxonomy, diversity, and evolution of marine organisms. Topics covered include theory and practice of key molecular tools…
Credit Points: 12.5
| Location | Study period | Attendance options | Available to | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hobart | Semester 2 | | | | |
- Key:
- On-campus
- Off-Campus
- International students
- Domestic students
This unit introduces systematic methods of field and laboratory-based data collection, analysis, and reporting for practical applications in marine conservation. Lectures outline the quantitative nature of marine conservation research, the value of robust sampling strategies and experimental methods, assessment of…
Credit Points: 12.5
| Location | Study period | Attendance options | Available to | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hobart | Semester 1 | | | | |
- Key:
- On-campus
- Off-Campus
- International students
- Domestic students
View all details for KSM718 Marine Conservation and Restoration
Advanced Plankton Methods is a unit within the Marine Biology specialisation of the Master of Antarctic Science Course (S7Z). This unit forms a foundation for quantitative research methods and technology used in studying marine plankton physiology, ecology, and biogeochemistry. This…
Credit Points: 12.5
| Location | Study period | Attendance options | Available to | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hobart | Winter school (early) | | | | |
- Key:
- On-campus
- Off-Campus
- International students
- Domestic students
From the poles to the tropics, marine predators influence marine ecosystem structure through top down and bottom-up processes. Marine predators including tuna, turtles, sharks, seabirds, and marine mammals, range widely across global oceans. Often feeding at the top of marine…
Credit Points: 12.5
| Location | Study period | Attendance options | Available to | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hobart | Semester 2 | | | | |
- Key:
- On-campus
- Off-Campus
- International students
- Domestic students
View all details for KSM723 Marine Predator Diversity and Ecology
The Sustainable Aquaculture specialisation is comprised of four core units. The specialisation prepares graduates with advanced theoretical and practical application of scientific principles to the global aquaculture industry. This specialisation builds advanced knowledge on whole of lifecycle production techniques for freshwater and marine plants and animals, using examples from emerging species and commercial case studies across crustacean, molluscan, finfish and macroalgal culture. Underpinning scientific principles supporting animal welfare, growth and reproduction, health and disease management are explored in advanced units to prepare graduates for employment across a range of commercial or management careers. Research training units extend research skills appropriate to applied and strategic research for direct employment, or articulation to higher degree research programs.
This unit is designed to provide students with a comprehensive understanding of the practical and theoretical concepts involved in the production of commercially important aquatic species, including molluscs, crustaceans, finfish and plants. Throughout this unit, students will gain a detailed…
Credit Points: 12.5
| Location | Study period | Attendance options | Available to | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hobart | Semester 1 | | | | |
- Key:
- On-campus
- Off-Campus
- International students
- Domestic students
This unit will provide students with a comprehensive understanding of larval and early life history biology, as well as the practices and processes that underpin hatchery operations for algal, molluscan, crustacean and finfish production. By exploring various techniques and approaches…
Credit Points: 12.5
| Location | Study period | Attendance options | Available to | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hobart | Semester 2 | | | | |
- Key:
- On-campus
- Off-Campus
- International students
- Domestic students
The unit provides students with the latest techniques in molecular biology and their application in health diagnostics, and molecular studies of aquatic animals and seaweeds. The unit introduces students to ubiquitous and pathogenic organisms, explores current techniques and health management,…
Credit Points: 12.5
| Location | Study period | Attendance options | Available to | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hobart | Semester 2 | | | | |
- Key:
- On-campus
- Off-Campus
- International students
- Domestic students
View all details for KSM716 Aquatic Molecular Diagnostics and Health
The unit provides students with the fundamental basis of physiology and nutrition, and how they interact to control growth and metabolism, reproduction, osmoregulation and welfare of aquatic animals. The applied relationships between nutrition and feeding behaviour, feed formulation, physiology and…
Credit Points: 12.5
| Location | Study period | Attendance options | Available to | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hobart | Semester 1 | | | | |
- Key:
- On-campus
- Off-Campus
- International students
- Domestic students
View all details for KSM717 Aquatic Animal Nutrition and Physiology
Entry requirements
To be admitted to study the Graduate Diploma of Marine and Antarctic Science you must have a Bachelor of Marine and Antarctic Science from the University of Tasmania, or an equivalent qualification from an Australian university. An example of an equivalent qualification is a Bachelor of Science with a major in life sciences (such as biology, environmental science, zoology, plant science, marine biology, ecology etc).
In addition, specifically for the Governance and Policy specialisation, students may be admitted with a bachelor’s degree (or equivalent) from an Australian university in a governance and policy field with evidence of completion of units at undergraduate level that are related to life sciences.
COURSE PARTICIPATION REQUIREMENTS
This course includes compulsory Work Integrated Learning (professional experience placements). In order to participate in placements, all students must:
- Complete a Safe to Practice Agreement declaring they have the medical, physical or psychological capacity to safely participate in professional experience practice.
Admission to most postgraduate coursework courses at the University of Tasmania require qualifications equivalent to an Australian bachelor degree. Applicants must achieve the required grade in their qualifying studies, meet any prerequisite subjects, and meet English language requirements to be eligible for an offer.
English Language Requirements
For students who do not meet the English Language Requirement through citizenship or prior studies in English in an approved country, evidence of an approved English language test completed within the last 2 years must be provided. See the English Language Requirements page for more information.
English Language Requirements are: IELTS (Academic) 6.0 (no individual band less than 6.0)
Course Specific Requirements
To be admitted to study the Graduate Diploma of Marine and Antarctic Science you must have a Bachelor of Marine and Antarctic Science from the University of Tasmania, or an equivalent qualification from a recognised tertiary education institution. An example of an equivalent qualification is a Bachelor of Science with a major in life sciences (such as biology, environmental science, zoology, plant science, marine biology, ecology etc).
In addition, specifically for the Governance and Policy specialsation, students may be admitted with a bachelor’s degree (or equivalent) in a governance and policy field from a recognised tertiary education institution with evidence of completion of units at undergraduate level that are related to life sciences.
COURSE PARTICIPATION REQUIREMENTS
This course includes compulsory Work Integrated Learning (professional experience placements). In order to participate in placements, all students must:
- Complete a Safe to Practice Agreement declaring they have the medical, physical or psychological capacity to safely participate in professional experience practice.
The maximum credit granted will be in accordance with the limits set down in the Student Participation and Attainment Ordinance.
Students can articulate from the Bachelor of Marine and Antarctic Science, or Bachelor of Marine and Antarctic Science with Honours to the Graduate Diploma of Marine and Antarctic Science.
Students who successfully complete the Graduate Diploma of Marine and Antarctic Science may apply to articulate into the second year of S7Z Master of Marine and Antarctic Science.
Fees & scholarships
Domestic students
Commonwealth supported places (CSP) are available for this course. For eligible domestic students, this means your fees will be subsidised by the Australian Government. You’ll only need to pay the student contribution amount for each unit you study within the course.
Commonwealth Supported Place indicative annual fee: $9,166
How is this calculated?
This is an estimate. The calculation is based on the average full-time enrolment for this course in 2026. All figures are indicative only for 2027. Actual tuition fees will depend on specific unit enrolment, and are subject to annual increases each year. You can find the complete fee details for each unit of study on the individual unit pages. The units for this course are found in the course structure section of this page.
These figures do not include other costs such as the Student Services and Amenities Fee (SSAF). For further information, please visit Scholarships, fees and costs.
HECS-HELP loans
You may be able to defer payment of the student contribution amount by accessing a HECS-HELP loan from the Government. If eligible, you’ll only have to pay your tuition fees once you start earning above a specific amount.
Further information on student loans and a CSP eligibility checker can be found at Australian Government Study Assist.
International students
2027 annual international student tuition fee: $50,950 AUD
The standard year of study for this course is 100 credit points.
Indicative total tuition fee for international students: $ 50,950 AUD.
This total tuition fee is indicative only. Please visit fees and costs for further information on how this is calculated.
International students are charged the Student Services and Amenities Fee but this fee is incorporated in the annual rate. International students do not have to make any additional SSAF payments.
Domestic scholarships
Each year, the University offers more than 900 awards to students from all walks of life, including those who have achieved high academic results; those from low socio-economic backgrounds; students with sporting ability; students undertaking overseas study; and students with a disability.
For information on general scholarships available at the University of Tasmania, please visit the scholarships website.
Applications for most awards that commence in Semester 1 open at the beginning of August and close strictly on 31 October in the year prior to study.
International students
There is a large range of scholarships, bursaries and fee discounts available for international students studying at the University of Tasmania. For more information on these, visit the Tasmanian International Scholarships (TIS) website.
Course year 2027
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