Nordic Master's Programme in Sustainable Production and Utilization of Marine Bioresources (MAR-BIO, N2MAB)

The MAR-BIO programme is a 2-year programme of 120 credits (ECTS). The students will be registered at the Consortium University of their respective admission and the successful completion of the programme leads to a double/multiple degree, i.e., separate degree certificates from each Consortium University where the student has studied. 

The program will start with three mandatory introductory hybrid courses of 5 credits (ECTS)  each, jointly taught by the three Nordic universities. Each 5 credit (ECTS) course will have two weeks of online teaching and one-week on-site teaching on campus at the respective universities, in Norway, Iceland and Sweden. 

After these three mandatory courses, the students are free to choose courses (5-30 credits, ECTS) for the rest of the first year from a “smorgasbord” of relevant course offered by the Nordic partner Universities.

During this period, or during the second year of the program there is a required mobility of at least 30 credits (ECTS) for all students. This will be fulfilled by course work at one or more of the partner universities that is not the home university, where the students are registered to the programme. The planning of the “long mobility” will take place during the first 15 credits (ECTS) of the program through the establishment of an individual study plan (ISP) for each student.

The second year of the MAR-BIO programme shall be taken as an individual research project course - your master’s degree project (60 credits, ECTS) – which should be conducted at one of the Consortium Universities or at one, to the Consortium University associated partners from industry, authorities or public body. 

To facilitate student networking, academic integration and to create group cohesion, joint seminars will be arranged and open seminars and activities will be announced to all students throughout the programme.

The local master thesis rules and procedures of the chosen university will apply. In preparation for the degree project all students must have taken a relevant methodology course, either during their bachelor’s degree or during the first year of the MAR-BIO programme.

After successful completion of the programme, students can apply for and be awarded master’s degrees from at least two of the Consortium Universities where they have been admitted. The Consortium Universities will each issue a degree certificate (including a diploma supplement). 

The student have the possibility to structure the programme in a natural science profile, a social science profile, or a mix, based on the elective courses chosen during the first year as well as the direction of the student master’s thesis. An ISP will be established in communication between the student and a study counsellor. This is to support and guide each individual student in their course choices and to ensure that the student fulfils the requirements for mobility and a degree from two or more of the Consortium Universities.

As the MAR-BIO programme is interdisciplinary in its character, the ISP can cross over between natural sciences and social sciences but the students are also free to choose course profiles focusing mainly on the natural sciences or the social sciences.

During the mandatory courses, the study counsellors will together with the student set up the ISP for each student to support each student’s unique course choices in line with their interests and the courses prerequisites. The ISP will also ensure the 30 credits (ECTS) mobility to be fulfilled. There are more than 50 courses included in the MAR-BIO “smorgasbord”.

The courses are placed at all different positions of the academic year and there are at least 10 recommended courses from each University. Please see the list (that are continuously updated) of all courses, with links to course plans, under "COURSES ON OFFER".

The MAR-BIO programme will educate the next generation of professionals with knowledge and skills in production and utilization of marine bioresources. Knowledge of modern transdisciplinary methods to implement the FAO conventions on responsible fisheries and the ecosystems approach to aquaculture are essential for future ocean professionals.

The programme will foster networking and partnership opportunities by leveraging the partner universities’ extensive connections with stakeholders in the seafood industry, public authorities, and academia. These networks will support MAR-BIO students in building valuable contacts and exploring future career opportunities.

MAR-BIO students will have the possibility to apply for PhD positions at all partner universities.

Many employers within the area of production and utilization of marine bioresources require international collaboration, therefore the mandatory mobility between the three Nordic Universities as well as ample possibilities for other mobility is a valuable qualification for future employments.

The master’s programme in Sustainable Production and Utilisation of Marine Bioresources is a programme at the advanced level and is intended as a continuation of a Bachelor’s degree (180 credits, ECTS) in natural science, social science or arts.

There are three mandatory hybrid courses of 5 credits (ECTS) each (in total 15 credits, ECTS) needed for the degree and 60 credits (ECTS) should be in the form of a degree project at the advanced level. Of the remaining 45 credits (ECTS) of elective courses to be included in the degree, at most 30 credits (ECTS) can be at the basic level. The programme leads to a Degree of Master of Science with a major in Sustainable Production and Utilisation of Marine Bioresources in combination with a master’s degrees from one or both of the Nordic Consortium Universities.

To apply for the master’s programme in Sustainable Production and Utilisation of Marine Bioresources, please go to any of the following admission sites:

• University of Gothenburg: universityadmissions.se
• Nord University, Bodø: applicants from the Nordic countries read here; applicants from non-Nordic countries read here; read more about admission requirements here.
• Holar University: Please contact the Division for Graduate Studies by email, kennsla@holar.is

The programme applies separate admission rounds at each Consortium University according to national and local requirements. All applications passing the requirements will be sent to the programme committee together with the letter of intent for discussion and suggestions on students to be admitted. Admission of students will thereafter be decided by each Consortium University. Student complaints pertaining to admission decisions are handled by each Consortium University according to national and local rules and procedures.

The programme follows the local tuition fee policy of each Consortium University. Student Union fees are charged according to the regular procedures of each Consortium University.

When applicable, students will pay tuition fees, student union or registration fees, directly to the universities involved in their study track according to the universities’ regulations. Total fees charged will vary accordingly. Under no circumstances shall a student be charged double fees for any part of the programme.

The MAR-BIO programme have Erasmus agreements between all Consortium Universities that are open for all programme students to apply.

Read more about Erasmus.
Read more about Erasmus application and selection.
Read more about Erasmus application process. 

There will be possibilities to apply for Erasmus stipends for the required mobility both during the three first mandatory courses and the “long mobility” during the subsequent time of the program.

The application route for the individual courses, which are part of the master's programme, are according to the national and local rules of the Consortium University that offers the course.

University of Gothenburg 

Autumn period 1:
ES2614 Resource efficiency - energy, material flows and ecosystem services,
MAR440 Marine project - From idea to action
MAR461 The sea and society relationship; historical perspectives, present status and future challenges
BIO333 Applied Project in Biology (internship)

Autumn period 2:
ES2611 Environmental management systems,
MAR462 Blue economy and sustainable use of marine resources, 
BIO283 Conservation ecology in water, 
BIO333 Applied Project in Biology (internship)

Autumn period 3:
SK1138 Miljöpolitik i teori och praktik

Autumn period 4:
SK1139 Swedish environmental politics in a comparative perspective

Spring period 1:
BIO560 Animal ecophysiology from a climate perspective,
BIO435 Ecological Toxicology: Physiology,
BIO458 Primary Producers of the Sea,
ES2610 Applied environmental law,
MAR210 Biogeochemical cycles in the sea,
MAR463 European Marine Directives and Policies - an Interdisciplinary Perspective.

Spring period 2:
BIO566 Stream Ecology and Fish Conservation,
BIO267 Marine Biodiversity,
BIO430 Ecological Toxicology: Ecology,
BIO451 Experimental marine ecology,
ES2423 Sustainable development: A case study approach,
MAR450 Chemical Dynamics in the Sea,

Spring period 3 and 4:
SK2221 Environmental politics and institutions
BIO484 Comparative Physiology of Marine Animals including Applications for Aquaculture,
 

Hólar University
If you are interested in any of the below courses – please contact camille@holar.is
Autumn:
FOV5208180, Fish and Water
KOH5306180, Fish Reproduction 
TAB1310120 Topics in Aquatic Biology,
RAB1530120 Research project in Aquatic Biology,
LAB1410120 Literature study in Aquatic Biology,
GSA1102120 Graduate seminar in Aquatic biology
RAD1602 Conference Participation,
MSR1310120 Methods of scientific research
STA1306180 Statistics using R

Spring:
LAB1410120 Literature study in Aquatic Biology 
GSA1102120 Graduate seminar in Aquatic biology
ÞVF3106120 Evolutionary Ecology
RAD1602 Conference Participation
DEL1610120 Developmental Biology of Fishes
TAB1310120 Topics in Aquatic Biology
UMF5706200 Environmental issues of Aquaculture
SOH1604200 Health and hygiene
SOV1506200 Harvest and Processing
AFV3106120 Behavioural Ecology

Nord University Bodø
Autumn:
BI300F Scientific Communication and Research methods
BI317F Evolutionary Genetics
BIO5001 Fish Physiology
BIO5005 Aquaculture production and environmental impacts
BIO5006 Sustainable Aquaculture
BIO5008 Enviromental pollution and ecotoxicology
ECO2009 Sustainability in practice
ENT5008 Social and Sustainable Entrepreneurship
VT308E Research Theory and Methods

Spring:
AK310F Aquatic Animal Health
AK320F Aquaculture Nutrition
BI311F Aquatic Genomic and Bioinformatics
BIO5007: Aquatic biodiversity and Biogeography
BI312F Biophysical interactions
BI313F Ecosystem Resilience
BI322F RNA Biology
DR443F Principles in Animal Experimentation
BIO2002 Marine Macrophytes
ECO5017 Circular Economy 
EN313E International Governance and Business in the High North

Spring and Autumn:
BI307F Individual Curriculum
BI308F Individual Curriculum