Local Students: 12:00 noon (GMT +8), June 27, 2025Non-local Students: 12:00 noon (GMT +8), April 30, 2025
Description
Full Time (one year; including regular evening classes and occasional classes during the daytime and on Saturday or Sunday. Online teaching and learning may be adopted if it is needed or if face-to-face mode is not possible.)
Programme Highlights MSc in Integrative Marine Ecology and Conservation (IMEC) aims to train a new generation of skilled environmental practitioners specialising in ocean science and policy. The programme covers six core themes, including biodiversity, fisheries, biogeochemistry, conservation, mariculture and restoration. Courses will be held at the state-of-the-art Swire Institute of Marine Science, with intensive one-month modules led by visiting professors. Students can choose from three tracks— research, non-governmental organization or entrepreneurship— and pursue electives and a capstone project.
Target Students The IMEC programme strives to deliver a comprehensive learning experience by engaging top international experts to guide students through problem-based learning and exposing them to cutting-edge science, technology and policies for sustainable ocean management. The student-centred curriculum is designed to equip students from diverse backgrounds with foundational knowledge and offer opportunities for customised experiences through research or internships. Extensive internship opportunities with local partners are anticipated, and workshops and guest lectures will provide students with a wide range of transferable skills. The programme aligns with the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals, particularly focusing on climate action and life below water. It also aims to address critical environmental issues in the South China Sea through multi-disciplinary cooperation and forward-thinking strategies. IMEC offers three distinct career paths in academic research, government/NGO work and entrepreneurship, catering to the evolving demands in the field of ocean conservation and sustainability.
Expected degree conferment will take place in November / December 2026 (Winter Congregation)
The Swire Institute of Marine Science: An Introduction
Marine Biodiversity Projects at SWIMS
Entrance Requirements
A Bachelor's degree in any field. Work experience is useful but not essential.
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As one of the world's premier science faculties, the Faculty of Science boasts a long history of excellence in basic research across a broad spectrum of research expertise. We have about 150 renowned scientists, 500 postgraduate students and comparable numbers of postdoctoral researchers and research staff. In recent years, the Faculty has also placed increasing emphasis on and achieved remarkable progress in applied and strategic areas of research.
The goal of the Faculty is to train the next generation of scientists and scientifically aware graduates and through its teaching and research to add significantly to scientific knowledge and practice.
The Faculty comprises the School of Biological Sciences and five Departments, namely, Chemistry, Earth Sciences, Mathematics, Physics, and Statistics and Actuarial Science. Five of our Faculty members are members of Chinese Academy of Sciences (accumulated number) and many are recipients of national and international awards and fellowships.
We have a State Key Laboratory in Synthetic Chemistry and three Areas of Excellence in research funded by the Research Grants Council, they are in the areas of Theory, Modeling and Simulation of Emerging Electronics, Chemical Biology Approach to Molecular Medicine and Molecular Functional Materials. We also have five interdisciplinary research units: The HKU-TCL Joint Research Centre for Artificial Intelligence, The HKU-UCAS Joint Institute of Theoretical and Computational Physics, The Institute of Mathematical Research, the Laboratory for Space Research, and The Swire Institute of Marine Science.