Explore the oceans in this free online course and learn how marine life is crucial to ecosystems and our survival.

Evolutionary theory suggests that life on Earth originated in the sea. Marine organisms provide clues to our planet’s natural and human history that we still strive to understand. This course teaches you about the oceans and their impact on all life on Earth. Our first module introduces you to marine biology and its history while establishing the importance of the field. We then compare the characteristics of each significant ocean basin and discuss topics like the sea's salinity, oceanic ecology and marine microbes.

The course’s second module examines marine vertebrates and invertebrates. The seas are teeming with various species of marine life, from minuscule worms to enormous squids, and each fits a specific niche in their ecosystem. We discuss marine populations and their communities and lay out the characteristics and distribution of these communities. The course then explores the environmental factors affecting the distribution of marine organisms.

Producers and consumers are linked in every ecosystem by feeding relationships known as ‘food chains’. This course explains who plays what role at each level of the ‘food web’. The greatest threat to today’s marine life is Earth’s human population and we establish the urgent need to manage and protect this environment as even the vast oceans are vulnerable to the effects of human activity. A career in marine biology offers an exciting opportunity to study life in the ocean. It can take you to research stations anywhere in the world, which are often found in breathtaking locations. This course is not just for marine biologists but suits anyone interested in studying ocean life and appreciating its significance.