Sustainable Aquaculture - online 2025 and 2026 entry

Designed to develop students’ critical understanding of environmentally and economically sustainable practices in aquaculture productions and is aimed at those seeking professional development while working in or aspiring to work in the global aquaculture sector.

Application deadline: Monday 1 September 2025 for September entry

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Starts

January or September

Duration

Between one and five years depending on the level of study

Fees

MSc: £18,000PGDip: £12,000PGCert: £6,000

Why study this course?

The Sustainable Aquaculture online course will teach you contemporary approaches to marine and land-based aquaculture, including operational best practice, engineering solutions, health and safety, animal welfare, and sustainability.

The programme will help you to understand how to embed sustainability in all aspects of aquaculture, from production to markets.

The modular course structure will allow you to tailor the learning material to your professional needs and main interests.

The content will be distributed over multiple weeks, granting you the flexibility to tailor your learning experience to your existing schedule.

Discussion forums will provide opportunities for discussion and exchange of ideas with your peers and tutors.

Key information

  • Modular, PGCert, PGDip and MSc options are available for self-paced study
  • An adaptive learning approach lets you focus on either or both vertebrate and invertebrate aquaculture production
  • Start in September (PGCert, PGDip, MSc and Modular study) or January (PGCert and Modular study)

Teaching

Delivered using a combination of video lectures, online presentations, handouts, tutorials, guided reading, online discussions, self-assessment, and problem-solving tasks.

Resources

All the course resources and reading material will be available through the University's online learning platform, Moodle.

Dissertation

Students on the MSc course will complete a dissertation. Projects with an employer or sponsor are welcomed (subject to eligibility).

Modules

Undergraduates at the University of St Andrews must achieve at least 7.0 on the St Andrews 20-point grade scale to pass a module.

To gain access to Honours-level modules, students must achieve the relevant requisites as specified in the policy on entry to Honours and in the relevant programme requirements.

To find out the classification equivalent of points, please see the common reporting scale.

For more details, including weekly contact hours, teaching methods and assessment, please see the module catalogue. The modules are examples from previous academic years and may be subject to change before you start your course.

    What it will lead to

    Careers

    • Develop an understanding of best practice in sustainable aquaculture
    • Cultivate your leadership skills and your ability to reflect on feedback, manage projects, and persevere in the face of challenges
    • Improve your understanding of aquaculture production, while learning to think creatively and to use your knowledge to formulate, design and develop innovative approaches to sustainable best practice

    We are committed to supporting your career aspirations, whatever stage your career is at. Our Careers Centre can help connect you to our extensive global alumni community for advice and mentoring, as well as offering career coaching, bespoke workshops, employer connections, experiences, and application support.  

    Our International Education and Lifelong Learning Institute can also support you with academic and professional skills development. The University's Entrepreneurship Centre offers start-up support for those looking to freelance as well as create their own business. 

    Why St Andrews?

    Wherever you are, you can take St Andrews with you. Online Masters at the University of St Andrews combine all the benefits of studying at one of the world's oldest and best universities, with all the advantages of flexible, personalised learning.

    Alumni

    Whether you join us online or in person, when you graduate you become a member of the University's worldwide alumni community. Benefit from access to alumni clubs, the Saint Connect networking and mentoring platform, and careers support.

    Entry requirements

    The qualifications listed are indicative minimum requirements for entry. Some academic Schools will ask applicants to achieve significantly higher marks than the minimum. Obtaining the listed entry requirements will not guarantee you a place, as the University considers all aspects of every application including, where applicable, the writing sample, personal statement, and supporting documents.

    Application requirements

    • CV that includes your personal details with a history of your education and employment to date 
    • two original signed references (at least one academic)
    • academic transcripts and degree certificates
    • personal statement 

    For more guidance, see supporting documents and references for postgraduate taught programmes.

    If you do not have a degree

    We will consider applicants who do not have an undergraduate degree. In these circumstances we expect candidates to have at least five years of relevant professional learning. The Admissions team will holistically assess your application and determine the best route of entry for you. In some cases, this may be onto the PGCert in the first instance where students will have the opportunity to progress and graduate with a full Masters degree.

    For more guidance, see supporting documents and references for postgraduate taught programmes.

    English language proficiency

    If English is not your first language, you may need to provide an English language test score to evidence your English language ability. See approved English language tests and scores for this course.

    Fees and funding

    MSc: £18,000
    PGDip: £12,000
    PGCert: £6,000

    Before we can begin processing your application, a payment of an application fee of £50 is required. In some instances, you may be eligible for an application fee waiver. Details of this, along with information on our tuition fees, can be found on the postgraduate fees and funding page.

    Scholarships and funding

    We are committed to supporting you through your studies, regardless of your financial circumstances.

    Successful entrants starting online studies at Masters level can apply for scholarships of up to £6000 towards the course fees. 

    Marine Mammal Science scholarships

    Legal notices

    Admission to the University of St Andrews is governed by our Admissions policy

    Information about all programmes from previous years of entry can be found in the course archive.

    Curriculum development

    As a research intensive institution, the University ensures that its teaching references the research interests of its staff, which may change from time to time. As a result, programmes are regularly reviewed with the aim of enhancing students' learning experience. Our approach to course revision is described online.

    Tuition fees

    The University will clarify compulsory fees and charges it requires any student to pay at the time of offer. The offer will also clarify conditions for any variation of fees. The University’s approach to fee setting is described online.

    Page last updated: 20 March 2025