BSc (Hons) Aquaculture and Fishery Management Degree

BSc (Hons) Aquaculture and Fishery Management Degree

The programme has been designed to meet the increasing demands of the aquaculture and freshwater fishery management industries for employees educated to degree level.

These industries and support services require technologists and managers with the necessary applied scientific knowledge, managerial skills and ability for independent thought and analysis.

Teaching and Learning

The course combines a balance of scientific, managerial, and practical skills that are developed at an introductory level in Year 1 to independent research and application in Year 3. Subjects studied include water quality; fish anatomy and physiology; fishery management and ecology; aquaculture; fish health and nutrition; business and environmental management.

Integrated within the course are extended periods of practical/industrial work experience. Recent placements have included: carp fisheries in Spain and France; salmon farms in Tasmania and New Zealand; goldfish farm in the United States; Royal aquariums in the Middle East; research into ornamental fish welfare in the Philippines; Coral Cay Foundation in Fiji; bass and bream farms in the Mediterranean and research for the Natal Shark Board, South Africa.

Closer to home the College has an extensive database of potential placements within the UK including public aquariums, coarse and game fisheries, government fishery laboratories, and numerous fish farms.

During the third year of the course, close links with the industry enable the funding of a study tour visiting fishery and aquaculture operations elsewhere in Europe.

Assessment Methods and Research Opportunities

Assessment at stages one and two is primarily by formal examination and coursework which includes practical portfolios, laboratory reports, case studies, and essay style assignments. At stage three there is a greater emphasis on group projects and independent research.

The College’s fish-holding facilities and extensive industry contacts provide an excellent resource to undertake cutting-edge scientific research.

What grades will I need?

GCSE Maths and English at Grade C or above or L2 Functional skills in Maths and English.

• Three A Level passes, including two at Grade C or above – one A Level C should be in a Science
• or BTEC Extended Diploma at DMM
• or City & Guilds Ext. Diploma at a Merit with at least six units at Distinction or above
• or a Merit profile in a relevant Access course with 45 credits at Level 3.
• Where will it lead me?

Graduates regularly progress to higher-level study, particularly MSc and Ph.D. programmes, whilst others gain employment with a range of industry employers. Recent graduates are employed by aquatic and fishery management consultants, specialist angling publications, tackle and bait manufacturers, public aquaria, Environment Agency, Cefas and as fish farmers and fishery managers.

Sparsholt College Hampshire is one of the leading providers of university-level courses for the land and environment, with a history spanning more than 100 years. Our degree courses are validated by the University of Portsmouth - ranked in the top 2% of Universities worldwide (The Times Higher Education World University Rankings 2014), and our international students benefit from unrivalled facilities spread across a campus that spans almost 400 acres of the beautiful British countryside.

Sparsholt College has an international reputation for attracting students from across the world. These students - from 28 countries and counting - come to Sparsholt to participate in research, and to prepare themselves for global careers in the fields of animal, zoo and horse management, veterinary nursing science, ecology and conservation management, horticulture and fisheries.

The College has a very strong tradition of blending theoretical learning with all of the practical skills that modern industry demands. As a result, Sparsholt students leave the College very well prepared for employment; 91% of our graduates have gone into employment or further study (DLHE 2013). The College also provides a supportive, welcoming environment within which students are able to flourish and achieve their maximum potential. It is a learner-centred approach that we believe contributes considerably to the satisfaction of our students - Sparsholt College had the highest student satisfaction rate (94%) of all the UK land-based Colleges in 2015 (NSS Data).