Application Deadline: Open
The Master of Science in Integrated Coastal and Ocean Management provides appropriate training and research experience to support sustainable use and rehabilitation of our coasts and oceans. This programme within the Advanced Centre for Coastal and Oceanic Research and Development (ACCORD) targets students interested in a specific career path in Coastal and Ocean Management and ensures theoretical and practical knowledge and experience that will be relevant to national, regional and international development and enterprise. Training also provides a hands-on approach to leading edge techniques and technologies and assists improvement of life skills that will support entrepreneurship.
Programme Credits: 36
Full Time; Two (2) year and Part Time; Three (3) years
| COURSE CODE | COURSE TITLE | NO. OF CREDITS |
|---|---|---|
| COOS5001 | Tropical Marine Ecosystems | 3.0 |
| COOS5001: TROPICAL MARINE ECOSYSTEMS This course provides students with the knowledgeofmarineecosystemdynamics, in relation to biotic communities, energy flow, sensitivity to disturbance, current threats, and key components. This course aims to integrate physical, chemical and biological factors to achieve an understanding in tropical marine dynamics. This course will address advance topics in: aquatic ecology (ocean and coastal water column), coastal ecology (coral reef, mangrove seagrasses, rocky shore, beaches), and substrates (offshore rock, and sediments). | ||
| STAT6001 | Statistical Data Analysis | 3.0 |
| STAT6001: STATISTICAL DATA ANALYSIS This course focuses on basic concepts and methods of statistics and their application to problems in the Environmental, Marine, and Biological sciences. Topics include graphical and numerical descriptions and summarisation of data, basic probability theory, probability distributions, point and confidence interval estimation, and hypothesis testing with emphasis on one- and two- sample comparisons involving continuousandcategoricaldata.Correlation, simple linear regression, and analysis of variance will be introduced. Components of sampling design will be discussed, as well as the sampling protocols and methods for the three main environmental spheres (air, soil, water). Students will be involved in applied work through statistical computing using relevant software. | ||
| ELECTIVES | ||
| COOS5004 | Marine Pollution | 3.0 |
| COOS5004: MARINE POLLUTION This course will introduce students to the scientific principles and theory related to pollution in the marine environment. Topics will include the sources and nature of pollutants and their detection through chemical and biomarker means. The effects of different types of pollution on marine and estuarine organisms, biotic communities and humans will be examined with reference to case studies. The course will include examination of eutrophication, runoff (including sediments), toxins (industrial, agricultural, domestic), hydrocarbons, solid waste, pathogens, bioaccumulation, ecotoxicology, transport of pollutants, importance of hydrology modelling and the various management and mitigation issues surrounding the subject. | ||
| COOS5005 | Coastal and Oceanic Applications of GIS | 3.0 |
| COOS5005: COASTAL AND OCEAN APPLICATIONS OF GIS This course would introduce the foundational concepts and theories behind geographic information systems (GIS), as well as provide practical training in using and applying GIS tools/software. It will present different aspects of a GIS towards addressing environmental issues, problem solving and decision support. Students will arn the properties of spatial data, the integration of spatial and non-spatial data using GIS software on a desktop PC, and how to research and answer environmental questions using GIS. The course will consist of lectures covering theoretical background and concepts, tutorials to learn the use of GIS software, and assignments involving problem solving and analysis. This course incorporates computer lab time. | ||
Total Credits: 9
| COURSE CODE | COURSE TITLE | NO. OF CREDITS |
|---|---|---|
| COOS5002 | Post-graduate Seminar | 3.0 |
| COOS5002: MARINE ENVIRONMENTAL LAW AND POLICY This course will provide postgraduate students with an introduction to the principles underlying international environmental law as these apply to coastal and oceanic issues. Coverage will include consideration of State Sovereignty with respect to territorial waters and the natural resources contained therein. Principles governing the management of shared and common properties and the obligation of states to cooperate with respect to the same will be covered with reference to case studies and the development of international conventions and agreements. The idea of “sustainable development” and how this has become a central theme in international environmental law will be examined. Legal aspects relating to climate change and the North/South divide and how existing principles and differences in global environmental standards impact the conception of international law will be examined. Application of the “precautionary approach” to legal frameworks that consider issues of uncertainty (e.g., climate change, fished stocks) shall be analysed and its use evaluated with reference to case studies. The relevance of environmental law to impact assessments and the need for harmonisation of international regulations as these relate to economic activities, transboundary pollution, biodiversity and human rights will be examined. | ||
| COOS6005 | Marine Environmental Law and Policy | 3.0 |
| COOS6005: POSTGRADUATE SEMINAR This unit is designed to develop and improve student’s ability in proposal writing, critical analysis of written documents (such as technical papers, peer reviewed articles), report writing, presentation, communication and public relations skills. It will build on interpersonal and team building skills as well as cultivate effective oral and written communication skills. This course has two primary foci (individual and group): 1. Individual - writing individual research/project proposals, planning, and management, critical analysis of written documents, and fundamentals of presentation skills. Students will be expected to prepare proposals and documents, critique and debate documents and contemporary issues. 2. Group - introduction to project management techniques, project planning framework, improving research output, communication and public relations skills, effective presentations, communicating with a diverse audience, negotiating and conflict resolution. Students will be expected to prepare various documents and presentations, work in assigned groups/teams, and given realist challenges that they will face as Principle Investigators and/or managers. | ||
| ELECTIVES | ||
| MGMT6001 | Entrepreneurship and Transferable Skills | 4.5 |
| MGMT6001: ENTREPRENEURSHIP AND TRANSFERABLE SKILLS The module centers on the role and process of entrepreneurship and includes several business components such as conceptualizing, creating and managing a business. The module is built around the graduates creating a business plan pitch based on the Cambridge £1K competition. he module starts with creativity exercises to discuss the balance of idea vs opportunity generation and the graduates are required to come up with viable ideas to use as cases in the module. The elements of entrepreneurship are discussed, and the graduates are taken through the process from simple finance to the steps involved in developing a business plan. Separate sessions are held on different business models and structures and the early stages of setting up a business. The framework of IP is discussed. Invited external guests are used in seminar settings to act as role models and to discuss the T&T context of legal frameworks, financing and legalities. | ||
| COOS5006 | Remote Sensing Coasts and Oceans | 3.0 |
| COOS5006: MARINE RESEARCH TOOLS AND TECHNIQUES This course provides students with practical knowledge, skills and techniques required to carry out a major project in marine research, including contributions to the design and conduct of such a project. Special attention is paid to experimental design and methods currently utilised at research institutions for sampling and assessing marine environments and habitats. Environments to be sampled will include terrestrial, coastal, estuarine and the land/ water interfaces. In addition, specific habitats in marine and nearshore waters (e.g. coral reefs, seagrasses, mangroves), offshore, pelagic, and benthic zones will be addressed. This course will include lectures, practical and field exercises where applicable. | ||
| COOS5003 | Tropical Aquaculture | 3.0 |
| COOS5003: TROPICAL AQUACULTURE This course provides a broad overview of all aspects of tropical aquaculture and will provide students with a comprehensive and practical introduction to principles, practices and management of tropical aquaculture systems. It will introduce students to the production of economically important aquatic animals for food, recreation, commercial products and ecosystem management and spans various disciplines including nutrition, growth, reproduction, health management, husbandry, engineering and economics relevant to overall aquaculture production. It will explore captive breeding and artificial rearing, and the maintenance of organisms under controlled conditions. This course is designed to increase the student’s technical and managerial competencies in production aquaculture. | ||
Total Credits: 19
| COURSE CODE | COURSE TITLE | NO. OF CREDITS |
|---|---|---|
| COOS6001 | Marine Research Tools and Techniques | 3.0 |
| ELECTIVES | ||
| COOS6002 | Tropical Fisheries Management | 3.0 |
| COOS6002: TROPICAL FISHERIES MANAGEMENT This course provides students with an overview of the approach and process of tropical fisheries management with an emphasis on a system-based method. Students will examine quantitative methods of fisheries assessment and discuss management options and how regulations can be used to achieve specific economic, social and biological objectives. In addition, this course will expose students to current primary literature related to fisheries management. | ||
| COOS6003 | MPAs, Parks and Tourism Management | 3.0 |
| COOS6003: MPAS, PARKS AND TOURISM MANAGEMENT This course investigates Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) and Marine Parks in relation to their use in promoting sustainable tourism. After briefly describing the other functions of MPAs (e.g. Fisheries Management) the interests of tourists in marine life and processes are described anda tourism value placed on biodiversity (e.g. fishes, corals, birds) and system function (e.g. beach sand regeneration, coastal protection). Methods for estimating the success of MPA management in the conservation of resources are discussed. The economic value of tourism in the Caribbean is reviewed to assist in the valuation of resources within MPAs. Case studies from the Caribbean region and elsewhere are used to outline the range of management practices, including co- management, and to gain a pragmatic understanding of best practice in the face of competing demands. The role of legal processes in MPA establishment and support is also discussed. | ||
| MGMT6002 | Innovation and Technology Management | 5.5 |
| MGMT6002: INNOVATION AND TECHNOLOGY MANAGEMENT Thebusinessenvironmentformanufacturing industry is changing significantly due to the accelerating rate of innovation and technological change. Anticipating the impact of emerging technologies and innovations is a critically important task for companies today. Technology lies at the heart of any manufacturing company – whether used in making the products or forming an integral part of the products themselves. In the context of an increasing dependence on successful innovation to sustain and enhance business competitiveness, the sourcing of new technologies is a key aspect for many companies. Manufacturing graduates need a good understanding of the tools, techniques and skills needed to manage innovation, balancing both technological and commercial drivers for change. This course provides participants with frameworks for technology and innovation management, so that they can evaluate technologies and innovations and propose how these could be managed to deliver sustainable commercial benefits. It enables the participants to understand how to apply their knowledge and skills in any of the broad range of organizations working in the technology and innovation field from large corporations and research organizations to university spinouts and new start-ups. | ||
Total Credits: 9
| COURSE CODE | COURSE TITLE | NO. OF CREDITS |
|---|---|---|
| COOS6004 | Coasts, Oceans and Climate Change | 3.0 |
| COOS6004: COASTS, OCEANS AND CLIMATE CHANGE This course provides students with an understanding of the causes of climate change and of the numerous possible consequences that these changes may have on coastal and oceanic environments. The uncertainty surrounding climate change predictions, both in terms of their extent and geography, will be discussed. Direct physical and indirect biological and ecological impacts of climate change will be considered. Necessary adaptations by human coastal communities and their vulnerability to the probable effects of climate change will be examined in context to a broad range of coastal management issues. Biologicalandecologicaladaptations as well as potential future consequences of climatic perturbations will be described for selected marine ecosystems. | ||
| COOS6006 | Integrated Coastal and Ocean Management | 3.0 |
| COOS6007 | Marine Research Project | 3.0 |
Total Credits: 9
TOTAL CREDITS REQUIRED FOR COMPLETION: 36
Programme Officers/Admin Asst
Andrea Brache: 868-682-0741
Academic
Amalia Hosein: 868-775-2895

