University of St Andrews online Sustainable Aquaculture courses begin in January

Aquaculture is one of the world's fastest growing industries, with an average growth rate of over eight percent per year for the past ten years. For those who have been working in the sector for most of their career the opportunity to grow their knowledge and progress has always been hindered with a need to remain with the 'day job'.

Image credit: Tristan Schmurr on Flickr
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The Undergraduate Certificate course in Sustainable Aquaculture from the University of St Andrews is the ideal steppingstone for career progression in this fast-paced evolving sector. Successful postgraduates can typically pursue a career in higher-level management, research and development, or business development within the global aquaculture business.

The modular course has been developed to be delivered 100 percent online via part-time distance learning with tutorial support, direct email contact with tutors, video streams and access to student bulletin boards. Providing the flexibility to enjoy a work-life balance while improving learning with practical advice and skills focused on the global aquaculture industry alongside fish and invertebrate biology.

No previous study of aquaculture is required, and there are a number of entry routes to study available – experience in the sector could prove very valuable. To obtain the Undergraduate Certificate, students are required to complete a minimum of three modules, two core and one optional.

The core modules include:

• Module 1: The Global Aquaculture Industry: introduces the concept and definition of aquaculture and describes the global industry in the main production regions. Also considers the concept of sustainability, outlining the major environmental, social and economic factors contributing to this.
• Module 2: Fish and Invertebrate Biology: addresses the essential aspects of fish and invertebrate biology, including the anatomy and physiology of the circulatory, respiratory, nervous, digestive, sensory, endocrine and reproductive systems. The module also looks at the life cycle of invertebrate and vertebrate aquaculture species.

For the third module students pick from one of the following three options:

• Aquaculture: Products and Markets: provides an understanding of the diversity of species, value of markets and the global trade of aquaculture products for finfish and invertebrates, including the importance of value added and niche products.
• Aquaculture Nutrition: provides an introduction to the anatomy, physiology and nutritional requirements of key fish and invertebrate species. It also assesses the sustainability of feed production technology and discusses the relationship between nutrition and fish health.
• Aquaculture Health: provides an introduction to the disease processes in cultured fish and invertebrates including viral, bacterial, parasitic and non-infectious disease. The module also looks at the importance of management in minimising the impact of disease and optimising cultured species welfare and sustainability.

The Undergraduate certificate qualification takes 44 weeks (part-time) to complete with students typically spending around four hours per week studying. Assessment is through a combination of coursework and online examinations.

Applications are now invited for the January 2022 enrolment.

If you would like to find out more about the exciting Undergraduate Certificate course, including entry requirements and fees, visit the website, HERE.

The Aquaculturists

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