Cambridge IGCSE Marine Science | Study Online Starting Today

Course Content

Areas of Study in iGCSE Marine Science 2027 - 2029

Human Influences on Marine Environment 32 lessons

Aquaculture and Energy 8 lessons

1 Aquaculture Importance

2 Aquaculture Species and Systems

3 Aquaculture Production Methods

4 Endangered Species Restocking

5 Oil Extraction and Transportation

6 Oil Spill Impacts and Response

7 Fossil Fuel Advantages and Disadvantages

8 Renewable Ocean Energy

Human Interactions Overview 8 lessons

1 Marine Ecosystem Importance to Humans

2 Human Impact Categories

3 Endangered Species and Extinction

4 Sustainability Concepts

5 Recreation and Tourism Impacts

6 Resource Extraction Effects

7 Infrastructure Development Impacts

8 Case Study Analysis

Pollution and Conservation 4 lessons

1 Plastic Pollution and Microplastics

2 Eutrophication Process

3 Climate Change and Ocean Effects

4 Conservation Strategies and Final Review

Tourism and Fisheries 12 lessons

1 Tourism Socio-Economic Importance

2 Ecotourism Principles

3 Positive and Negative Tourism Impacts

4 Marine Protected Areas

5 Tourism Impact Reduction Strategies

6 Fisheries Social and Economic Importance

7 Fishing Method Evaluation

8 Navigational Aids in Fishing

9 Overfishing and Sustainability

10 Sustainable Harvesting Strategies

11 Fish Aggregating Devices

12 International Fishing Agreements

Marine Ecology 56 lessons

Coastal Ecosystems 20 lessons

1 Rocky Shore Zonation

2 Rocky Shore Environmental Factors

3 Biotic and Abiotic Factors on Rocky Shores

4 Rocky Shore Organism Adaptations

5 Macroalgae Adaptations

6 Mollusc and Cnidarian Adaptations

7 Sedimentary Shore Types

8 Sandy vs Muddy Shore Features

9 Sandy Shore Environmental Factors

10 Burrowing Organism Adaptations

11 Mangrove Forest Structure

12 Mangrove Abiotic Factor Changes

13 Mangrove Tree Adaptations

14 Mangrove Animal Adaptations

15 Tropical Coral Reef Structure

16 Coral Polyp Anatomy and Function

17 Coral-Zooxanthellae Relationship

18 Coral Reef Environmental Factors

19 Coral Reef Organism Adaptations

20 Atoll Formation Theory

Ecosystem Components 12 lessons

1 Ecological Terminology - Species and Populations

2 Community and Habitat Concepts

3 Environment and Ecosystem Definitions

4 Population Growth Factors

5 Marine Ecosystem Types

6 Open-Ocean vs Coastal Ecosystems

7 Coastal Ecosystem Vulnerability

8 Nutrient Run-off and Productivity

9 Marine Ecosystem Services

10 Human Dependence on Marine Ecosystems

11 Ecosystem Health Indicators

12 Assessment and Review

Investigating Ecosystems 10 lessons

1 Practical: Quadrat Sampling Methods

2 Practical: Line and Belt Transects

3 Practical: Shore Profile Measurement

4 Practical: Sediment Particle Analysis

5 Practical: Moisture Content Measurement

6 Data Collection and Recording

7 Statistical Analysis of Ecological Data

8 Species Richness Calculations

9 Distribution Pattern Analysis

10 Practical Assessment and Review

Open-Ocean Ecosystem 14 lessons

1 Pelagic and Benthic Zones

2 Sunlight Zone Characteristics

3 Twilight Zone Conditions

4 Midnight Zone Environment

5 Plankton Communities

6 Phytoplankton Types and Roles

7 Zooplankton Diversity

8 Sunlight Zone Biomass

9 Adaptations in Sunlight and Twilight Zones

10 Deep-Sea Adaptations

11 Benthic Species Adaptations

12 Vertical Migration Patterns

13 Open-Ocean Food Webs

14 Assessment and Case Studies

Marine Organisms 52 lessons

Cell Structure and Function 10 lessons

1 Plant Cell Structure and Components

2 Animal Cell Structure and Components

3 Bacterial Cell Structure

4 Cell Structure Identification Practice

5 Cell Function Analysis

6 Microscopy and Cell Observation

7 Cell Structure Comparison

8 Practical: Cell Identification

9 Cell Structure Drawing and Labelling

10 Assessment and Review

Life Cycles and Migration 18 lessons

1 Leatherback Turtle Life Cycle - Part 1

2 Leatherback Turtle Life Cycle - Part 2

3 Coral Polyp Life Cycle - Asexual Reproduction

4 Coral Polyp Life Cycle - Sexual Reproduction

5 Migration Concepts and Reasons

6 Three-Dimensional Marine Migration

7 Daily Vertical Migration Patterns

8 Long-Distance Horizontal Migration

9 Navigation Methods in Marine Animals

10 Magnetic Field Navigation

11 Celestial Navigation

12 Chemical and Landmark Navigation

13 Case Studies in Marine Migration

14 Migration Route Mapping

15 Human Impact on Migration

16 Conservation of Migratory Species

17 Practical: Migration Pattern Analysis

18 Theme 3 Comprehensive Assessment

Plant and Protoctist Kingdoms 10 lessons

1 Seagrass Characteristics and Features

2 Kelp Structure and Function

3 Dinoflagellate Features

4 Diatom Characteristics

5 Marine Plant Adaptations

6 Protoctist Diversity

7 Photosynthesis in Marine Organisms

8 Practical: Marine Plant Observation

9 Marine Primary Producer Comparison

10 Assessment and Review

Reproduction and Classification 14 lessons

1 Asexual Reproduction in Marine Organisms

2 Sexual Reproduction Processes

3 Marine Organism Classification Systems

4 Binomial Naming System

5 Three Domains of Life

6 Eukarya Kingdoms in Marine Habitats

7 Animal Kingdom Features

8 Marine Vertebrate Groups

9 Fish External Features and Functions

10 Marine Invertebrate Classification

11 Practical: Specimen Identification

12 Dichotomous Key Construction

13 Magnification Calculations

14 Assessment and Practical Work

Nutrients and Energy 36 lessons

Feeding Relationships 10 lessons

1 Sun as Energy Source

2 Food Chain Construction

3 Food Web Networks

4 Trophic Levels and Consumer Types

5 Primary, Secondary, and Tertiary Consumers

6 Herbivores, Carnivores, and Omnivores

7 Decomposers and Detritivores

8 Predator-Prey Relationships

9 Energy Loss in Food Chains

10 Pyramids of Numbers, Biomass, and Energy

Nutrients and Respiration 14 lessons

1 Nutrient Definition and Functions

2 Practical: Food Tests for Starch and Sugars

3 Practical: Food Tests for Proteins and Lipids

4 Major Nutrient Group Functions

5 Essential Elements in Marine Organisms

6 Nutrient Cycling in Marine Ecosystems

7 Bacterial Decomposers and Nutrient Cycling

8 Cellular Respiration Process

9 Aerobic Respiration Word Equation

10 Respiration vs Gas Exchange

11 Practical: Energy Release from Food

12 Marine Organism Energy Requirements

13 Nutrient Availability in Ocean Zones

14 Assessment and Practical Review

Photosynthesis and Productivity 12 lessons

1 Photosynthesis Process and Components

2 Chlorophyll and Light Energy Transfer

3 Marine Primary Producers

4 Photosynthesis Word Equation

5 Practical: Light Intensity Effects on Photosynthesis

6 Marine Productivity Concepts

7 Upwelling and Coastal Productivity

8 Factors Affecting Marine Productivity

9 Primary Production Measurement

10 Global Marine Productivity Patterns

11 Seasonal Productivity Changes

12 Assessment and Data Analysis

Sea Water 40 lessons

Dissolved Gases and Density 14 lessons

1 Oxygen and Carbon Dioxide in Seawater

2 Gas Solubility in Water

3 Temperature Effects on Gas Solubility

4 Practical: Gas Solubility Experiments

5 Density Formula and Calculations

6 Practical: Temperature Effects on Water Density

7 Practical: Salinity Effects on Water Density

8 Convection Current Formation

9 Particle Theory and Density Changes

10 Water Layering by Density

11 Effects of Increasing Ocean Depth

12 Light Penetration and Secchi Disc Use

13 Pressure, Temperature, and Oxygen Changes

14 Upwelling and El Nino Phenomena

pH and Salinity 14 lessons

1 Elements, Compounds, and Mixtures

2 pH Scale and Neutrality

3 Practical: Testing pH of Different Waters

4 Carbon Dioxide Effects on Seawater pH

5 Seawater Composition and Salts

6 Solvent, Solute, and Solution Concepts

7 Practical: Temperature Effects on Solubility

8 Salinity Measurement and Units

9 Global Ocean and Sea Salinity Variations

10 Environmental Factors Affecting Salinity

11 Estuary Formation and Characteristics

12 Tidal Effects on Estuary Salinity

13 Practical Salinity Investigations

14 Assessment and Review

The Water Cycle 12 lessons

1 Particle Theory and States of Matter

2 Temperature and Kinetic Energy

3 Diffusion and Particle Movement

4 Changes of State Processes

5 Energy Changes During State Changes

6 Practical: Ice Melting Effects on Water Level

7 The Water Cycle Components

8 Evaporation, Condensation, and Precipitation

9 Surface Run-off Processes

10 Factors Affecting Ocean Evaporation

11 Water Cycle in Marine Environments

12 Assessment and Practical Work

The Earth and its Oceans 44 lessons

Oceans and Seas 12 lessons

1 The Five Major Oceans

2 Ocean Identification and Mapping

3 The World Ocean Concept

4 Ocean Extent and Depth Statistics

5 Seas vs Oceans Classification

6 Continental Shelf Geomorphology

7 Continental Slope and Abyssal Plains

8 Mid-Ocean Ridges

9 Ocean Trenches and Volcanic Islands

10 Latitude and Longitude Coordinates

11 Tropical, Polar, and Temperate Regions

12 Assessment and Map Work

Plate Tectonics 12 lessons

1 Introduction to Tectonic Plates

2 Convection Currents and Plate Movement

3 Supercontinent Breakup and Continental Drift

4 Convergent Plate Boundaries

5 Divergent Plate Boundaries

6 Transform Plate Boundaries

7 Earthquakes and Volcanic Activity

8 Tsunami Formation Mechanisms

9 Tsunami Effects on Marine Ecosystems

10 Tsunami Impact on Coastal Communities

11 Case Studies in Plate Tectonics

12 Assessment and Review

Structure of the Earth 8 lessons

1 Introduction to Earth as a Planet

2 Earth's Orbit and Gravitational Forces

3 The Earth's Core Structure

4 The Earth's Mantle and Magma

5 The Earth's Crust Composition

6 Earth's Magnetic Field Formation

7 Review and Practical Applications

8 Assessment and Consolidation

Tides and Currents 12 lessons

1 Gravitational Effects of Moon and Sun

2 High and Low Tide Formation

3 Spring and Neap Tides

4 Measuring Tidal Amplitude

5 Ocean Current Formation

6 Wind and Earth's Rotation Effects

7 Ocean Gyres and Circulation

8 Five Major Oceanic Gyres

9 Rip Current Formation and Dangers

10 Measuring Current Speed and Direction

11 Practical Ocean Current Experiments

12 Theme 1 Comprehensive Review

Frequently Asked Questions

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Practice questions
Knowledge check quizzes
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Contacting local schools, colleges, or sixth forms
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Considering private exam centres

We provide a helpful guide on our website with step-by-step instructions for finding and booking exam centres.

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Our students have a 97% success rate, with many achieving grades 7-9 (A*-A equivalent). Success depends on consistent study, engagement with materials, and effective exam preparation.

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Marine Science

Course fee: £49

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Areas of Study in iGCSE Marine Science 2027 - 2029

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