Master´s Degree in Aquaculture

2024/2025 · 90 credits

What you learn

This Official Master’s has been designed to cover the professional and research needs in all areas related to Aquaculture. To ensure its success, the Master’s combines the academic, professional and research focuses. For this, not only do the three Universities of Galicia’s University System participate (Sistema Universitario Gallego (SUG) but also all the social bodies which are involved in any area in Galicia related to Aquaculture, including training centres (Instituto Gallego de Formación en Aquacultura, IGAFA), research centres (Instituto Español de Oceanografía, IEO in Vigo and Coruña; Instituto de Investigaciones Marinas CSIC, Vigo; Centros de Investigaciones Marinas, CIMA, in Corón and Ribadeo), as well as associations and clusters of companies such as the Cluster de Aquacultura de Galicia and the Organización de Productores de Mejillón de Galicia (OPMEGA)[Galicia’s Organisation of Producers of Mussels] . Theoretical teaching is delivered via video conference from the Faculties of Biology and Science of the 3 Universities and face-to-face in the participating non-university centres. Practical teaching is always delivered face-to-face.

Complete study skills

Professional and academic career

Professional and academic career

Aquaculture is one of the food producing sectors with the greatest potential of growth. According to the FAO, this is the only way to maintain a suitable proportion of fish in our diet as extractive fishing maintains a stable production capacity without the prospects of significant increase. Currently, Spain has a well-resourced and expanding aquaculture industry that needs highly qualified professionals. Therefore, one needs to offer students official Master's programmes where they can specialise in this discipline. In addition, this Master's promotes the relationship of students with the companies in the sector through the Collaboration Agreements (formally signed between the three participating universities and the relevant companies/centres) with 10 large companies and fish breeding centres, which offer approximately 20 internship positions in companies in the third term of study.

Planning for teaching

This study has teaching guide
You can read it to learn more about the study. In the table below you can see the individual teaching guides for each subject.

Study structure

The masters are organized by modules. Click on a module for more information.

  Guide Type QTR. credits
Introduction to Aquaculture Compulsory 1st 3 ECTS
Biology of Farmed Aquatic Animals Compulsory 1st 3 ECTS
Biology of Cultured Algae Compulsory 1st 3 ECTS
Physiology of Farmed Aquatic Animals Compulsory 1st 6 ECTS
Genetics for Aquaculture Compulsory 1st 3 ECTS
Inmunology of Farmed Aquatic Animals Compulsory 1st 3 ECTS
  Guide Type QTR. credits
Pathology in Aquaculture Compulsory 1st 6 ECTS
Disease Diagnostics Optional 2nd 6 ECTS
Development of Tools for Prevention and Control Optional 2nd 3 ECTS
Tools for Epidemiological Analysis Optional 2nd 3 ECTS
  Guide Type QTR. credits
Feeding and Nutrition Compulsory 1st 3 ECTS
Water Quality and Management Optional 2nd 3 ECTS
Toxicology and Harmful Algal Blooms Optional 2nd 3 ECTS
Aquaculture Farm Management Optional 2nd 3 ECTS
Quality, Processing and Traceability Optional 2nd 3 ECTS
  Guide Type QTR. credits
Culture of Microalgae and Zooplank Optional 2nd 3 ECTS
Culture of Seaweeds Optional 2nd 3 ECTS
Culture of Fish Optional 2nd 6 ECTS
Culture of Bivalve Molluscs Optional 2nd 6 ECTS
Culture of other Invertebrates Optional 2nd 3 ECTS
  Guide Type QTR. credits
Genetic Improvement Optional 2nd 3 ECTS
Management of Genetic Resources in Aquaculture Optional 2nd 3 ECTS
Structural and Functional Genomics Optional 2nd 3 ECTS
Biotechnological Applications in Aquaculture Optional 2nd 6 ECTS
Experimental Design and Data Analysis Optional 2nd 3 ECTS
Phylogenetical Analysis Optional 2nd 3 ECTS
  Guide Type QTR. credits
Work Placement Optional 1st 24 ECTS
Initiation to Research Optional 1st 24 ECTS
New Development Project Optional 1st 24 ECTS
Master's Dissertation Compulsory 2nd 6 ECTS

Teachers

The study is taught by the following teachers:

The masters are organized by modules. Click on a module for more information.

Student mobility

UDC holds student mobility agreements with universities and other third-level institutions across four continents. Students are offered several opportunities each year to apply to study abroad in one of these centres (for a single term or for a whole year), with the guarantee that all credits obtained will be duly recognised in their academic record upon their return.

For each round of applications, the University publishes the list of exchange options available to students and, where relevant, the specific conditions associated with each. Students may also apply to the University for funding for international work experience placements and internships.

Work experience placements are accredited in the student's academic record and the European diploma supplement. Students are free to decide in which host company or academic institution within the EHEA they wish to carry out their placement. To assist them in their search, the University has created an online noticeboard with jobs postings and other news.

Work-study placements in A Coruña are arranged by the International Relations Office (ORI) of the UDC in collaboration with the international relations coordinators in the student’s home university. The general entry criteria, rights and obligations of students, and admission and acceptance procedures for the programme, are regulated by the UDC Mobility Policy.