EVSC20004 Blue Planet - Intro to Marine Biology
University of Melbourne · Level 2 · 12.5 points · Runs in 2026: Semester 1.
- Final exam 40%: mostly coursework
- About 3.5 class hours a week
- 15% group work
Is EVSC20004 hard?
EVSC20004: About average. No student reviews yet — based on the Handbook only.
What you learn
Marine life on rocky shores, reefs and the Southern Ocean, with field trips and science report writing.
After it you can
- Run field work to answer a biology question
- Analyse data with basic statistics
- Write a scientific report on field findings
What you need first
25 points from BIOL10001, BIOL10002, BIOL10008, BIOL10009, BIOL10010, BIOL10011, ENVS10001, BIOM10002, BIOL10003, BIOL10004, BIOL10005
- BIOL10001 Biology of Australian Flora & Fauna
- BIOL10002 Biomolecules and Cells
- BIOL10008 Foundational Biology: Life's Machinery
- BIOL10010 Foundational Biology: Life's Complexity
- BIOL10011 Biology: Life's Complexity
- ENVS10001 Natural Environments
- BIOM10002 Exploring Biomedicine
What it leads to
- BIOL30011 Applied Marine Biology
- ECOL30007 Marine Biodiversity and Biogeography
- ENST30004 Nature, Conservation and Society
- EVSC30002 Problem Solving in Environmental Science
- EVSC30003 Environmental Risk Assessment
- GEOL30004 Geochemistry
- ZOOL30008 Experimental Marine Biology
Careers
Helps toward: Environmental Consultant, Environmental engineer, Landscape architect, Environmental scientist
How it’s assessed
Quizzes 15%, Assignments 15%, Reports and essays 30%, Final exam 40%
Student reviews and ratings
Summarised from 9 students on StudentVIP (2014–2026)
- Older reviews (2014-16) were very positive; more recent ones are mixed to negative.
- Lots of memorisation; lecture slides alone are not enough, so expect outside study.
- The field trip is enjoyable, but the report assignment had unclear instructions and was hard to do well in.
A summary of public reviews, not scored here.
Taken this subject? Rate it anonymously (difficulty, workload, marking, would you recommend it) and leave a tip for next year's students. Rate EVSC20004
Quick answers
- When is EVSC20004 offered?
- Runs in 2026: Semester 1.
- What do I need before taking EVSC20004?
- Needs 25 points from BIOL10001, BIOL10002, BIOL10008, BIOL10009, BIOL10010, BIOL10011, ENVS10001, BIOM10002, BIOL10003, BIOL10004, BIOL10005.
- Does EVSC20004 have a final exam?
- Yes, the final exam is 40% of the mark. Assessment: Quizzes 15%, Assignments 15%, Reports and essays 30%, Final exam 40%.
- Is EVSC20004 hard?
- From 9 student reviews on StudentVIP: Older reviews (2014-16) were very positive; more recent ones are mixed to negative.
- What do students say about EVSC20004?
- Older reviews (2014-16) were very positive; more recent ones are mixed to negative. Lots of memorisation; lecture slides alone are not enough, so expect outside study. The field trip is enjoyable, but the report assignment had unclear instructions and was hard to do well in.
- How many class hours a week does EVSC20004 have?
- 3.5 h a week in class
- Can I take EVSC20004 as breadth?
- Yes, for: Bachelor of Arts, Bachelor of Commerce, Bachelor of Design, Bachelor of Fine Arts (Acting), Bachelor of Fine Arts (Animation), Bachelor of Fine Arts (Dance), Bachelor of Fine Arts (Film and Television), Bachelor of Fine Arts (Music Theatre), Bachelor of Fine Arts (Production), Bachelor of Fine Arts (Screenwriting), Bachelor of Fine Arts (Theatre), Bachelor of Fine Arts (Visual Art), Bachelor of Music.
- What can I take after EVSC20004?
- 7 subjects need it first, for example BIOL30011, ECOL30007, ENST30004, EVSC30002.
- Can I rate EVSC20004?
- Yes. If you've taken it, rate it anonymously on this page (difficulty, workload, marking, would you recommend it) and leave a tip for next year's students. Averages show once 3 students have rated it; tips are checked before they appear.
Source: University of Melbourne Handbook 2026
Always confirm in the official Handbook.
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