James Cook University (Brisbane Campus), Masters in Marine Biology
Reviewed on Feb 12, 2026(Enrolled 2023)What Students Say
Likes
- A diverse faculty with an array of options to explore and learn about.
- Facilities to chase and explore what the students want to learn.
Dislikes
- The placement community was quite poor with bad industry exposure.
Course Curriculum
10
- The course subjects were highly relevant to the current research and development needs of the industry.
- Yes, I was given some industrial exposure since I took the professional pathway.
- This varies based on how you prepare your own timetable. I scheduled in such a way that I had 2-3 classes in a day. I choose classes once every 2 days and combined it. Therefore, in a week I had classes for 3 days, and each day I had 2-3 lectures.
- My batch had an unusually high number of students at 86. Subsequent batches had a class size of roughly 30-50 students.
Admission Experience
- I chose this university based on my research, as it was the best place to learn about Marine Environment and Biology. The University was probably the one that I came across offering a professional degree over a research-oriented master's degree; this was my biggest factor in choosing this university. Australia was another factor since the industry was sizeable compared to other developed economies to work as a professional.
- My Score: IELTS 7.5. No other test was required apart from IELTS/PTE.
Faculty
8
- I'm aware of the faculty-to-student ratio. As mentioned above, the faculty were really good and were well-versed in their knowledge and quite approachable.
Campus Life
8
- The campus infrastructure is immaculate and top-notch, with a special focus on research facilities and the massive library. The sports facility was upto the mark as per my friends.
Part Time Jobs
- Current students can earn on an avg AUD33/hr in their part-time jobs. Some can earn up to AUD50 or even AUD80 per hour in rare cases. Students usually apply through the company's website or physically hand in their resumes. Some have got jobs through their seniors or connections working in the organisation.
- The maximum number of hours allowed is 20/wk. You can secure on-campus jobs in rare cases. TA, RA, and DA positions are full-time jobs that people get post-graduation.
Placement
6
- I believe it is less than 10% of the graduating batch that got jobs within 6 months.
- You can expect anywhere from 70,000 - 120,000 AUD.
- Students mainly find jobs from their own connections or by applying like a regular person on online platforms. Less than 3% got through internships, and campus recruitment is approx 1%.
Accommodation
Off Campus
8
- I used Facebook groups to find my accommodation, and through my friends. My current monthly rent stands at AUD 640, which is on the very lower end of the current market price for rentals. My current rental price is inclusive of all bills.
Exams
- Exams - IELTS/PTE
- Documents - University Degree Certificate, SOP, and LOR.
Fees
- Mine was AUD 66,000 over the period of 2 yrs. I believe the current fees are AUD 100,000
