Master’s degree1,500 h · Online · 11 modules

Master's in Marine Rewilding and Species Recovery

This master's prepares you to plan the recovery of threatened marine species and of the ecological processes that sustain the ocean. You will study population ecology, the role of predators and food webs, spatial protection, reintroductions and the reduction of threats such as bycatch. You will learn to apply the marine rewilding approach with caution, drawing on scientific evidence, population monitoring and collaboration with fishers and coastal communities.

Duration1,500 h
ModeOnline
Start1 December
Modules11
Program diagnosis

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About the program

What is the Master's in Marine Rewilding and Species Recovery?

This master's prepares you to plan the recovery of threatened marine species and of the ecological processes that sustain the ocean. You will analyze food webs and keystone species, apply population dynamics and viability models, design measures against bycatch and habitat degradation, and draw up recovery plans with measurable objectives, opening the door to work in conservation, public administrations, NGOs and research.

What sets this master's apart: a process-based approach that aims to restore ecological functions, not just isolated species; coverage of the major marine groups, including mammals, turtles, sharks, seabirds, fish and habitat-forming species; a scientific foundation in population ecology, conservation genetics and viability analysis; real-world management of protected areas, fisheries, bycatch and conflicts with human uses; and a Final Project in which you prepare a recovery plan for a specific species or marine area.

Program typeMaster’s degree
ModeOnline
Duration1,500 hours
Modules11
Start1 December

Program highlights

  • Process-based approach: restoring ecological functions, not just isolated species.
  • Major marine groups: mammals, turtles, sharks, seabirds, fish and habitat-forming species.
  • Scientific foundation: population ecology, conservation genetics and viability analysis.
  • Real-world management: protected areas, fisheries, bycatch and conflicts with human uses.
  • Modern monitoring: telemetry, passive acoustics, environmental DNA and drones.
  • Final Project: a recovery plan for a specific species or marine area.
Syllabus

Syllabus of the Master's in Marine Rewilding and Species Recovery

11 modules. Select a module to see its content.

Module 1

Fundamentals of Marine Rewilding

  • 1.1. Origin and evolution of the rewilding concept
  • 1.2. Rewilding on land and at sea
  • 1.3. Shifting baselines
  • 1.4. Defaunation of the ocean
  • 1.5. Restoring ecological processes
  • 1.6. Passive and active rewilding
  • 1.7. Principles and good practice criteria
  • 1.8. Risks and criticisms of the approach
  • 1.9. Relationship with ecological restoration
  • 1.10. Cases of natural recovery at sea
At this stage
136 hestimated workload
11 wkweeks at your pace
Module 2

Marine Population Ecology

  • 2.1. Population structure and dynamics
  • 2.2. Life cycles and reproductive strategies
  • 2.3. Growth and mortality
  • 2.4. Connectivity between populations
  • 2.5. Metapopulations
  • 2.6. Estimating abundance
  • 2.7. Mark and recapture
  • 2.8. Population dynamics models
  • 2.9. Population viability analysis
  • 2.10. The Allee effect and small populations
At this stage
136 hestimated workload
11 wkweeks at your pace
Module 3

Food Webs and Keystone Species

  • 3.1. Structure of marine food webs
  • 3.2. Keystone and engineer species
  • 3.3. Apex predators
  • 3.4. Trophic cascades
  • 3.5. Herbivores and habitat control
  • 3.6. Predator recovery and indirect effects
  • 3.7. Nutrient pumps driven by large animals
  • 3.8. Ecosystem models
  • 3.9. Indicators of trophic integrity
  • 3.10. Examples of trophic recovery
At this stage
136 hestimated workload
11 wkweeks at your pace
Module 4

Threatened Species and Conservation Status

  • 4.1. The IUCN Red List
  • 4.2. Threat criteria
  • 4.3. Marine mammals
  • 4.4. Sea turtles
  • 4.5. Sharks and rays
  • 4.6. Seabirds
  • 4.7. Fish and large migratory species
  • 4.8. Invertebrates and habitat-forming species
  • 4.9. The CITES and CMS conventions
  • 4.10. Conservation priorities
At this stage
136 hestimated workload
11 wkweeks at your pace
Module 5

Threats and Mitigation Measures

  • 5.1. Bycatch in fisheries
  • 5.2. Technical measures in fishing gear
  • 5.3. Vessel strikes
  • 5.4. Underwater noise
  • 5.5. Chemical pollution and plastics
  • 5.6. Habitat loss and degradation
  • 5.7. Climate change and shifting species ranges
  • 5.8. Emerging diseases
  • 5.9. Invasive species
  • 5.10. Cumulative threat assessment
At this stage
136 hestimated workload
11 wkweeks at your pace
Module 6

Spatial Protection and Marine Protected Areas

  • 6.1. Types of marine protected areas
  • 6.2. No-take reserves and the reserve effect
  • 6.3. Biomass spillover
  • 6.4. Designing protected area networks
  • 6.5. Corridors and connectivity
  • 6.6. Other effective area-based conservation measures
  • 6.7. International protection targets
  • 6.8. Surveillance and enforcement
  • 6.9. Assessing effectiveness
  • 6.10. Managing protected areas on the high seas
At this stage
136 hestimated workload
11 wkweeks at your pace
Module 7

Reintroduction, Translocation and Breeding

  • 7.1. IUCN guidelines for translocations
  • 7.2. Feasibility of a reintroduction
  • 7.3. Selecting source populations
  • 7.4. Captive breeding and its role
  • 7.5. Sea turtle head-starting programs
  • 7.6. Wildlife rehabilitation and release
  • 7.7. Conservation genetics
  • 7.8. Animal welfare in interventions
  • 7.9. Post-release monitoring
  • 7.10. Lessons from reintroduction programs
At this stage
136 hestimated workload
11 wkweeks at your pace
Module 8

Monitoring and Observation Technologies

  • 8.1. Visual and aerial surveys
  • 8.2. Photo-identification
  • 8.3. Satellite and acoustic telemetry
  • 8.4. Passive acoustics
  • 8.5. Environmental DNA
  • 8.6. Drones and remote sensing
  • 8.7. Citizen science in monitoring
  • 8.8. Biodiversity databases
  • 8.9. Artificial intelligence for species identification
  • 8.10. Designing monitoring programs
At this stage
136 hestimated workload
11 wkweeks at your pace
Module 9

Human Dimension and Governance

  • 9.1. Coastal communities and rewilding
  • 9.2. Fishing and species recovery
  • 9.3. Conflicts between wildlife and human activities
  • 9.4. Local ecological knowledge
  • 9.5. Responsible nature tourism
  • 9.6. Legal frameworks for protected species
  • 9.7. Participatory governance
  • 9.8. Communication and public perception
  • 9.9. Financing recovery programs
  • 9.10. Ethics of intervening in nature
At this stage
136 hestimated workload
11 wkweeks at your pace
Module 10

Global Change and Long-Term Recovery

  • 10.1. Species distribution projections
  • 10.2. Climate refugia
  • 10.3. Evolution and adaptation
  • 10.4. Novel ecosystems
  • 10.5. Adaptive management
  • 10.6. Recovery scenarios
  • 10.7. Decision-making under uncertainty
  • 10.8. Prioritizing species and areas
  • 10.9. Regional and ocean-wide scales
  • 10.10. The future of marine rewilding
At this stage
136 hestimated workload
11 wkweeks at your pace
Module 11

Final Project

  • 11.1. Selecting the species or area
  • 11.2. Diagnosing conservation status
  • 11.3. Threat analysis
  • 11.4. Setting recovery objectives
  • 11.5. Selecting measures
  • 11.6. Stakeholder analysis
  • 11.7. Designing the monitoring program
  • 11.8. Budget and financing
  • 11.9. Writing the project report
  • 11.10. Presentation to an assessment panel
At this stage
136 hestimated workload
11 wkweeks at your pace
Plan your pace

Duration and format of the Master's in Marine Rewilding and Species Recovery

It is 1,500 hours. Tell us how many you can study each week and we will tell you when you will really finish.

4 h30 h
With 12 h per week
29
months to finish
125 weeks
weeks in total

This is the pace at which most students finish. It fits well with the installment plan.

Faculty

Academic leadership and faculty

The Navalis teaching team: working professionals who teach and supervise the programs.

Dra. Marina AlcoverDr. Marina AlcoverAcademic Director and Head of Quality Assurance
Ing. Diego CifuentesEng. Diego CifuentesSenior Lecturer in Naval Welding and Non-Destructive Testing; Head of QA/QC for Welded Joints
Cap. Javier Abaroa (MCA)Capt. Javier Abaroa (MCA)Senior Lecturer in Ship Handling, Electronic Navigation (ECDIS/Radar/ARPA) and GMDSS; STCW Compliance and Bridge Resource Management Coordinator
Dr. Pau FerrerDr. Pau FerrerSenior Lecturer in Naval Architecture and Simulation; Director of the Hydrodynamics and CFD Laboratory
Dra. Nuria LlobregatDr. Nuria LlobregatSenior Lecturer in Marine Meteorology, SAR and Operational Safety; Navigation Risk Management Coordinator
Ing. Javier BañulsEng. Javier BañulsSenior Lecturer in Electrical Engineering, Automation and ETO Engineering; Electronic Integration and Engine Alarms Coordinator
Ing. Sofía MarquinaEng. Sofía MarquinaSenior Lecturer in Materials, Composites and Corrosion Protection; Coordinator of the Advanced Paints and Coatings Line
Ing. Tomás RieraEng. Tomás RieraSenior Lecturer in Propulsion, Alternative Energy and Hybrid Systems; Energy Performance and Vibration Coordinator
Objectives

Objectives of the Master's in Marine Rewilding and Species Recovery

01Understand marine rewilding.
02Analyze threatened populations.
03Interpret food webs.
04Design recovery measures.
05Manage conflicts.
06Evaluate results.
Careers

Career opportunities after the Master's in Marine Rewilding and Species Recovery

01Species conservation technicianrecovery plans in administrations and public bodies.
02Marine protected area managerplanning, monitoring and managing protected sites.
03NGO program coordinatormarine wildlife recovery projects with local stakeholders.
04Environmental consultantassessing impacts on protected species and habitats.
05Wildlife monitoring specialistdesigning and analyzing monitoring programs.
06Marine conservation researcherpopulation studies and applied ecology.
Frequently asked questions

Questions about the Master's in Marine Rewilding and Species Recovery

It is an approach that seeks to restore species and ecological processes so that ecosystems can sustain themselves with as little human intervention as possible in the long term.

It does not include direct handling of animals; you work with protocols, documented cases and monitoring data.

No. Handling protected wildlife requires specific authorizations and training that this program does not replace.

Yes. Bycatch and collaboration with the fishing sector are central themes of the program.

You prepare a recovery plan for a species or marine area, with a diagnosis, measures, monitoring and a budget.

The master's is taught entirely online, with a virtual campus available 24/7, recorded live sessions and tutorials. It comprises 1500 hours of study across 11 modules of about 136 hours each, and you progress at your own pace within the schedule you are given on enrollment.

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Online admission

Admission process

No waiting for a call back. If your documents are in order, you can enroll in the same session.

Entry requirements
  • Profile: aimed at graduates in biology, marine sciences or veterinary science who want to specialize in species conservation, conservation staff in public administrations who manage protected species and marine areas, professionals from NGOs and rescue centers who work with threatened marine wildlife, fisheries managers seeking to reconcile fishing with species recovery, and environmental consultants who assess impacts on protected wildlife and habitats. A degree in biology, marine sciences, veterinary science, environmental sciences or a related field, or proven professional experience in wildlife conservation or marine management, is recommended.
  • Language: sufficient command of English to follow the classes and the technical documentation.
  • Technical resources: a computer with a stable internet connection, an up-to-date browser and a camera for live sessions and project presentations.
  • Admission: online application, review of your profile and a short interview with the academic team.
  1. 01
    Application
    Your details, background and documents.
  2. 02
    Instant review
    We check that everything is complete and in order.
  3. 03
    Enrollment
    Choose full payment or instalments and reserve your place.
Start my applicationFrom $1,248 deposit

Admission is provisional until the committee validates the documents provided. If you do not meet the requirements, the full amount is refunded.

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