Professional Diploma in Maritime Environmental Education
This professional diploma gives you the knowledge and tools to become an agent of change in ocean conservation. You will learn about marine ecosystems and the environmental threats they face, design educational programs and resources for different audiences, communicate and interpret the marine environment, mobilize communities through citizen science and local action, work with ports, tourism and fisheries and evaluate the impact of your projects.
Prior knowledge check
These are the skills this program gives you. Tick the ones you already master and we will tell you which part of the syllabus is for you.
You are starting from scratch in this subject. The program is designed precisely for that.
What is the Professional Diploma in Maritime Environmental Education?
This professional diploma prepares you to design and run environmental education that helps people understand and protect the sea. You will study the principles of ocean literacy and the differences between awareness-raising, training, outreach and public participation; the ecology of beaches, dunes, mangroves, seagrass meadows, reefs and estuaries and the threats they face, from pollution and overfishing to ocean warming and acidification; how to identify learning needs and design workshops, interpretive trails, campaigns and teaching materials; environmental communication and heritage interpretation without alarmism or greenwashing; citizen science, beach clean-ups and community participation; sector-specific programs for ports, marinas, coastal tourism and fishing; and the evaluation, management and long-term sustainability of educational projects.
What sets this professional diploma apart: a combination of scientific rigor on marine ecosystems with practical teaching methods; attention to a wide range of audiences, from schoolchildren and coastal communities to crews, port workers and tourists; specific coverage of the maritime sectors, translating environmental protection into concrete operational behavior; tools to measure changes in knowledge, attitudes and behavior; an in-depth structure of eight modules; and a final project in which you design and defend a complete educational program for a coastal school, port, museum, fishing community, tourist destination or protected area.
Program highlights
- Ocean literacy: principles of environmental education, target audiences and barriers to learning.
- Marine ecosystems and threats: biodiversity, pollution, climate change and protected species and areas.
- Program design: learning objectives, workshops, interpretive trails, teaching materials and participatory methods.
- Environmental communication: heritage interpretation, storytelling, digital campaigns and avoiding greenwashing.
- Community action: citizen science, beach clean-ups, environmental volunteering and sector programs for ports, tourism and fisheries.
- Final project: a complete maritime environmental education program with evaluation indicators.
Syllabus of the Professional Diploma in Maritime Environmental Education
8 modules. Select a module to see its content.
Fundamentals of environmental education and ocean literacy
- 1.1. Key concepts of maritime environmental education and the differences between awareness-raising, training, outreach and public participation
- 1.2. The importance of oceans, seas, coasts, estuaries and marine ecosystems for environmental and social balance
- 1.3. The relationship between human activities, shipping, fishing, tourism, urbanization and pressure on the marine environment
- 1.4. Principles of ocean literacy, environmental literacy and understanding the connection between society and the ocean
- 1.5. Target audiences: schoolchildren, coastal communities, tourists, fishers, crews, businesses and public authorities
- 1.6. Barriers to environmental learning: misinformation, low risk perception, ingrained habits and cultural distance from the sea
- 1.7. Building an educational vision that combines scientific knowledge, social commitment and active protection of the marine environment
- 1.8. History and principles of environmental education
Marine ecosystems, biodiversity and environmental threats
- 2.1. Features of beaches, dunes, mangroves, salt marshes, seagrass meadows, reefs, estuaries and ocean floors
- 2.2. Marine biodiversity, ecological relationships, food webs, connectivity and ecosystem services
- 2.3. Threats from pollution, overfishing, habitat loss, invasive species, underwater noise and climate change
- 2.4. The impacts of plastics, hydrocarbons, wastewater, fertilizers, heavy metals and marine litter
- 2.5. The effects of ocean warming, acidification, sea level rise and extreme events on ecosystems and communities
- 2.6. Conservation of protected species, vulnerable marine areas and habitats of high ecological value
- 2.7. Developing educational content that explains complex threats in a clear, rigorous and accessible way
- 2.8. Threatened species and marine protected areas
Designing maritime environmental education programs and resources
- 3.1. Identifying educational needs, learning objectives, competences and expected outcomes
- 3.2. Designing workshops, interpretive trails, campaigns, talks, exhibitions and practical activities related to the sea
- 3.3. Producing teaching materials, guides, worksheets, infographics, games, videos and digital resources
- 3.4. Adapting content to the age, educational level, culture, local context and prior experience of the audience
- 3.5. Applying participatory methods, project-based learning, case studies and problem-solving
- 3.6. Integrating science, art, maritime history, heritage, technology and local knowledge into educational activities
- 3.7. Building coherent, inclusive programs connected to real environmental problems in the maritime environment
- 3.8. Teaching resources and educational materials about the sea
Environmental communication, interpretation and public awareness
- 4.1. Principles of environmental communication applied to oceans, coasts, ports and maritime activities
- 4.2. Techniques for interpreting natural and cultural heritage on beaches and in ports, museums, aquariums and coastal areas
- 4.3. Crafting clear messages on pollution, biodiversity, climate change, responsible consumption and marine conservation
- 4.4. Using storytelling, visual narratives, testimonies, maps and immersive experiences to support learning
- 4.5. Managing social media, digital campaigns and audiovisual content and working with the media
- 4.6. Avoiding alarmism, greenwashing, oversimplification and the spread of incorrect environmental information
- 4.7. Developing communication strategies that mobilize knowledge, emotion and responsible action
- 4.8. Interpretation centers and guided coastal routes
Community participation, citizen science and local action
- 5.1. Involving coastal communities in education, conservation and environmental monitoring projects
- 5.2. Designing citizen science programs to monitor litter, wildlife, water quality and coastal change
- 5.3. Organizing beach clean-ups, plastic reduction campaigns and environmental restoration activities
- 5.4. Bringing fishers, associations, schools, businesses, tourists and authorities together in collaborative initiatives
- 5.5. Recovering traditional knowledge, maritime memory and local practices compatible with conservation
- 5.6. Managing conflicts, competing interests and inclusive participation in environmental projects
- 5.7. Building community networks that strengthen shared responsibility, coastal identity and the continuity of actions
- 5.8. Environmental volunteering and coastal clean-ups
Environmental education in ports, tourism, fishing and maritime activities
- 6.1. Designing educational programs for ports, marinas, terminals, shipping companies and maritime operators
- 6.2. Raising awareness of waste, discharges, emissions, noise, energy consumption and the protection of port ecosystems
- 6.3. Environmental education applied to coastal tourism, cruises, water sports and responsible use of beaches
- 6.4. Training in sustainable fishing, responsible consumption, minimum sizes, closed seasons, traceability and bycatch reduction
- 6.5. Environmental good practice for crews, port workers, tourism operators and sea users
- 6.6. Integrating sustainability, the blue economy and social responsibility into maritime organizations
- 6.7. Developing sector programs that translate environmental protection into concrete operational behavior
- 6.8. Environmental good practice for recreational boaters
Evaluation, management and sustainability of maritime education projects
- 7.1. Evaluating knowledge, attitudes, behavior, participation and the changes brought about by educational programs
- 7.2. Designing indicators, surveys, interviews, observation and results monitoring tools
- 7.3. Managing people, materials, venues, permits, safety and logistics for environmental activities
- 7.4. Drawing up budgets, timelines, partnerships, funding and strategies for project continuity
- 7.5. Inclusion, accessibility, an intercultural perspective and adaptation for groups with specific needs
- 7.6. Communicating results, accountability and continuous improvement based on evidence and feedback
- 7.7. Building management models that ensure the quality, impact, sustainability and replicability of initiatives
- 7.8. Evaluation indicators for educational programs
Final Project
- 8.1. Defining the case study: coastal school, port, museum, fishing community, tourist destination or protected area
- 8.2. Diagnosis of the audience, environmental problem, local context, resources, barriers and stakeholders
- 8.3. Designing the educational program with objectives, content, methodology, activities, materials and communication channels
- 8.4. Drawing up the plan for community participation, citizen science, partnerships and practical environmental action
- 8.5. Developing the evaluation system, indicators, budget, timeline, risks and continuous improvement
- 8.6. Writing the comprehensive technical report with the educational, environmental, social and organizational rationale
- 8.7. Presentation and evaluation of the educational project
- 8.8. Presentation and defense of the final project with educational, environmental, community and strategic validation of the proposal
Duration and format of the Professional Diploma in Maritime Environmental Education
It is 800 hours. Tell us how many you can study each week and we will tell you when you will really finish.
This is the pace at which most students finish. It fits well with the installment plan.
Academic leadership and faculty
The Navalis teaching team: working professionals who teach and supervise the programs.
Dr. Marina AlcoverAcademic Director and Head of Quality Assurance
Eng. Diego CifuentesSenior Lecturer in Naval Welding and Non-Destructive Testing; Head of QA/QC for Welded Joints
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 FerrerSenior Lecturer in Naval Architecture and Simulation; Director of the Hydrodynamics and CFD Laboratory
Dr. Nuria LlobregatSenior Lecturer in Marine Meteorology, SAR and Operational Safety; Navigation Risk Management Coordinator
Eng. Javier BañulsSenior Lecturer in Electrical Engineering, Automation and ETO Engineering; Electronic Integration and Engine Alarms Coordinator
Eng. Sofía MarquinaSenior Lecturer in Materials, Composites and Corrosion Protection; Coordinator of the Advanced Paints and Coatings Line
Eng. Tomás RieraSenior Lecturer in Propulsion, Alternative Energy and Hybrid Systems; Energy Performance and Vibration CoordinatorObjectives of the Professional Diploma in Maritime Environmental Education
Career opportunities after the Professional Diploma in Maritime Environmental Education
Questions about the Professional Diploma in Maritime Environmental Education
Environmental education specialized in the marine and maritime environment: understanding ocean ecosystems and designing programs that change knowledge, attitudes and behavior.
Educators, conservation and environmental management professionals, communicators, maritime professionals and anyone who wants to develop environmental education with a marine focus.
It helps but is not essential. The program includes a full module on marine ecosystems, biodiversity and environmental threats, explained rigorously and accessibly.
Yes. A specific module covers educational programs for ports, marinas, shipping companies, coastal tourism, cruises and fishing, and good practice for crews and port workers.
Yes. You learn to design citizen science programs for monitoring litter, wildlife, water quality and coastal change, and to organize clean-ups and restoration activities.
You choose a coastal school, port, museum, fishing community, tourist destination or protected area and design a complete educational program with a participation plan, budget, timeline and evaluation indicators.
Fully online, through a virtual campus available 24/7, with live sessions that are recorded and tutorials with the teaching staff.
The professional diploma comprises 800 hours of study across 8 modules of 100 hours each and ends with a final project. You can progress at your own pace within the schedule set when you enroll.
More programs in Biology and conservation
Admission process
No waiting for a call back. If your documents are in order, you can enroll in the same session.
- Profile: aimed at teachers and educators, conservation and environmental management professionals, environmental communicators and journalists, policy-makers and students or recent graduates in marine biology, oceanography, environmental sciences or related fields; a degree in environmental sciences, marine biology, education, social education or a related field, or professional experience in environmental education or coastal 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 and microphone for live sessions and project presentations.
- Admission: online application, review of your profile and a short interview with the academic team.
- 01ApplicationYour details, background and documents.
- 02Instant reviewWe check that everything is complete and in order.
- 03EnrollmentChoose full payment or instalments and reserve your place.
Admission is provisional until the committee validates the documents provided. If you do not meet the requirements, the full amount is refunded.
Ask us before you enroll
Leave your details and admissions will write to you to answer any questions. If you are already sure, you can apply and pay in the same session.