Maritime Policy and Shipping Management (MSc)
- Duration: 1 year
- Mode: Full time
Conversion course
This is a conversion course. Conversion courses allow you to study a subject unrelated to your undergraduate degree or current career, and support you with a change of career path.
Open day
Find out more about studying here as a postgraduate at our next Open Day.
Why study this course
Examine the maritime industry through multiple disciplines on this practically oriented programme.
Research-led teaching
Learn from internationally leading academics in the field of maritime affairs.
Change business for good
Collaborate with an industrial partner on a research project while collecting primary data for your dissertation.
Make Cardiff connections
Join a global network of students past and present now working in Greece, Singapore, South Korea, Taiwan, China and the UK.
Professional accreditation
Access exclusive industry intelligence, seek personal career advice and attend workshops and training with our CILT membership.
Rapid growth and competition in the global shipping industry has left a shortfall of professionals with the tools and techniques to manage ports and shipping operations, in accordance with maritime law and safety regulations.
Coupled with complex systems of ocean governance, ranging from codes of conduct to legally binding regional and international policies, maritime professionals who can chart the course ahead are in high demand.
The business of changing the world is ours.
Our MSc in Maritime Policy and Shipping Management addresses these grand challenges from a range of perspectives. We’ll help you become a management or policy-making professional capable of making decisions that consider the full range of economic, social, environmental and legal impacts of maritime business.
Our experts will draw on academic and consultancy expertise to enhance your international career prospects, introducing you to shipping within wider logistics systems. They’ll use world leading research to give you a critical understanding of the maritime industry, the policy environment within which it operates, and the management of shipping operations.
Accreditations
- Institute of Chartered Shipbrokers (ICS)
- Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB)
- Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport (CILT)
Cardiff Business School is accredited by AACSB international - The Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business.
“Interacting with like-minded young professionals and expert staff from different cultures has broadened my horizons and given me a more flexible and adaptable understanding of the maritime industry.”
Where you'll study
Cardiff Business School
We’re an AACSB International and AMBA-accredited Business School with a clear mission: to make a positive impact in the communities of Wales and the world.
Admissions criteria
This is a conversion course. Conversion courses allow you to study a subject unrelated to your undergraduate degree or current career, and support you with a change of career path. No prior knowledge or degree in the subject is required.
In order to be considered for an offer for this programme you will need to meet all of the entry requirements. Your application will not be progressed if the information and evidence listed is not provided.
With your online application you will need to provide:
- A copy of your degree certificate and transcripts which show you have achieved a 2:2 honours degree in any subject or an equivalent international degree. If your degree certificate or result is pending, please upload any interim transcripts or provisional certificates.
- A copy of your IELTS certificate with an overall score of 6.5 with 5.5 in all subskills, or evidence of an accepted equivalent. Please include the date of your expected test if this qualification is pending. If you have alternative acceptable evidence, such as an undergraduate degree studied in the UK, please supply this in place of an IELTS.
If you do not have a degree in a relevant area, your application may be considered on the basis of your professional experience, such as such as sea captaincy qualifications or marine related work experience. Please provide additional evidence to support your application such as signed and dated employer references.
Application Deadline
We allocate places on a first-come, first-served basis, so we recommend you apply as early as possible. Applications normally close at the end of August but may close sooner if all places are filled.
Selection process
We will review your application and if you meet all of the entry requirements, we will make you an offer.
Find out more about English language requirements.
Applicants who require a Student visa to study in the UK must present an acceptable English language qualification in order to meet UKVI (UK Visas and Immigration) requirements.
Criminal convictions
You are not required to complete a DBS (Disclosure Barring Service) check or provide a Certificate of Good Conduct to study this course.
If you are currently subject to any licence condition or monitoring restriction that could affect your ability to successfully complete your studies, you will be required to disclose your criminal record. Conditions include, but are not limited to:
- access to computers or devices that can store images
- use of internet and communication tools/devices
- curfews
- freedom of movement
- contact with people related to Cardiff University.
Course structure
This course runs from September to September. Between September and June you will study 120 credits of taught modules from a range of both compulsory core modules and a range of options.
Following on from this taught stage, you will undertake a dissertation project, submitted in September, with support from an academic supervisor.
The modules shown are an example of the typical curriculum. Final modules will be published one month ahead of your programme starting.
In total, you will take modules totalling 120 credits. In most cases, modules are worth 15 credits and taught over one semester, but one optional module is worth 30 credits and is taught over two semesters.
In the first semester, you will study two compulsory modules that aim to give you a detailed understanding of maritime policy and shipping management. The remaining two modules are drawn from a range of options that complement the compulsory components.
You will also study four 15 credit modules in the second semester. Here, one compulsory module provides research methods training to particularly support the dissertation. The remaining modules are drawn from a pool of options. Many of these are tailored towards the shipping industry although opportunities are provided to study subjects that help you place sea transport within wider logistics systems. In doing so, you are able to customise your learning experience while meeting the overall learning outcomes of the programme.
The taught phase concludes in June and, subject to successful completion, you then progress to the dissertation phase. Through the writing of the dissertation, you will acquire and develop research skills relevant to your choice of subject. The dissertation is submitted in early September.
| Module title | Module code | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Maritime Economics | BST801 | 15 credits |
| Maritime Policy | BST802 | 15 credits |
| Research Skills and Methods | BST847 | 15 credits |
| Maritime Policy and Shipping Management Dissertation | BST850 | 60 credits |
| Module title | Module code | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Business Data Analytics | BST811 | 15 credits |
| Information Systems and Organisations | BST812 | 15 credits |
| International Logistics | BST827 | 15 credits |
| Multimodal Transport Operations | BST834 | 15 credits |
| Risk Management in Supply Chains | BST835 | 15 credits |
| Ship Chartering | BST836 | 15 credits |
| Shipping Management and Finance | BST837 | 15 credits |
| Port Management | BST840 | 15 credits |
The University is committed to providing a wide range of module options where possible, but please be aware that whilst every effort is made to offer choice this may be limited in certain circumstances. This is due to the fact that some modules have limited numbers of places available, which are allocated on a first-come, first-served basis, while others have minimum student numbers required before they will run, to ensure that an appropriate quality of education can be delivered; some modules require students to have already taken particular subjects, and others are core or required on the programme you are taking. Modules may also be limited due to timetable clashes, and although the University works to minimise disruption to choice, we advise you to seek advice from the relevant School on the module choices available.
Learning and assessment
How will I be taught?
Our teaching is heavily informed by research and combines academic rigour with practical relevance. Our internationally leading faculty consists of academics who are at the forefront of knowledge within their field. They bring the lessons learnt from their most recent research into the classroom, giving you access to up-to-date real-life examples and scenarios and critical business thinking. Reflecting the Business School’s wider strategy, Public Value is embedded within our teaching. The range of available options encourages a multi-disciplinary approach to be taken.
Many teaching and learning resources will be provided electronically through Learning Central. In order to successfully complete the course, you will need to work during and outside formal teaching sessions, and to make good use of the facilities provided.
Most modules involve a mixture of lectures and small group teaching (called classes, seminars, workshops or tutorials). In a lecture, the lecturer will mainly give an overview of a particular aspect of the module content. You will have opportunities to ask questions and be reflective in lectures. Classes and workshops provide you with the opportunity to practice techniques, discuss ideas, apply concepts and consolidate understanding of the topic.
In addition to timetabled classes, guest presentations by practitioners will also be available, enabling students to relate the knowledge provided by the lecturers to real-world examples.
How will I be assessed?
Assessment methods vary from module to module but, across your degree scheme as a whole, you can expect a mixture of exams, coursework, essays, practical work, presentations, and individual and group projects.
How will I be supported?
The University offers a wealth of support for postgraduate. These include:
Learning Central
Learning Central is the University’s virtual learning environment. All programme and module materials are posted here for students to access before, during and after lectures.
Libraries
You will have access to libraries across campus which hold over 1.1 million printed books. You will also have access to more than 1.5 million online books, journals, resources and databases.
Personal Tutor System
You will be allocated a Personal Tutor. This member of academic staff will maintain an overview of your learning and educational experiences. If you are experiencing difficulties, your Personal Tutor will be there to listen and where possible provide professional guidance or else direct you to the appropriate source of support.
The Student Advisory Service
A free, impartial, non-judgemental and confidential service on a wide range of personal, financial and academic matters is available to you.
Disability & Dyslexia Service
Confidential advice and support is provided for you if you are disabled or have a specific learning difficulty (dyslexia) or long term medical condition.
Counselling Service
The Cardiff University Counselling Service provides members of the university community with an opportunity to examine issues that prevent them from maximising their full potential and to explore options for change. The Counselling Service is confidential and free of charge. It has had international recognition as a Centre for Excellence for individual and group counselling.
The Graduate Centre
The Centre is on the 3rd floor of the Students’ Union Building in Park Place, and serves all enrolled postgraduate taught and research students at Cardiff University, offering facilities and activities specifically designed for the postgraduate community.
What skills will I practise and develop?
Knowledge & Understanding:
On successful completion of the Programme you will be able to demonstrate:
- a systematic and in-depth knowledge of the concepts and the processes involved in the creation of the policy framework within which international shipping operates.
- a critical awareness of current approaches shipping management as identified by leading research.
- an ability to evaluate the impact of emerging trends and issues on the organisation, regulation, and management of international shipping.
- a systematic understanding of the impact of changes in the maritime regulatory framework on international shipping.
Intellectual Skills:
On successful completion of the Programme you will be able to demonstrate:
- an ability to apply knowledge in an original way in the research of maritime related issues.
- a capability in methodologies used in the empirical investigation of maritime issues.
- a competence in capturing the interdisciplinary nature of maritime and shipping-related learning.
- full appreciation of the relationship between regulatory functions, operations and management of shipping and maritime affairs.
Professional Practical Skills:
On successful completion of the Programme you will be able to demonstrate:
- an ability to recognise the role of and interaction between public and private stakeholders in the shipping industry.
- originality and autonomy in tackling and solving a range of different problems in the context of the shipping industry.
- a capability to deal with complex issues in a systematic and creative way.
- a competence in analysing complex problems on the basis of rigorous data and communicate clearly their solutions to specialist or non-specialist audiences.
Transferable/Key Skills:
On successful completion of the Programme you will be able to demonstrate:
- a competence in communicating ideas, principles and theories effectively by oral, written and practical means.
- an ability to work effectively in a team and as an individual
- a capability in the usage of it (e.g. the internet, spreadsheets, word processing) in an applied learning environment.
- a capacity to work to a range of timescales to fit the requirements of programme tasks and outputs.
Tuition fees for 2025 entry
Your tuition fees and how you pay them will depend on your fee status. Your fee status could be home, island or overseas.
Learn how we decide your fee status
Fees for home status
| Year | Tuition fee | Deposit |
|---|---|---|
| Year one | £12,200 | None |
Students from the EU, EEA and Switzerland
If you are an EU, EEA or Swiss national, your tuition fees for 2025/26 be in line with the overseas fees for international students, unless you qualify for home fee status. UKCISA have provided information about Brexit and tuition fees.
Fees for island status
Learn more about the postgraduate fees for students from the Channel Islands or the Isle of Man.
Fees for overseas status
| Year | Tuition fee | Deposit |
|---|---|---|
| Year one | £21,450 | £2,500 |
More information about tuition fees and deposits, including for part-time and continuing students.
Financial support
Financial support may be available to individuals who meet certain criteria. For more information visit our funding section. Please note that these sources of financial support are limited and therefore not everyone who meets the criteria are guaranteed to receive the support.
Additional costs
Will I need any specific equipment to study this course/programme?
No specific equipment is needed
Living costs
We’re based in one of the UK’s most affordable cities. Find out more about living costs in Cardiff.
Funding
Careers and placements
At Cardiff Business School, you’ll receive a career-changing education from world-leading academics that have different points of view. They’ll challenge your thinking as you consider the world of business from a range of alternative perspectives.
On our MSc in Maritime Policy and Shipping Management, you’ll benefit from the knowledge and expertise of our Career Enhancer Team. They’re ready and waiting to identify events and opportunities to help you achieve your future aspirations.
We’ve developed relationships that range from the largest multinationals to the smallest micro-businesses, and include a wide variety of social enterprises and cooperatives. We use these networks to deliver value for our students through:
- real-world case studies and insights
- collaboration with our Public Value Entrepreneurs in Residence
- guest lectures from Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport members
- field trips and workshops.
This wide ranging and varied learning experience will help enhance your career and demonstrate how you can make a difference along the way.
The programme provides a wide range of professional skills and can lead to a wide variety of job opportunities. Many of our graduates find employment nationally and internationally, in ship operating/management companies, protection and indemnity clubs, industry associations and policy organisations. Recent graduates have found employment with Shipping Lines, Port Authorities, Vessel Traffic Management Organisations, the International Maritime Organisation, and in Risk Management Companies
Placements
Within the dissertation phase you are offered the opportunity (subject to academic performance) to undertake a project in conjunction with an industrial partner. This provides you with the chance to gain knowledge of industrial practice, while contributing primary data for the dissertation study. A limited number of projects are available each year, and a competitive process is undertaken to identify students suitable for the project.
“The programme provides the in-depth knowledge required to succeed, covering subjects relating to Maritime Policy, Admiralty and International Trade Law, Shipping Economics and Chartering. This has helped me to gain a robust understanding of the shipping industry and stand out in the international job market.”
Next steps
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HESA Data: Copyright Higher Education Statistics Agency Limited 2021. The Higher Education Statistics Agency Limited cannot accept responsibility for any inferences or conclusions derived by third parties from its data. Data is from the latest Graduate Outcomes Survey 2019/20, published by HESA in June 2022.
