Online Class: Marine Biology 101

no certificate
with CEU Certificate*
-
17Lessons
-
36Exams &
Assignments -
2,383Students
have taken this course -
9Hours
average time -
0.9CEUs
Course Description
When you look at a globe, you can see that nearly three quarters of the Earth's surface is covered with water. Scientists believe life on Earth got its start in the ocean, and gradually adapted to life on land. Some land-based organisms eventually returned to the water, like dolphins and whales. Tiny ocean plants, called phytoplankton, produce most of the oxygen in the air we breathe. When producing oxygen, these plants soak up carbon dioxide, removing this gas from the air.
The ocean is always in motion: currents move water around the globe. Water evaporates and rises into the atmosphere where it will eventually fall as rain and snow. Cold water sinks in the ocean, warm water rises, and this constant movement distributes heat and nutrients around the globe.
In this course, you will learn about life in the ocean depths, at the Polar extremes, in coral reefs, estuaries, and in the open sea. You will learn about plants large and small, marine birds, reptiles, invertebrates and fish. You will learn how all these organisms connect with each other in the marine biome, and what threats are facing these ecosystems.
Not all organisms can live in a high salinity environment. People, for example, can't survive in saltwater. Since you have no special adaptations to remove salt, if you drink too much seawater, your kidneys will try to flush the excess salt out as quickly as possible through urine, and you would lose more water than you originally drank, leaving you dehydrated. If you didn't correct the situation by replacing fluids with fresh (non salty) water, your organs would eventually shut down and you would die.
Living in the ocean requires special adaptations, like a tolerance for salt or a way to remove the excess effectively, the ability to move through the water, find food, hide from predators, and locate a mate.
According to the theory of evolution, as generations passed, the descendants changed, or evolved, until they did not resemble one another at all. Once these distant relatives weren't able to reproduce with one another, they became entirely different species. Scientists study all the different organisms existing today and analyze the traits that they have in common to group them into families. Although scientists argue about how evolution happens and how long the process takes, they do agree that change is constant and that it's going on right now. Species which did not change, or adapt, to changing circumstances eventually died out and became extinct.
Understanding the relationships between species has helped scientists derive useful medicines from natural sources, like a substance in horseshoe crabs that is now used in leukemia treatments.
- Completely Online
- Self-Paced
- 6 Months to Complete
- 24/7 Availability
- Start Anytime
- PC & Mac Compatible
- Android & iOS Friendly
- Accredited CEUs

Course Lessons
Lesson 1: Introduction
Lesson 1 Video
Review Article: Becoming a Marine Biologist
Take Poll: Marine Biology
Take Survey: Reasons for Taking this Course
Complete Assignment: An Introduction
Complete: Lesson 1 Assignment
Complete Exam: Lesson 1: Introduction
Lesson 2: Geology and the Ocean
Lesson 2 Video
Review Article: Marine Geology
Complete: Lesson 2 Assignment
Complete Exam: Lesson 2: Geology and the Ocean
Lesson 3: Currents and Tides
Lesson 3 Video
Review 2 Articles: Tides and Currents; Waves, Tides and Currents
Complete: Lesson 3 Assignment
Complete Exam: Lesson 3: Currents and Tides
Lesson 4: What's in a Name?
Lesson 4 Video
Review 2 Articles: Marine Taxonomy; The Classification of Living Things
Complete: Lesson 4 Assignment
Complete Exam: Lesson 4: What's in a Name?
Lesson 5: Invertebrates
Lesson 5 Video
Review 2 Articles: Marine Invertebrates; The 31 Types of Invertebrates
Complete: Lesson 5 Assignment
Complete Exam: Lesson 5: Invertebrates
Lesson 6: Vertebrates
Lesson 6 Video
Complete: Lesson 6 Assignment
Complete Exam: Lesson 6: Vertebrates
Lesson 7: Marine Fish
Lesson 7 Video
Review 2 Articles: 20 Weirdest Fish in the Ocean; Marine Fish Species
Complete: Lesson 7 Assignment
Complete Exam: Lesson 7: Marine Fishes
Lesson 8: Marine Mammals
Lesson 8 Video
Review Article: List of Marine Mammals
Complete: Lesson 8 Assignment
Complete Exam: Lesson 8: Marine Mammals
Lesson 9: Marine Ecosystems
Lesson 9 Video
Complete: Lesson 9 Assignment
Complete Exam: Lesson 9: Marine Ecosystems
Lesson 10: Life at the Shore
Lesson 10 Video
Review 2 Articles: The Intertidal Zone; Tide Pools
Take Poll: Tide Pools
Complete: Lesson 10 Assignment
Complete Exam: Lesson 10: Life at the Shore
Lesson 11: Estuaries
Lesson 11 Video
Review 2 Articles: Estuaries; Exploring Estuaries
Complete: Lesson 11 Assignment
Complete Exam: Lesson 11: Estuaries
Lesson 12: Coral Reef Biology
Lesson 12 Video
Review Article: Coral Reef Biology
Complete: Lesson 12 Assignment
Complete Exam: Lesson 12: Coral Reef Biology
Lesson 13: Coral Reef Ecosystems
Lesson 13 Video
Review Article: Coral Reef Ecosystems
Complete: Lesson 13 Assignment
Complete Exam: Lesson 13: Coral Reef Ecosystems
Lesson 14: Life in the Polar Oceans
Lesson 14 Video
Review 2 Articles: Arctic Ecosystem; Polar Oceans
Complete: Lesson 14 Assignment
Complete Exam: Lesson 14: Life in the Polar Oceans
Lesson 15: The Open Sea
Lesson 15 Video
Review 2 Articles: Pelagic Biome; The Open Ocean
Complete: Lesson 15 Assignment
Complete Exam: Lesson 15: The Open Sea
Lesson 16: Life in the Ocean's Depth
Lesson 16 Video
Review 2 Articles: The Deep Ocean; The Deep Sea Biome
Take Poll: Marine Organisms
Complete: Lesson 16 Assignment
Complete Exam: Lesson 16: Life in the Ocean's Depth
Lesson 17: Oceans in Jeopardy
Lesson 17 Video
Review 2 Articles: 7 Biggest Problems Facing Oceans; The Ocean's Problems
Take Poll: Ocean Challenges
Take Survey: Program Evaluation Follow-up Survey (End of Course)
Complete: Lesson 17 Assignment
Complete Exam: Lesson 17: Oceans in Jeopardy
Complete: The Final Exam
Learning Outcomes
- Define what marine biology is and why it is important to study.
- Describe geology and the ocean, currents and tides.
- Understanding the nomenclature of marine biology
- Identify invertebrates of the marine environment.
- Identify vertebrates of the marine environment.
- Identify marine fish.
- Identify marine mammals.
- Describe marine ecosystems.
- Summarize what estuaries are and why they are important.
- Summarize coral reef biology and ecosystems.
- Describe life in the polar oceans and the open sea.
- Describe life in the ocean's depth and its future with the human race, and
- Demonstrate mastery of lesson content at levels of 70% or higher.
Additional Course Information

- Document Your Lifelong Learning Achievements
- Earn an Official Certificate Documenting Course Hours and CEUs
- Verify Your Certificate with a Unique Serial Number Online
- View and Share Your Certificate Online or Download/Print as PDF
- Display Your Certificate on Your Resume and Promote Your Achievements Using Social Media

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Time to complete | 6 months |
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Time to complete | 12 Months |
No. of courses | 500+ |
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Time to complete | Monthly |
No. of courses | 500+ |
Student Testimonials
- "Great instructor!" -- Melanie H.
- "This was a very interesting course. I enjoyed learning about marine biology. I would sit at dinner with my husband and children and tell them an interesting fact I had learned that day." -- Victoria L.
- "It was great to be able to work at your own pace." -- Julie S.