Definition: The study of plant and animal life in the world's oceans, rivers and lakes.

Required qualifications: Usually, at least a BSc. (Bachelor of Science) in Biology, Marine Biology, Zoology or another biological science. In general, a Masters degree is the first opportunity students have to specialize in marine mammals.

In the US: A broad range of subjects, with good grades, is essential for your high school studies.

Other skills: Good background in all the sciences, plus good IT skills and mathematics skills. Languages skills can also be useful depending on where you are working around the world.

Salary: Varies, but the starting salary is usually about £15,000 ($30,000 approx.), going up to £30,000 ($60,000). The better your qualifications, the higher your salary!

Marine biology is the study of all animal and plant life that lives under water - both in the sea and in rivers and lakes. This ranges from tiny, single-celled organisms, to coral, to marine mammals such as whales and dolphins. Marine biologists try to find out more about how marine organisms survive - such as hunting and feeding techniques; defenses against predators; courtship and mating rituals; and how they interact with the surrounding environment. The actual job is usually a combination of field work and lab work, with large amounts of time also devoted to writing up reports.

As with any scientific career, a marine biologist has to analyze and interpret different types of data, be able to draw conclusions and write reports. They also have to be able to plan and analyze research - as a marine biologist, one must be able to think these things up for yourself and not wait for someone to tell you what to do!

Openings in marine biology vary greatly and there are opportunities in industries as diverse as oil refining and even farming, as well as possibilities for freelance research - but this leads to a lot of time spent writing reports to try and gain funding for research!

Marine biology is a very popular field due to the popularity of animals such as dolphins, and other beautiful marine life, and places on courses can be highly competitive. But, if marine biology is definitely what you want to do, it can be a very rewarding career - follow your dreams, study hard, and the world's your.