Here below you can find all master courses the University Centre offers. All courses are taught in 1-3 week modules running from August through June. See how the courses are organised in the teaching schedule for both programs. Usually 2-3 courses are taught at the same time, but students may only enroll in one course at a time.
The master courses are available to you whether you plan to pursue a degree or just take a course or courses. Please review the options for guest studies to determine how you can apply.
For further information, contact the Administrative Director of Education and Teaching.
Coastal and Marine Management: Theory and Tools
- Autumn 2025
- Instructor: Dr. Charlie Short
About the course
What is marine and coastal zone management? What do you need to know? What kind of tools and techniques are at your disposal? The reality is that marine and coastal zone management requires an interdisciplinary approach to work well. You need to understand the fundamentals underlying the local ecology, social aspects, economic drivers and implications and cultural norms and traditions. In this class we’ll explore a diversity of marine and coastal zone management elements, covering theory, ecology, policy, legislation and specific tools and techniques.
This course is designed to give students a solid breath of understanding to build upon throughout the rest of the program. Lecture, group work and practical and applied assignments are used as well as potential for local field trips.
Instructor
Originally from southern Ontario, Canada and having spent much of his youth in Southern California and Hawaii with family, Charlie moved to British Columbia to begin his undergraduate studies at the University of Victoria. He developed a passion for the marine environment and focused his degree in Coastal / Marine Resources and Wildlife Management. He continued on to complete a graduate degree in Marine Ecology focusing on the distribution of whales in relation to Marine Protected Areas off the West Coast of Vancouver Island, British Columbia, Canada.
After spending a few years studying marine mammals (west coast of the United States, Gulf of Mexico and as far off as the Western Antarctic Peninsula) Charlie returned to Canada and began working with the Government of British Columbia in 2006 as a marine specialist. He has been with the Provincial Government working on coastal and marine related initiatives ever since. Charlie is currently an Executive Director, Strategic Projects, Coast Area Operations and works on a variety of coastal and marine based initiatives throughout British Columbia. Much of his work is focused on Coastal Zone Management, Marine Protected Areas, Marine Spatial Planning, collaboration with First Nations and marine governance. Outside of government, Charlie is a sessional instructor at the University of Victoria, Department of Geography and a visiting instructor at the University Centre of the Westfjords, Iceland. He has been teaching both in class and field based senior level marine and coastal resource management and coastal ecology-based classes since 2007.
Charlie lives in Victoria, British Columbia with his wife and two children. In his spare time, he enjoys surfing, playing music and exploring the BC coast.
Learning outcome
The course explores the concepts, principles, approaches, processes and issues related to integrated coastal and ocean management. This is achieved through a review of the development and history of Integrated Coastal Zone Management (ICZM) within a global context. An overview of different management strategies, as well as the meaning of integration in the governing of natural resources, will be presented. Country case studies will be presented and examined. Successful and failed integrated coastal and ocean management techniques will also be discussed and analysed.
On completion of the course, a student:
- has gained an understanding of Integrated Coastal and Ocean Management as a field of study.
- can recognize the complexity of coastal and marine management issues.
- can integrate different aspects of ICZM, from a social, economic and ecological perspective, to assess problems and issues.
- can apply their understanding and interpretation of coastal areas to the design of integrated management plans for coastal and marine habitats.