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Masters · 1500 h · 11 modules
Master's in the Urban Blue Economy and Cities of the Sea
The Master's in the Urban Blue Economy and Cities of the Sea Prepares you to drive the sustainable development of coastal cities through their sea-based activities. You will study the sectors of the blue economy (ports, logistics,
Duration1500 h
FormatOnline
Starts30 November
Places20 / 20
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Programme overview
What is the Master’s in the Urban Blue Economy and Cities of the Sea?
The Master's in the Urban Blue Economy and Cities of the Sea
Prepares you to drive the sustainable development of coastal cities through their sea-based activities. You will study the sectors of the blue economy (ports, logistics, tourism, fisheries, offshore renewables and biotechnology), urban and innovation policy, funding and sustainability indicators, and learn to design strategies, entrepreneurial ecosystems and city-of-the-sea projects that create jobs without compromising the marine ecosystems on which those activities ultimately depend.
Key advantages
- A city perspective: The blue economy analysed at urban and metropolitan scale.
- Every sector: Ports, tourism, seafood, energy, biotechnology and maritime services.
- Strategy tools: Economic diagnosis, clusters, funding and indicators.
- Genuine sustainability: Criteria to ensure growth does not degrade the ocean.
- Your own project: A blue economy strategy for a real coastal city.
Programme type
Master's Degree
Study mode
Online
Duration
1,500 hours
Modules
11
Programme highlights
- Analyse the ocean economy: Measure the weight of maritime sectors in a city.
- Design urban strategies: Prepare blue economy plans with goals and measures.
- Drive innovation: Build clusters, hubs and blue entrepreneurship programmes.
- Attract funding: Get to know public funds and sustainable investment in the sector.
- Boost your career: Open doors to local authorities, ports, clusters and consultancies.
- Train to turn the sea into an engine of sustainable development for coastal cities.
Curriculum
Programme Structure
The programme is structured in 11 modules, listed below in order of study.
01
The Blue Economy and Coastal Cities
- The concept of the blue economy
- Sustainable blue economy and blue growth
- Cities of the sea through history
- The economic weight of coastal areas
- Established and emerging sectors
- The blue economy and ocean health
- The 2030 Agenda and SDG 14
- International blue economy strategies
- Global trends in coastal cities
- Challenges and risks of blue growth
02
Ports, Logistics and the City
- The port as an urban economic engine
- Logistics chains and shipping
- Logistics activity zones
- Port digitalisation
- Decarbonising ports
- Shore power
- Port impacts on the city
- Port-city integration
- Maritime industry and services
- Port economic impact indicators
03
Sustainable Coastal and Maritime Tourism
- Beach tourism
- Cruises and port cities
- Leisure boating and marinas
- Cultural tourism and maritime heritage
- Marine ecotourism
- Tourism carrying capacity
- Managing visitor flows
- Tourism and housing
- Sustainable tourism indicators
- Diversifying the tourism model
04
Blue Food and the Seafood Value Chain
- Fisheries and coastal communities
- Sustainable aquaculture
- Fish auctions and seafood markets
- Processing industry
- Gastronomy and city branding
- Seaweed and new marine products
- Traceability and certification
- Using by-products
- Short supply chains
- Jobs in the blue food chain
05
Marine Energy and the Coastal City Transition
- Offshore wind
- Wave and tidal energy
- Ports as offshore operations bases
- Offshore renewables supply chains
- Hydrogen and new energy carriers in ports
- Coastal energy communities
- Green jobs and training
- Social acceptance of projects
- Planning energy space at sea
- Managing environmental impacts
06
Innovation, Biotechnology and New Blue Sectors
- Marine biotechnology
- Robotics and ocean technologies
- Ocean data and digital services
- Marine-derived materials and products
- Desalination and water
- Blue start-ups
- Technology transfer
- Urban living labs
- Intellectual property in blue innovation
- Emerging sectors and their uncertainty
07
Clusters, Entrepreneurship and Innovation Ecosystems
- What a maritime cluster is
- Designing innovation ecosystems
- Blue incubators and accelerators
- University-industry collaboration
- Public procurement of innovation
- Entrepreneurship programmes
- Attracting talent
- International networks of ocean cities
- Measuring cluster impact
- Blue ecosystem case studies
08
Measuring and Analysing the Ocean Economy
- Statistical definition of the blue economy
- Economic data sources
- Ocean satellite accounts
- Input-output tables
- Employment and value-added analysis
- Natural capital accounting
- Environmental and social indicators
- Urban dashboards
- Scenario analysis
- Communicating results
09
Urban Policy, Governance and Planning
- Blue economy policies at different scales
- Integrated urban strategies
- Marine spatial planning
- Port-city governance
- Coordination between public bodies
- Private sector involvement
- Public participation
- Social justice and the blue transition
- Climate adaptation and the economy
- Evaluating public policy
10
Sustainable Blue Finance and Investment
- Public funding for the blue economy
- European and international programmes
- Development banks
- Blue bonds and sustainable finance
- Sustainable blue economy finance principles
- Impact investment
- Public-private partnerships
- Project feasibility analysis
- Investment risks and criteria
- Preparing funding proposals
11
Master's Final Project: Urban Blue Economy Strategy
- Choosing the coastal city
- Diagnosis of the ocean economy
- Sector and value chain analysis
- Environmental and social diagnosis
- Stakeholder map
- Vision and strategic priorities
- Flagship project programme
- Funding plan
- Indicators and monitoring
- Defence before a panel
Workload
Study Time and Workload
1500 hours of study, online and at your own pace. Move the slider to the hours a week you can really put in.
Hours a week8
Weeks to finish—
You finish around—
Who it is for
Graduates in economics, business, geography or environmental science: who want to specialise in the blue economy Local economic development officers: working in councils and development agencies Port authority and maritime cluster professionals: who promote innovation in the sector Strategy and sustainability consultants: who advise cities and companies Entrepreneurs: who want to build sea
Faculty
Academic direction and faculty
The teaching team at Navalis: working professionals who deliver and oversee the institute's programmes.
Eng. Diego Cifuentes
Cap. Javier Abaroa (MCA)
Dr. Pau Ferrer
Dr. Nuria Llobregat
Eng. Javier Bañuls
Eng. Sofía Marquina
Eng. Tomás Riera
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Student Reviews
Reviews collected and verified by Opynio, not written by us.
Outcomes
Learning Outcomes
- 01Understand the blue economy
- 02Measure the ocean economy
- 03Design urban blue strategies
- 04Build innovation ecosystems
- 05Fund blue projects
- 06Ensure sustainability
Careers
Career Opportunities
01Blue economy officer: Strategies and programmes in councils and development agencies.
02Maritime cluster manager: Supporting businesses and innovation in the sector.
03Urban strategy consultant: Development plans for coastal cities.
04Public policy analyst: Designing and evaluating blue policies.
05Innovation project manager: Entrepreneurship and technology transfer programmes.
06Sustainable finance specialist: Analysing and structuring blue investments.
Questions
Entry Requirements
All the sea-related economic activities that take place in a city and its surroundings, analysed from the perspective of urban planning and policy.
It is not essential. The programme introduces the economic concepts and methods needed for the analysis.
Yes. The health of marine ecosystems is a cross-cutting criterion in every module.
Yes. You use official statistics, reports from international organisations and coastal city case studies.
A blue economy strategy for a real coastal city, with diagnosis, flagship projects, funding and indicators.
100% online, with a virtual campus available 24/7, live sessions that are recorded, and tutorials with the teaching staff.
The programme involves 1500 hours of study. You can work at your own pace within the timetable we give you when you enrol.
Each programme has its own start date, shown on this page and confirmed by our admissions team when you enquire.
On completing the programme you receive the Master's in the Urban Blue Economy and Cities of the Sea qualification awarded by Navalis Magna Institute.
Online admissions
Admissions Process
No waiting for a phone call. If your documents are complete, you can pay in the same session.
Entry requirements
Academic/professional profile: A degree in economics, business administration, geography, political science, environmental science, engineering or a related field; or proven professional experience in local development or the maritime sector. Language: A good working level of English to follow classes and materials. Technical requirements: A computer with a stable internet connection, an up-to-date browser and a webcam for live sessions and project presentations. Admissions process: Online application, profile review and a short interview with the academic team. We confirm your start dat
Questions?
Frequently Asked Questions
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