Address: 230 Elizabeth Avenue, A1C 5S7 St. John’s, Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada
Marine and Ocean Technology, Earth Sciences, Engineering
Memorial University of Newfoundland, usually called Memorial or MUN, is based in St. John’s and is the largest university in Atlantic Canada. It opened in 1925 as Memorial University College, established as a living memorial to the Newfoundlanders who died in the First World War, and it was raised to full university status in 1949, soon after Newfoundland joined Canada. In 1961 the institution moved to its present main-campus site on Elizabeth Avenue.
Memorial is not confined to the capital. Grenfell Campus stands in Corner Brook, where a two-year college opened in the mid-1970s, and the Marine Institute in St. John’s runs industrial training as well as diploma and certificate programmes. Academic units on the St. John’s campus include faculties of business administration, education, engineering, medicine and science, together with schools such as music, pharmacy and social work.
Undergraduate and graduate study covers the sciences, arts and humanities, social sciences, business administration, education, engineering and medicine. Ocean research is a defining theme, with research centres devoted to ocean resources and maritime history.
Domains taught:
Data Analytics, Ecology and Sustainability, Engineering, Geotechnics, Life Sciences, Marine Science, Software Engineering
Diplomas*:
Bachelor, Certificate, Diploma, Doctor, Master, MBA
Status:
Public
Partnerships:
Strong links with marine industries, fisheries, and offshore oil and gas sector. Home to the Marine Institute. Unique focus on Newfoundland and Labrador’s culture and environment.
Research:
Research focused on ocean sciences, fisheries, marine engineering, Arctic studies, earth sciences, and rural/remote health.
Famous Alumnis:
Rick Hillier, Danny Williams, Seamus O’Regan, Mark Critch
International recognition**:
Number of staff***:
4000
Current students***:
19000
Foreign students***:
10%
Cumulative former students***:
100000
Pros
Affordable tuition fees, unique programs related to marine and Arctic environments, strong connection to the province.
Cons
St. John’s is geographically isolated, harsher climate, some older facilities.
Best For
Students interested in marine studies, earth sciences, engineering, or disciplines relevant to Newfoundland and Labrador, valuing affordable education and unique regional research.
Dalhousie University, in Halifax, is the nearest regional counterpart, with ocean studies, health professions and law among its specialties.
University of Calgary in Calgary offers energy research and engineering alongside kinesiology.
University of Alberta in Edmonton lists energy and environment, artificial intelligence and health sciences as specialties.
University of Manitoba in Winnipeg combines health sciences, agriculture and food sciences, and Arctic system science.
University of Guelph in Guelph is listed for agriculture and food science, veterinary medicine and environmental sciences.
Most Similar Schools Abroad
In the United Kingdom, University of Southampton pairs engineering with ocean and earth science.
Christian-Albrechts-Universität zu Kiel in Germany focuses on marine sciences alongside nanoscience and materials science.
Oregon State University in the United States lists forestry, oceanography and agricultural sciences.
Ocean University of China in China is organised around oceanography, marine biology and aquaculture.
University of Gdańsk in Poland covers oceanography and marine biology with biotechnology.
*our own picks (our criteria: a mix between domains, diploma delivered, reputation and size), but obviously too many criteria for an apple-to-apple ranking.
FAQ
Where are Memorial University's campuses?
The main campus is in St. John's, on Elizabeth Avenue since 1961, and Grenfell Campus is in Corner Brook. The Marine Institute is also in St. John's.
When did Memorial gain full university status?
It began in 1925 as Memorial University College and became a degree-granting university in 1949, shortly after Newfoundland joined Canada. Both the university's own history pages and the Canadian Encyclopedia record the change.
What does the Marine Institute do within the university?
It is part of Memorial and offers industrial training together with diploma and certificate programmes. It sits alongside the degree-granting faculties.
Which subjects can students choose at Memorial?
Programmes are offered in the sciences, arts and humanities, social sciences, business administration, education, engineering and medicine. Units such as music, pharmacy and social work operate as separate schools.
Which research areas stand out at Memorial?
Research centres focus on ocean resources and maritime history.
Is Memorial the largest university in its region?
Yes, it is described as the largest university in Atlantic Canada. It was founded as a living memorial to the Newfoundlanders who died in the First World War.
Where can applicants find current fees and admission rules?
Fee schedules and entry requirements are published on the university's official website and differ by programme and year, so they should be checked there before applying.
*: without any judgment of the quality, readers are strongly encouraged to check the official status of the exact diploma envisioned as many universities have a mix of recognized diplomas, not recognized, “co-delivered,” “equivalent to”, “some pathways” (…), can change over time, and can be named differently from one country to another.
**: international reputation: is based on some criteria that do not mean much in some domains or specialties (number of researchers, of scientific publications, on budget ….). Our approximate 1-4 scale:
known locally
known locally and internationally
is listed in some of the world university’s classifications
is listed among the 20 firsts in some of world university’s classifications
***: estimated numbers, based on online sources and/or feedbacks. The numbers can vary greatly depending on school organisation (ex.: school is part of a group, it employs internal staff or external consultants or has public staff without employing them …). Refer to all the links provided to have accurate and updated numbers.
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