It is a fairly rigorous degree... it's not a play course

Elizabeth Hatton, Edith Cowan University

As part of the course, students will learn how to make their own boards and study the action of the waves.

However officials stress the course is not for beach bums.

Students will have to get down to some hard graft learning about technology, meterology, ecology, business principles and event management.

'Rigorous degree'

Elizabeth Hatton, Dean of the university's Faculty of Regional and Professional Studies, says the degree will help graduates find work on the business side of the surfing industry, or in environmental management.

"It is a fairly rigorous degree... it's not a play course," she said.

The University hopes to target students' interests

"I suspect what you might get is people who perhaps only work well when they have something that interests them [and who] may tackle a university degree when they might not otherwise do it," she added.

The university hopes to foster links with Plymouth University in south west Britain, which launched a similar course in board science in 1999.

Ms Hatton said an American university is also considering offering the degree, and students eventually may have the opportunity to study for a year each at all three institutions.