The university promotes an integrated approach to marine science education and research to prepare students for a variety of rewarding academic and professional careers. This major, offered cooperatively with the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, allows students to tailor a curriculum that suits their interests and career goals.
The curriculum provides students with the core scientific and quantitative skills necessary for success. Lower-division courses build a strong foundation in basic sciences and math while upper-division courses provide opportunity for specialization. Students in the College of Agricultural and Life Sciences (CALS) complete an upper-division core that concentrates on biological and ecological marine science essentials while also giving students a critical understanding of how statistics and economics are integrated into marine science and resource management.
Students work closely with a faculty advisor to create an individualized curriculum plan of at least 18 approved elective credits and 15-16 hours of planned credits. These can include courses on resource management, human dimensions, conservation, quantitative population assessment and others. Students must complete their plans along with the approval of a faculty advisor before reaching 70 credits.
Application procedure
The online application portal can be accessed here
Grant opportunities
Information about available scholarships and grants can be found here
Learning outcomes
This major provides integrative understanding of the basic concepts, theories and observational findings related to marine materials and processes, geologic time, the diversity of marine life, the structure and function of marine organisms and ecosystems and marine resource management.
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