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The mission of the Department of Marine Sciences at ³ÉÈËÖ±²¥ is to enable students to understand the real-world relevance of the marine sciences, foster scientific literacy and critical thinking skills, and lay the foundation for lifelong learning and meaningful, productive contributions to society.

The Marine Sciences encompass a wide variety of disciplines that seek to understand the way the ocean functions, and how it is related to earth systems science, as well as to human interactions with the environment. Students will learn the theoretical underpinnings and applications of disciplines from biology, to chemistry, geology and physics. These disciplines are critical to life as we know it on the planet, and beyond. Students will be able to apply these disciplines to solving real problems, not only in ocean sciences, but in fields as far ranging as meteorology and space exploration

The Marine Sciences program offers a baccalaureate education to students interested in all facets of the marine environment. The classroom curriculum provides a strong background in the marine sciences, including biology, chemistry, physics and geology of the oceans and their surroundings. The program focuses on hands-on activities, internships and research experiences in addition to classroom work.

The Marine Affairs major is aimed at providing future student leaders a solid grounding in the vital fields of coastal and marine science, as well as resource use, marine governance systems, management, policy, ecosystems ecology, conservation, and sustainable development. This major is suitable for students who are concerned about the marine environment, and are interested in careers in ecosystem and human health interactions, ocean management and political decision making, and marine sustainability science and policies.

The Marine Living Learning Community (MLC)

All entering first year Marine Science, Marine Affairs, and Marine Entrepreneurship majors are invited to participate in a year-long living learning community focused on developing the skills needed to be a successful student, discovery of their majors and associated learning opportunities, and building relationships with peers, faculty, and profession staff.  

The MLC integrates classroom learning, student success programming, experiential opportunities, as well as team building and leadership development programs designed to assist Marine majors in their transitions from High School to College to Career.

Learning Community courses and events allows students an opportunity to expand their interests and grow personally, as well as professionally.  A dedicated team comprised of faculty, professional staff, and peer leaders supports the MLC.  This community of learning enriches classroom content and allows and opportunity to apply learning in context.

Students who participate in the MLC expected to:

• Live together in a Residence Hall Community designed by the Office of Housing and Residents/Commuter Life.
• Take two (2) or more designated courses in common over the course of their first year.
• Participate in required experiential learning opportunities and community programs.

Graduation Requirements

Graduation in any of the programs in the Department of Marine Sciences. A 2.00 cumulative average in sciences is a requirement for graduation in any of the programs in the Department of Marine Sciences.

Program Completion Timeline:
Students have a maximum of seven years to complete the graduation requirements

Students in this major can participate in the pre-health graduate school preparation tracks.

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1. Students will demonstrate a strong content-knowledge foundation in their specific field of study (Marine Biology, Oceanography, Marine Entrepreneurship, or Marine Affairs).
2. Students will communicate effectively in both oral and written format to convey their scientific knowledge, interdisciplinary training, and findings to peers, professional audiences, decision-makers, and/or the public.
3. Students will demonstrate critical thinking and problem solving skills in their specific field of study by designing, carrying out, and interpreting the results of their experiments, by evaluating the literature published by professionals, by making recommendations to policy makers and/or by creating and innovating in their field.

We offer qualified students the option of graduating with Honors. This includes significant research, scholarship or creative activity under the direction of a faculty member. Interested students should consult with their major advisor. 

Courses previously completed at another accredited college can be transferred to this degree program. Transferred courses must be reasonably close in scope and content to the marine sciences courses offered at ³ÉÈËÖ±²¥ in order to count as exact equivalents. Otherwise, they will transfer as general electives. All Science/Math courses previously completed must be no older than five years. Other options and restrictions apply. See Undergraduate Admissions also.

See Undergraduate Admissions.

Tuition and Fees

Tuition and fees for subsequent years may vary. Other expenses include books and housing. For more information regarding tuition and fees, please consult the Financial Information section of this catalog.