About the MACS Major
The Marine and Coastal Science (MACS) major trains the next generation of marine scientists, equipping them with a deep connection to marine systems, a clear grasp of coastal and marine processes, and the versatile skills needed to tackle the pressing challenges facing our marine and coastal environments.
B.S. in Marine and Coastal Science
The B.S. in Marine and Coastal Science is a cohort-based, interdisciplinary, experiential program designed to provide students with the opportunity to engage in coastal and marine-focused research and active learning experiences that help them develop into confident, thoughtful, and ethical scientists.
Each year, a new cohort of students starts the program together (see Program Admissions for more details). The cornerstone of the experience is a sequence of four, core marine science courses that provide a foundation understanding of the physical, chemical, geological, and biological workings of marine and coastal systems. Additional elective courses offered in the MACS program build on existing course offerings in the Geology, Biology, Chemistry, and Environmental Science departments. While much of the course work happens on the main campus in Bellingham, there are opportunities for focused study at Western’s Shannon Point Marine Center (SPMC) in Anacortes, about an hour’s drive away. The opportunities include a 1-week residential research experience at the beginning of the student's time in the MACS program, a capstone research option, and selected courses offered entirely at SPMC. Specific degree requirements for the major can found in the University course catalog or the MACS Degree Planner.
Program Features & Highlights
The MACS major is a partnership between four existing academic departments (Biology, Geology, Chemistry, and Environmental Sciences) and Shannon Point Marine Center. Program students have a unique opportunity to study marine science in an environment of truly interdisciplinary collaboration.
MACS program students will:
- Study marine science as a cohort of 30 students, beginning with a residential research experience at Shannon Point Marine Center at the start of their time in the program and continuing through the first year in the program (generally junior year) with the core course series.
- Have opportunities to engage in mentored, hands-on research opportunities through each stage of their time in the program, including the residential stay, required and elective courses, and a capstone experience during their final year.
- Spend time in the field, on oceanographic research vessels, and in learning laboratories that engage deeply in marine research and focused study of the Salish Sea.
Beyond the Classroom
Western’s location on the shores of the Salish Sea provides great opportunities for students to really get their feet wet (we do have boots they can borrow though, if they prefer dry feet). Program concepts are generally illustrated with examples from local systems or are explored through case studies from our regional seas, bringing the oceans and coasts into the classroom. Students take those concepts and delve into them through sampling trips aboard one of our research vessels, or in the extensive coastal and intertidal areas accessible near the campus and the marine lab. To develop as scientists, students need to analyze and interpret data, including data they themselves have collected. They get practice in these skills through laboratory and field courses, putting it all together with a capstone research experience towards the end of their time in the program.
To us, beyond the classroom also means our focus extends beyond the university to the people and communities whose existences are intertwined with coastal systems and resources. In this place-based approach, we work to understand the whole context of an issue, including the lands, waters, ecosystems, and human interactions with those systems. We strive to do this work in our local waters of the Salish Sea in particular. Solutions to the challenges we face must be scientifically sound, but they will succeed only through engagement with communities and decision makers. Workable solutions require problem solvers who understand the diversity of viewpoints. To this end, the program is built to bring forward many voices, and to encourage participation and success of students from all backgrounds. We work with local communities, nonprofits, government agencies, and other institutions to build knowledge and understanding of marine systems, and collaboratively build tools to address problems. Students engage actively in these efforts through class projects, independent research experiences, internships, and outreach.
Want to learn more? Check out these resources below:
Or contact us at MACSAdvising@wwu.edu.