Marine Related Majors

Marine & Coastal Science (B.S)

Program Description

This degree is designed to provide students with the opportunity to engage in coastal and marine-focused research and active learning experiences. The program also helps them develop into confident, thoughtful, ethical scientists who are ready to address the growing challenges affecting our marine and coastal environments. The degree incorporates the chemical, physical, biological, and geological aspects of the ocean.

Required Major Courses

• Introduction to Marine and Coastal Science Research
• Core Series: Marine Physical Processes, Marine Geological Processes, Marine Chemical Processes, Marine Ecological Processes
• Marine Science & Society
• Communicating Marine Science

Example Electives

*Students can often take these courses for their degree regardless of major

• Paleoceanography
• Deep Sea Ecology
• Waves and Tides
• Marine Fish Ecology
• Marine Mammals
• Ocean Climate Change
• Ichthyology
• Marine Pollution
• Earth and Ocean Data Analysis

Unique Aspects

• Interdisciplinary study of marine science and systems
• Student cohort model, with a limit of 30 students per cohort to ensure small classes and labs
• Early research experience, including a one week stay at Shannon Point Marine Center

Experiential Opportunities

• Introduction to marine and coastal sciences, including a one week residential stay at Shannon Point Marine Center involving daily marine science field work
• Capstone, which can be course-based research, an independent research project or an external internship

Admissions Overview

1. Meet with a MACS academic advisor
2. Complete preparatory courses
3. Apply to major (January 15th deadline)
4. Start major courses

Biology (B.S.)

Program Description

This degree provides a thorough introduction to the basic areas of biology and supporting sciences while allowing specialization in marine biology. Students explore the structure and function of marine organisms and their relationship with the environment. Marine biology is the study of life in the ocean.

Required Major Courses

• Fundamentals of Molecular Biology
• Genetics
• Cell Biology
• Ecology and Ecology Lab
• Evolutionary Biology

Example Electives

• Microbial Ecology
• Fundamentals of Biological Oceanography
• Biology of Marine Mammals
• Physiological Ecology and Animals
• Marine Ecology
• Algae
• Invertebrate Zoology

Unique Aspects

• Focused on marine biology
• Focused on structure & function of marine organisms  

Experiential Opportunities

• Faculty led study abroad
• Gain research experience by participating in and/or conducting biological research in marine systems

Admissions Overview

1. Declare pre-major (phase 1)
2. Complete preparatory courses (BIOL 204/BIOL 205, CHEM 161/CHEM 162)
3. Take entrance exam
4. Apply to major (phase 2) Fall/Winter/Spring
5. Start major courses

Environmental Science (B.S)

Program Description

Environmental Science draws on fundamental knowledge of the physical, chemical, biological, and quantitative aspects of natural systems. The knowledge of how natural systems work is applied to solving problems. Often these problems are represented by disturbances in the functioning of natural systems as humans alter their own life-support systems—the air, the water and soil.

Required Major Courses

• Fundamentals of Ecology
• Organic Chemistry

Example Electives

• Oceanography
• Marine Geochemistry
• Marine Invertebrates and the Environment
• Indigenous Research Management in the Salish Sea
• Habitat and Ecology of Pacific Salmon and Trout
• Marine Conservation

Unique Aspects

• Focused on marine ecology
• Focused on conservation, systems, and environmental problems and policy 

Experiential Opportunities

• Senior thesis
• Internship
• Senior project
• International study

Admissions Overview

1. Declare pre-major
2. Complete all preparatory courses
3. Apply to major (Fall/Winter/Spring)
4. Start major courses

Geology (B.S)

Program Description

Geology is a diverse discipline, incorporating aspects of physics, chemistry, biology and natural history in the attempt to solve earth-related problems. Geoscientists provide basic information to society for solving problems and establishing policy for resource management, environmental protection, public health, safety, and welfare.

Required Major Courses

• Historical Geology
• GIS in Geology
• Mineralogy
• Geomorphology
• Structural Geology
• Introduction to Geophysics
• Igneous and Metamorphic Petrology
• Field Methods and Theory
• Sedimentology and Stratigraphy

Example Electives

• Engineering Geology
• Paleontology
• Geological Oceanography
• Geological Perspectives on Climate Change
• Marine Geohazards

Unique Aspects

• Focused on the changing dynamics of planetary systems through time
• Focused on the land-ocean transition and coastal processes
• Student engagement in research

Experiential Opportunities

• Field camp
• Lab camp
• Senior thesis option

Admissions Overview

1. Declare major (phase 1)
2. Complete preparatory courses
3. Start major courses (phase II)