Program Admissions

Admissions Information for Current Western Students

We are excited that you are considering Western Washington University’s new major in Marine and Coastal Science (MACS). This page is designed for prospective students to learn more about the application process, and for eligible students to submit their application. Once a year, the program admits a cohort of approximately 30 students.

Students will typically apply to the major during the year that they plan to complete all preparatory courses. For non-running start or transfer students, this is usually sophomore year. However, every students schedule varies and we welcome both transfer and running start students into our program.

Upon acceptance into the program, students begin major courses in the spring with MACS 210 (Introduction to Marine and Coastal Science Research). They then move on to the major core classes, starting with MACS 301, in the fall.

General Student Timeline

The sample student schedule below is for a Marine and Coastal Science major who starts at Western, places into Math 118, and chooses the Biology track. Every student's course schedule will look different. Visit our student resources page for additional samples student schedules or schedule a meeting with the program advisor to discuss your individual path and a more relevant timeline. The program has flexibility for transfer and running start students who come to Western with a significant number of credits.

schedule showing when a student could take the required courses to get a MACS degree over 4 years

Admissions Requirements

To be eligible for the MACS major, prospective students must have completed, or be on track to complete, all the major preparatory courses (listed below) with a grade of C- or better. Priority is given to those students who have completed at least 4 of the preparatory courses by the application deadline (January 15th every year). Students must be on track to complete all prepatory courses by the end of Summer Quarter of the year they apply to MACS.

BIO 204 – Introduction to Evolution, Ecology, and Biodiversity

CHEM 161 – General Chemistry I

CHEM 162 – General Chemistry II

CHEM 163 – General Chemistry III

GEOL 211 – Physical Geology

MATH 124 – Calculus and Analytic Geometry I

MATH 125 – Calculus and Analytic Geometry II

PHYS 161 – Physics with Calculus I

*While not required to start the MACS major, students are encouraged to complete either BIOL 205 & 206 or PHYS 162 & 163 prior to starting the MACS core courses.

Essay Questions

Western’s Marine and Coastal Science program uses a holistic admissions process to review student applications. The admissions committee is looking for students with strong motivation to pursue marine science, real-world problem-solving skills, and the ability to work effectively in diverse teams in addition to academic ability. Students can demonstrate these qualities through describing their activities inside and outside of school, which could include participation in clubs, community and volunteer activities, or other personal experiences.

Below are the 2024 essay questions. Essay questions may change slightly for the 2025 application. Each answer should be no more than 300 words. Clear, focused, and detailed answers that directly answer each question are valued (see rubric):

List two goals you want to accomplish. How will the MACS curriculum and/or program goals help you achieve them?  Be specific and consider how a degree in marine science will help you achieve your long-term goals.
Obtaining a science degree takes commitment. Describe a past experience in which you persevered through a challenging situation and what you learned that might help you to succeed in the MACS program.
The MACS program is cohort-based. We value collaborating to solve complex problems. Explain your thoughts on the role of diverse perspectives in science and describe an experience (either academic or non-academic) that has prepared you to work effectively on teams with diverse backgrounds and experiences.
Is there anything else that you would like our selection committee to know about you that may provide valuable context to your application or academic history?

Note: We recommend students draft their responses to the questions in a word processing program then paste the responses into the online application. The online application does not provide an option to save a partial application to be completed later.

Application

The application to the MACS major is now closed for current Western Students. MACS will again consider applications to the MACS program in Winter 2025. For transfer students. please see our transfer admissions page for information on when and how to apply to the MACS program.

Important notes: Application deadlines are final. All required materials must be uploaded by the deadline. Applications will not be accepted after the deadline and incomplete applications will not be considered. Finally, please note that the introductory MACS course, MACS 210, has a $350 course fee. The MACS program does offer some scholarships every year to help offset some of these costs.

Questions?

If you have any questions about the program, admissions process or need application assistance, please email macsadvising@wwu.edu.

Schedule a meeting with a MACS advisor today!