The combined program offers motivated and exceptional students the opportunity to achieve aspirations in an efficient program at Texas A&M, completing the Bachelor of Science (BS) degree in the Environmental Geosciences program and the Master of Ocean Science and Technology degree in 5 years.  The concurrent degree program will enable these motivated students to coordinate the required BS coursework and Master of Ocean Science and Technology coursework to complete the required credit hours for each degree without diminishing scope or quality of work and within 5 years.

Application and Eligibility

• Applications to the combined program will be submitted by June 15 after the completion of the student’s junior year.  Applications submitted after that time will be evaluated on a case by case basis. GRE scores are not required for admission to the program. 
• Applicants must have a minimum undergraduate GPA of 3.25.  Applicants should also earn a C or better in all Chemistry, Calculus and Physics courses.  Once admitted to the program, students must maintain a minimum 3.0 GPA on all graduate coursework. 
• A faculty advisor will be assigned to each student.  Students may seek additional mentors, but a formal committee is not required.
• Students admitted into the combined program must finish the entire 150 credit hours to obtain both the Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees.  Students will graduate at the completion of the 5th year of the combined program coursework (150 credit hours) with both Bachelor's and Master's degrees. 
• Students admitted to the program will change from U4 to G7 status when they are admitted having completed at least 90 hours (end of spring semester, year 3).
• Students not accepted or not allowed to continue with the combined program will complete the 120-hour Bachelor’s degree under the standard 4 year curriculum. These students may still apply to the traditional graduate program.

¹

The graduation requirements include three hours of international and cultural diversity courses and three hours of cultural discourse courses.

²

Select in consultation with advisor.

³

If students use nine credits of allowed OCNG courses (e.g., OCNG 350, OCNG 451, OCNG 485) as Coastal and Marine Environments theme electives, they will receive an OCNG minor with their BS in ENGS degree.  If one of the Introductory Geoscience course and associated labs listed in Year Two is OCNG 251 with OCNG 252, then only two (six credits) of the theme electives needs to be from OCNG to still get the minor.

⁴

Students will not be permitted to receive credit for both the 300-400 and 600-level versions of certain courses because the content and learning outcomes are too similar (e.g.OCNG 340/OCNG 640; OCNG 470/OCNG 655).

⁵

These two graduate courses will be taken for dual undergraduate/graduate credit and may contribute to a minor or technical elective.

⁶

Fulfills a technical elective.