Marine Sciences - BS, License Option
The license option (LO) in the Marine Sciences (MARS) program leads toward a license as a deck officer in the United States Merchant Marine. This program retains the physical science core of the MARS curriculum, and adds coursework that prepares the student to sit for the U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) examination as a Third Mate of any gross tonnage upon oceans, steam, or motor vessels. Students combine a broad base of courses in physical science and mathematics and practical instruction in seamanship and navigation with four oceanography courses. The objective of the program is to provide students with a sound intellectual and educational background to function in a scientifically and technologically advanced society, while also providing the practical hands-on training needed for employment in the maritime industry. Graduates are particularly well qualified to serve on research vessels where an understanding of the scientific purpose of the voyage is required. Students who wish to enter a physical science graduate program will need to take additional course work in science and mathematics. Midshipmen who enroll in and apply to graduate under one of the license option curricula must complete the appropriate license examination for Third Mate or Third Assistant Engineer in order to graduate from Texas A&M University as well as licensing requirements outlined in the program requirements. Certain USCG courses require a minimum grade of C (70%).
First Year | ||
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Fall | Semester Credit Hours | |
ENGL 104 | Composition and Rhetoric | 3 |
GEOL 101 & GEOL 102 | Principles of Geology and Principles of Geology Laboratory | 4 |
MARS 101 | Marine Science Matters 2 | 1 |
MART 103 | Basic Safety and Lifeboatman Training 1 | 3 |
MART 201 | Vessel Structure and Ship Knowledge 1 | 3 |
MATH 147 or MATH 151 | Calculus I for Biological Sciences or Engineering Mathematics I | 4 |
Semester Credit Hours | 18 | |
Spring | ||
OCNG 251 | Oceanography 2 | 3 |
MARS 252 | Introductory Marine Science Laboratory 2 | 1 |
MART 115 | Seamanship I 1 | 3 |
MART 204 | Terrestrial Navigation 1 | 3 |
MATH 148 or MATH 152 | Calculus II for Biological Sciences or Engineering Mathematics II | 4 |
Communication | 3 | |
Semester Credit Hours | 17 | |
Summer | ||
MART 200 | Deck Sea Training I: Basic Communications, Navigation and Seamanship | 4 |
Semester Credit Hours | 4 | |
Second Year | ||
Fall | ||
CHEM 119 | Fundamentals of Chemistry I | 4 |
MARS 210 | Marine Geography 2 | 3 |
MART 202 | Ship Stability and Trim 1 | 3 |
MART 212 | Marine Dry Cargo Operations 1 | 3 |
American history | 3 | |
Semester Credit Hours | 16 | |
Spring | ||
CHEM 120 | Fundamentals of Chemistry II | 4 |
MARS 281 | Sophomore Seminar in Marine Sciences 2 | 1 |
MART 210 | Integrated Navigation I: RADAR/ARPA/ECDIS 1 | 4 |
MART 215 | Seamanship II 1,3 | 3 |
MART 303 | Celestial Navigation 1 | 3 |
MART 321 | Navigation Rules, International and Inland | 2 |
Semester Credit Hours | 17 | |
Summer | ||
MART 300 or MART 350 | Deck Sea Training II: Intermediate Communications, Navigation and Seamanship or Deck Sea Training II – Commercial Internship | 4 |
Semester Credit Hours | 4 | |
Third Year | ||
Fall | ||
MART 310 | Integrated Navigation II: Electronic Navigation 1 | 2 |
NVSC 200 | Naval Science for the Merchant Marine Officer 1 | 3 |
PHYS 206 & PHYS 226 | Newtonian Mechanics for Engineering and Science and Physics of Motion Laboratory for the Sciences | 4 |
POLS 207 | State and Local Government | 3 |
Creative arts | 3 | |
Semester Credit Hours | 15 | |
Spring | ||
MARS 303 | Computing and Data Display 2 | 3 |
MARS 440 | Chemical Oceanography 2 | 3 |
MART 307 | Global Maritime Distress Safety System 1 | 3 |
MART 313 | Marine Liquid Cargo Operations 1 | 3 |
PHYS 207 & PHYS 227 | Electricity and Magnetism for Engineering and Science and Electricity and Magnetism Laboratory for the Sciences | 4 |
Semester Credit Hours | 16 | |
Summer | ||
MART 400 | Deck Sea Training III: Advanced Communications, Navigation and Seamanship | 4 |
Semester Credit Hours | 4 | |
Fourth Year | ||
Fall | ||
MARS 325 | Introduction to GIS for Marine Sciences 2 | 3 |
MARS 410 | Physical Oceanography 2 | 3 |
MARS 481 | Seminar 2 | 1 |
MART 208 | Maritime Meteorology | 3 |
MART 410 | Integrated Navigation III: Bridge Watchstanding 1 | 2 |
Language, philosophy and culture | 3 | |
Semester Credit Hours | 15 | |
Spring | ||
MARS 310 | Field Methods in Marine Sciences 2 | 3 |
MART 498 | Maritime Medical Care 1 | 2 |
POLS 206 | American National Government | 3 |
American history | 3 | |
Geological Oceanography Requirement: choose from | 3 | |
Geological Oceanography-Plate Tectonics 2,3 or Geological Oceanography-Earth's Climate | ||
Semester Credit Hours | 14 | |
Total Semester Credit Hours | 140 |
1 | Indicates license courses leading to a USCG license endorsement or sea time credit accrual which require a minimum grade of C (70%) or better to earn the endorsement or accrual. Midshipmen will be required to repeat the course until they earn a grade of C (70%) or better. MART 307 GMDSS requires a score of 75% or better. |
2 | Indicates required courses in the Marine Sciences License Option major. These courses will be used to compute the major GPR. Also, if any upper level MARS or OCNG elective courses are taken, they will be used in the major GPR. |
3 | Designated writing intensive course. MARS-LO majors must take two writing intensive courses. One of them is required MART 215. The other course may be chosen from MARS 280, MARS 430 or MARS 431. |
All electives must be chosen in consultation with, and approved by, the student's academic advisor. Unless courses are specifically listed, see University Core Curriculum at http://core.tamu.edu/ for a listing of course options for Communication; Mathematics; Life and Physical Sciences; Language, Philosophy and Culture; Creative Arts; American History; Government and Political Sciences; and Social and Behavioral Sciences. The 6-hour University Core Curriculum requirement for International and Cultural Diversity may be met with courses used to satisfy other degree requirements.
The total hours may be increased if the student is required to take remedial math, remedial English, foreign language or International and Cultural Diversity courses, or any of the six hour cruise options. The six hour cruise options (NAUT 200, NAUT 300 and NAUT 400 or MARR 200, MARR 300 and MARR 400) do not add any required hours to the degree plan.
This degree requires full participation in the Texas A&M University Maritime Academy Corps of Cadets as a qualified License Option cadet. Refer to the University catalog section for the Texas A&M Maritime Academy for additional information. In addition to the academic requirements outlined here, the cadet must also complete the following requirements to receive the degree:
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Successfully complete required sea service and minimum training cruise requirements
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Pass a comprehensive professional examination (either the Third Mate Unlimited-Oceans or Third Assistant Engineering Unlimited) administered by the U.S. Coast Guard (USCG).
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Successfully complete all competencies required by the International Convention on Standards for Training, Certification and Watchkeeping (STCW).
Note: STCW competency certifications expire 5 years after completion. If the cadet does not complete the degree within that time period, the cadet will be required to revalidate the expired competency prior to graduation.