The Marine Sciences (MARS) program is a Bachelor of Science degree that focuses on the geological, chemical and physical science aspects of the estuarine, coastal, and marine environment. The coastal location of the campus enables students to acquire extensive hands-on field experience in addition to rigorous course work in chemistry, geology, physics, biology, oceanography and mathematics. All MARS majors take four courses of oceanography with labs and a course in geographic information systems (GIS). During the senior year students will participate in research with faculty members culminating in the writing of a senior thesis and the formal presentation of their research. We offer various elective courses, including geosciences, chemical/biogeochemical oceanography, and physical oceanography, or a broader interdisciplinary courses. Academic advisors in the Department of Marine and Coastal Environmental Science can help with course selection depending on the student's areas of interest.
Plan of Study Grid | First Year |
|---|
| Fall |
|---|
| CHEM 119 | Fundamentals of Chemistry I | 4 |
| ENGL 104 | Composition and Rhetoric | 3 |
| MARS 102 | Earth and Ocean Science 1 | 4 |
MATH 147
| Calculus I for Biological Sciences
or Engineering Mathematics I | 4 |
| | Semester Credit Hours | 15 |
| Spring |
|---|
| BIOL 111 | Introductory Biology I | 4 |
| CHEM 120 | Fundamentals of Chemistry II | 4 |
| MARB 101 | Succeeding in Science 1 | 3 |
| 4 |
| Calculus II for Biological Sciences | |
| Functions, Trigonometry and Linear Systems | |
| Engineering Mathematics II | |
| | Semester Credit Hours | 15 |
| Second Year |
|---|
| Fall |
|---|
BIOL 112
| Introductory Biology II
or Historical Geology | 4 |
| MARS 210 | Marine Geography 1 | 3 |
| MARS 281 | Sophomore Seminar in Marine Sciences 1,2 | 1 |
| 4 |
| College Physics | |
| Newtonian Mechanics for Engineering and Science
and Physics of Motion Laboratory for the Sciences | |
| 1,3 | 3 |
| | Semester Credit Hours | 15 |
| Spring |
|---|
| MARS 303 | Computing and Data Display 1 | 3 |
| POLS 207 | State and Local Government | 3 |
| 4 |
| College Physics | |
| Electricity and Magnetism for Engineering and Science
and Electricity and Magnetism Laboratory for the Sciences | |
| 3 |
| 1,3 | 3 |
| | Semester Credit Hours | 16 |
| Third Year |
|---|
| Fall |
|---|
| MARS 325 | Introduction to GIS for Marine Sciences 1 | 3 |
| MARS 410 | Physical Oceanography 1 | 3 |
| MARS 420 | Biological Oceanography 1 | 3 |
| POLS 206 | American National Government | 3 |
| 1,3 | 3 |
| | Semester Credit Hours | 15 |
| Spring |
|---|
| MARS 430 | Marine Geology 1,2 | 4 |
MARS 440
or MARS 340 | Chemical Oceanography 1
or | 3 |
| 3 |
| 3 |
| 1,3 | 3 |
| | Semester Credit Hours | 16 |
| Fourth Year |
|---|
| Fall |
|---|
| MARS 460 | Capstone Undergraduate Research Experience I 2 | 1 |
| MARS 481 | Seminar 2 | 1 |
| MARS 491 | Research in Marine Sciences 2 | 2 |
| 3 |
| 1,3 | 3 |
| 4 | 3 |
| 4 | 3 |
| | Semester Credit Hours | 16 |
| Spring |
|---|
| MARS 461 | Capstone Undergraduate Research Experience II 1,2 | 1 |
| MARS 491 | Research in Marine Sciences 1 | 2 |
| 3 |
| 1,3 | 3 |
| 4 | 3 |
| | Semester Credit Hours | 12 |
| | Total Semester Credit Hours | 120 |
The Graduation requirements include a requirement for 3 hours of International and Cultural Diversity courses and 3 hours of Cultural Discourse courses. A course satisfying a Core category, a college/department requirement, or a free or directed elective can be used to satisfy this requirement.
