Offered at: San Luis Obispo Campus
The degree is an integrative program designed to prepare students for advanced training or professional employment in public or private agencies concerned with issues related to marine science, oceanography and marine biology. While this degree is based in Biological Sciences, the program includes faculty from other disciplines including chemistry, physics, mathematics, engineering, and computer science. The degree instills students with critical thinking and analytical skills in areas such as oceanography, marine organismal physiology, conservation, fisheries, oceanographic sampling and data networks. Through the use of experience-based learning including faculty-led research projects, students will develop essential knowledge as well as a solid foundation in community–oriented education in the interdisciplinary field of marine sciences. Students may not double major in Biological Science and Marine Science.
Program Learning Objectives
- Integrate and synthesize information from the various marine disciplines.
- Recognize and value the diversity of marine life and ecosystems.
- Apply the scientific method, by formulating hypotheses, making predictions, and assessing, analyzing, synthesizing, and interpreting data.
- Communicate marine scientific principles and research findings effectively diverse audiences.
- Demonstrate proficiency in lab and field techniques relevant to marine sciences.
- Locate and utilize bibliographic resources and demonstrate the ability to evaluate scientific literature.
- Relate ethical, social justice or global perspectives to the study and practice of marine science.
Degree Requirements and Curriculum
this catalog, including:
- 40 units of upper-division courses
- 2.0 GPA
- Graduation Writing Requirements (GWR)
- U.S. Cultural Pluralism (USCP)
| Code | Title | Units |
|---|---|---|
| MAJOR COURSES | ||
| MSCI 1100 | Orientation to Marine Sciences | 1 |
| MSCI 1111 | The Oceans (5B) 1 | 3 |
| MSCI 1112 | The Oceans Laboratory | 1 |
| MSCI 3300 | Marine Ecology | 4 |
| PSC 2201 | Physical Oceanography (5A) 1 | 3 |
| MSCI 3301 | Biological Oceanography | 3 |
| CHEM 3370 | Marine Chemistry | 3 |
| Select from the following: 2 | 2 | |
| Senior Project - Research Proposal | ||
| Senior Project - Research Experience | ||
| Senior Project - Meta-analysis in Biology | ||
| Marine Science Electives | ||
| Select a minimum of 4 courses from the following: 3,4 | 13 | |
| Ichthyology | ||
| Invertebrate Zoology | ||
| Climate Change Biology | ||
| Ocean Technologies and Data | ||
| Marine Mammals, Birds, and Reptiles | ||
| Field Oceanography | ||
| Marine Botany | ||
| Aquaculture | ||
| Marine Fisheries and Conservation | ||
| Communicating Ocean Sciences to Informal Audiences | ||
| SUPPORT COURSES | ||
| BIO 1150 | Life: History and Diversity (5C) 1 | 4 |
| BIO 1151 | Life: Molecules and Cells | 4 |
| CHEM 1120 | Fundamentals of Chemical Structure and Properties | 4 |
| CHEM 1122 | Fundamentals of Chemical Reactivity | 4 |
| CHEM 2240 | Organic Chemistry: Fundamentals and Applications | 4-5 |
| or CHEM 2242 | Organic Chemistry I | |
| MATH 1261 | Calculus I (2) 1,5 | 4 |
| or MATH 1264 | Calculus for Data Science I | |
| PHYS 1121 | College Physics I 6 | 4 |
| or PHYS 1141 | General Physics I | |
| PHYS 1123 | College Physics II 6 | 4 |
| or PHYS 1143 | General Physics II | |
| STAT 1110 | Applied Statistical Concepts and Methods | 3 |
| APPROVED ELECTIVES | ||
| Select from the following (a minimum of 6 units must be 3000-4000 level): | 14 | |
| Special Problems for Undergraduates 7 | ||
| Principles of Ecology and Evolution | ||
| Research Experience for Undergraduates 7 | ||
| Wildlife Ecology | ||
| Principles of Genetics | ||
| Principles of Animal Physiology | ||
| Special Problems for Advanced Undergraduates 7 | ||
| Evolutionary Medicine | ||
or BIO 4414 | Evolution | |
| Environmental Physiology | ||
| Behavioral Ecology | ||
| Population and Community Ecology | ||
| Ecosystem Ecology | ||
| Biogeography | ||
| Undergraduate Laboratory Assistantship 7 | ||
| Bioinformatics Applications | ||
| Cell Biology | ||
| Molecular Biology Laboratory | ||
| Senior Project - Meta-analysis in Biology 2 | ||
| Honors Research 7 | ||
| Special Advanced Topics | ||
| Special Advanced Laboratory | ||
| Current Topics in Biological Research | ||
| Cooperative Education Experience 7 | ||
| Cooperative Education Experience 7 | ||
| Undergraduate Research | ||
| Organic Chemistry II | ||
| Foundations of Chemical Analysis | ||
| Biochemistry: Fundamentals and Applications | ||
or CHEM 3352 | Biochemistry | |
| Metabolism | ||
| Environmental Chemistry | ||
| Environmental Communication 8 | ||
or COMS 3395 | Science Communication | |
| Fundamentals of Computer Science and Fundamentals of Computer Science Laboratory | ||
| Programming for Engineers | ||
| Programming for Scientists and Engineers | ||
| Data Structures and Data Structures Laboratory | ||
| The Learn By Doing Lab Teaching Practicum 8 | ||
| Special Problems for Advanced Undergraduates 7 | ||
| Fundamentals of Environmental Engineering | ||
| Chemistry of Environmental Systems | ||
| Special Problems 7 | ||
| Special Problems for Undergraduates 7 | ||
| Physical Geology and Physical Geology Laboratory | ||
| Principles of Stratigraphy | ||
| Special Problems for Advanced Undergraduates 7 | ||
| Linear Algebra | ||
| Calculus II | ||
or MATH 1265 | Calculus for Data Science II | |
| Calculus III | ||
| Linear Analysis | ||
| General Microbiology I | ||
| Microbial Ecology | ||
| Marine Science Outreach 8 | ||
| Scientific Diving | ||
| Communicating Ocean Sciences to Informal Audiences | ||
| Special Problems for Undergraduates | ||
| Ocean Dynamics | ||
| Special Problems for Advanced Undergraduates 7 | ||
| Introduction to Statistical Computing with R | ||
| Applied Regression Analysis | ||
| Statistics II | ||
| Applied Linear Models | ||
| Statistical Methods for Study Design and Analysis | ||
| Introduction to Statistical Computing with SAS and SQL | ||
| Statistical Analysis of Time Series | ||
| GENERAL EDUCATION (GE) | ||
| (See GE program requirements below) | 33 | |
| FREE ELECTIVES | ||
| Free Electives 9 | 4-5 | |
| Total Units | 120 | |
- 1
Required in Major or Support; also satisfies General Education (GE) requirement.
- 2
If BIO 4461, BIO 4462, BIO 4463, CHEM 4461, PHYS 4461, or PHYS 4462 is used to meet the senior project requirement, it cannot be double-counted as an elective. If a student takes more than one of these courses, the additional units can be applied to electives.
- 3
Courses taken to meet a Major or Support requirement cannot be double-counted in Approved Electives.
- 4
Excess units will be applied to Approved Electives.
- 5
Students emphasizing in Chemistry, Engineering, or Physics should take MATH 1261.
- 6
Students emphasizing in Physics should take PHYS 1141 and PHYS 1143 instead of PHYS 1121 and PHYS 1123. Note: MATH 1261 is required for PHYS 1141.
- 7
Maximum of 6 units may be applied toward Approved Electives: BIO 2200, BIO 3300, BIO 4400, BIO 4450, BIO 4466, BIO 4485, BIO 4495, ENGR 4400, ENVE 4400, GEOL 2200, GEOL 4400, PHYS 4400.
- 8
A maximum of 3 units from COMS 3390, COMS 3395, ENGR/SCM 3302, MSCI 4401.
- 9
If a General Education (GE) course is used to satisfy a Major or Support requirement, additional units of Free Electives may be needed to complete the total units required for the degree.
General Education (GE) Requirements
- 43 units required, 10 of which are specified in Major and/or Support.
- If any of the remaining 33 Units is used to satisfy a Major or Support requirement, additional units of Free Electives may be needed to complete the total units required for the degree.
- See the complete GE course listing.
- A grade of C- or better is required in one course in each of the following GE Areas: 1A (English Composition), 1B (Critical Thinking), 1C (Oral Communication), and 2 (Mathematics and Quantitative Reasoning).
| Lower-Division General Education | ||
| Area 1 | English Communication and Critical Thinking | |
| 1A | Written Communication | 3 |
| 1B | Critical Thinking | 3 |
| 1C | Oral Communication | 3 |
| Area 2 | Mathematics and Quantitative Reasoning | |
| 2 | Mathematics and Quantitative Reasoning (3 units in Support) 1 | 0 |
| Area 3 | Arts and Humanities | |
| 3A | Arts | 3 |
| 3B | Humanities: Literature, Philosophy, Languages other than English | 3 |
| Area 4 | Social and Behavioral Sciences (Area 4 courses must come from at least two different course prefixes.) | |
| 4A | American Institutions (Title 5, Section 40404 Requirement) | 3 |
| 4B | Social and Behavioral Sciences | 3 |
| Area 5 | Physical and Life Sciences | |
| 5A | Physical Sciences (3 units in Major) 1 | 0 |
| 5B | Life Sciences (3 units in Major) 1 | 0 |
| 5C | Laboratory (may be embedded in a 5A or 5B course) (1 units in Support) 1 | 0 |
| Area 6 | Ethnic Studies | |
| 6 | Ethnic Studies | 3 |
| Upper-Division General Education | ||
| Upper-Division 2/5 | Mathematics and Quantitative Reasoning or Physical and Life Sciences | 3 |
| Upper-Division 3 | Arts and Humanities | 3 |
| Upper-Division 4 | Social and Behavioral Sciences (Area 4 courses must come from at least two different course prefixes.) | 3 |
| Total Units | 33 | |
- 1
Required in Major or Support; also satisfies General Education (GE) requirement.