Marine Science, BS
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The discipline of marine science is broad, deep, and rewarding. As a marine scientist, you’ll explore rivers, estuaries, and oceans, and you will analyze their interactions with the surrounding environment. You’ll sample marine life and measure the tides, waves, and currents. You may spend your days working on the water, in the lab, behind a computer, or a combination of all three. Through this diverse field of study, marine scientists strive to understand fundamental questions about our oceans and their interactions with the land. Marine scientists also apply this understanding to predict earth system changes, inform policy, and cultivate an ethos of environmental stewardship.
The SMCM marine science program takes full advantage of our unique waterfront location through intensive, experiential study of the St. Mary’s River and the Chesapeake Bay, which is just a short boat ride from campus. The college is also within a short drive of Mallows Bay National Marine Sanctuary and two National Estuarine Research Reserve sites. Numerous federal agencies, such as the National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration and the Environmental Protection Agency, are headquartered just down the road in Washington, D.C. Other research opportunities are available in laboratories at St. Mary’s College and through the internship programs at government and privately funded research laboratories in Maryland and elsewhere. A cooperative agreement between the College and the University of Maryland’s Center for Environmental Science provides opportunities for St. Mary’s College students to take graduate courses and conduct research with faculty members at the nearby Chesapeake Biological Laboratory in Solomons, MD.
Learning Outcomes
- Demonstrate understanding of fundamental concepts in marine science, including principles of geological, physical, chemical, and biological processes in the marine environment.
- Demonstrate understanding of common laboratory, field, and modeling methods used in marine science.
- Demonstrate the ability to, formulate a falsifiable hypothesis, design an experiment or observational study to test your hypothesis, analyze your results in a statistically rigorous way, draw logical conclusions based on your analysis.
- Communicate effectively the concepts, methods, results, and conclusions of marine science research, in oral and written form, to specialists and the general public.
- Apply knowledge and skills learned to solve problems in marine geology, physics, chemistry, or biology.
- Demonstrate understanding of how human activities impact the marine environment, and how the marine environment impacts human activities.
Degree Requirements
Physical Science Courses (12 credit hours)
Prerequisite(s): CHEM 103 with a grade of C or a 4 or 5 on the AP chemistry exam.
Prerequisite(s): PHYS 121.
OR
Prerequisite(s): PHYS 141 or PHYS 151.
OR
Prerequisite(s): PHYS 141 or PHYS 151.
Biology Core Courses (10 credit hours)
Prerequisite(s): BIOL 105, BIOL 105L,
Prerequisite(s): BIOL 105, BIOL 105L.
Math Core Courses (4 credits)
NOTE: Calculus I and II (MATH 151, MATH 152) are recommended for all students and are required by most graduate and professional schools.
OR
Prerequisite(s): BIOL 106 and BIOL 106L.
Marine Science Core Courses (12 credits)
Prerequisite(s): MRNE 110 , MRNE110L, and PHYS 121 , or PHYS 141 , or PHYS 151
Prerequisite(s): MRNE 110, BIOL 106
Professional Discovery (4 credits)
Prerequisite(s): Admission to the Internship Program and approval of the academic adviser and the department chair.
Prerequisite(s): Learning contract filed in the Office of the Registrar.
Prerequisite(s): Proposal approval of faculty mentor and program chair, MRNE 110, MRNE 220, and BIOL 383/MRNE 383.
Marine Science Elective Courses (16 credits)
Students must select 16 credits of marine science-related elective courses of which a minimum of 12 credits must be upper level (300 or 400).
Marine Science Elective Courses
Prerequisite(s): students must be certified as an Open Water diver by any recognized diver training agency and provide their own mask, snorkel, fins and wet suit boots. All other equipment will be provided with course fees or is available as a rental. Equipment should not be purchased or rented prior to the first class session.
Prerequisite(s): BIOL 106.
Prerequisite(s): BIOL 106, BIOL 106L.
Prerequisite(s): BIOL 271, BIOL 271L.
Prerequisite(s): Any two of the following: ENST 100, MRNE 110, BIOL 105, BIOL 106, CHEM 106, ENST 250.
OR
Prerequisite(s): Any two of the following: MRNE 110, BIOL 105, BIOL 106, CHEM 106, ENST 250.
Prerequisite(s): Any two of the following: ENST 100, MRNE 110, BIOL 105, BIOL 106, CHEM 106, ENST 250.
OR
Prerequisite(s): Any two of the following: MRNE 110, BIOL 105, BIOL 106, CHEM 106, ENST 250.
Prerequisite(s): MRNE 110 or permission of the instructor.
OR
Prerequisite(s): Prerequisite is successful completion of ENST 100 and ENST 250.
Prerequisite(s): ENST 100, MRNE 110, and either MATH 221 or BIOL 311 or permission of the instructor.
Prerequisite(s): Permission of the instructor, minimum 3.0 GPA and at least 8 credits of 300- level or above in Marine Science coursework.
Prerequisite(s): MRNE 110 and BIOL 106.
OR
Prerequisite(s): MRNE 110 and BIOL 106.
Prerequisite(s): MRNE 110 and BIOL 106.
OR
Prerequisite(s): MRNE 110 and BIOL 106.
Prerequisite(s): BIOL 270, CHEM 106
OR
Prerequisite(s): BIOL 270, CHEM 106
Prerequisite(s): CHEM 106, BIOL 311/MATH 221, BIOL 106, and MRNE 110.
OR
Prerequisite(s): ENST 100, CHEM 106, BIOL 311/MATH 221, BIOL 106, and MRNE 110.
Prerequisite(s): CHEM 106.
Prerequisite(s): CHEM 106.
Marine Science Capstone Experience (4 credits)
Students complete one of the following Capstone Experiences:
Prerequisite(s): MRNE 110, MRNE 220, and BIOL 383/MRNE 383.
Prerequisite(s): Proposal approval of faculty mentor and program chair, MRNE 110, MRNE 220, and BIOL 383/MRNE 383. MRNE 494 requires the prerequisite of MRNE 493.
Completion of an 8 Credit Smp Sequence in Any of the Following Departments:
- Biology
- Biochemistry
- Chemistry
- Computer Science
- Environmental Studies
- Math
- Physics
Minimum Grade and GPA Requirements
Students must earn a grade of C or better in BIOL 105, BIOL 105L, BIOL 106 and BIOL 106L. Students must earn a grade of C- or better in all other courses used to complete the major. Students must have a 2.0 or greater overall GPA in the major. Excluding graduate level transfer courses from UMCES, at least half of the credits required for the major must be taken at the College.
Sequence of Study
The following sequence of courses is a typical model for the fulfillment of the requirements for the major:
First Year:
Prerequisite(s): BIOL 105, BIOL 105L,
Prerequisite(s): BIOL 105, BIOL 105L.
Prerequisite(s): CHEM 103 with a grade of C or a 4 or 5 on the AP chemistry exam.
Prerequisite(s): Familiarity with high school trigonometry is expected.
Prerequisite(s): Familiarity with high school trigonometry is expected. MATH 151 is a prerequisite for MATH 152.
Sophomore Year:
Prerequisite(s): PHYS 141 or PHYS 151.
Prerequisite(s): BIOL 106 and BIOL 106L.
OR
Prerequisite(s): MRNE 110, BIOL 106
Junior Year:
Prerequisite(s): MRNE 110 , MRNE110L, and PHYS 121 , or PHYS 141 , or PHYS 151
Senior Year:
Prerequisite(s): MRNE 110, MRNE 220, and BIOL 383/MRNE 383.
Requirements for Teacher Certification
A Master of Arts in Teaching program is available at St. Mary’s College of Maryland after completion of the baccalaureate degree. Students who are interested in becoming teachers should contact the chair of the Department of Educational Studies or an education adviser in their major field of study for suggested coursework in educational studies and their specific major. These consultations should take place during the first semester of the sophomore year.