Program Overview

Overview

The Marine Science/Geological Sciences degree is a Bachelor of Science degree (BSMAS) that is designed to give students a strong background in the study of the origin of the Earth and its oceans, and the ongoing processes of geophysical and geochemical change.

Curriculum Requirements

• Marine Science Requirements:
  • MSC 111: Introduction to Marine Science (3 credits)
  • MSC 112: Introduction to Marine Science Lab (1 credit)
  • MSC 215: Chemical Oceanography (3 credits)
  • Select two of the following laboratories:
    • MSC 216: Chemical Oceanography Laboratory
    • MBE 232: Introduction to Marine Biology Laboratory
    • MSC 302: Introduction to Physical Oceanography Lab
  • MBE 230: Introduction to Marine Biology (3 credits)
  • MSC 301: Introduction to Physical Oceanography 1 (3 credits)
  • Select 9 credit hours of approved Rosenstiel School electives within ATM, GSC, MBE, MSC, OCE or RSM courses (9 credits)
• Geological Sciences Requirements:
  • GSC 110: The Earth System (4 credits)
  • GSC 111: Earth System History (4 credits)
  • GSC 260: Earth Materials (4 credits)
  • GSC 360: Depositional and Diagenetic Systems (4 credits)
  • GSC 380: Paleontology and Stratigraphy (4 credits)
  • MGS 513: Introductory Geochemistry (3 credits)
  • MGS 514: Geophysics (3 credits)
  • GSC 440: Petrology (4 credits)
  • GSC 480: Structural Geology (4 credits)
  • GSC 482: Field Methods (2 credits)
  • GSC 561: Communicating Geoscience (2 credits)
  • GSC 580: Summer Field Geology (4 credits)
• Biology Requirements:
  • Select one of the following:
    • BIL 150 & BIL 151: General Biology and General Biology Laboratory (5 credits)
    • BIL 160 & BIL 161: Evolution and Biodiversity and Evolution and Biodiversity Laboratory (5 credits)
• Chemistry Requirements:
  • CHM 121: Principles of Chemistry 3 (4 credits)
  • CHM 113: Chemistry Laboratory I (1 credit)
• Mathematics Requirements:
  • MTH 161: Calculus I (4 credits)
  • MTH 162: Calculus II (4 credits)
• Statistics or Computational Science Requirement:
  • Select one of the following:
    • MSC 204: Environmental Statistics (3-4 credits)
    • MGS 528: Analyze and Visualize Geoscience Data (3-4 credits)
    • MSC 203: Foundations of Computational Marine Science (3-4 credits)
    • MTH 224: Introduction to Probability and Statistics (3-4 credits)
    • CSC 120: Computer Programming I (3-4 credits)
• Physics Requirements:
  • Select one of the following options:
    • Option 1 (recommended):
      • PHY 201: University Physics I for the Sciences (4 credits)
      • PHY 106: Physics Laboratory 1 (1 credit)
      • PHY 202: University Physics II for the Sciences (4 credits)
      • PHY 108: Physics Laboratory 2 (1 credit)
    • Option 2:
      • PHY 221: University Physics I (4 credits)
      • PHY 222: University Physics II (4 credits)
      • PHY 223: University Physics III (4 credits)
      • PHY 224: University Physics II Lab (1 credit)
      • PHY 225: University Physics III Lab (1 credit)
    • Option 3:
      • PHY 101: College Physics I (4 credits)
      • PHY 102: College Physics II (4 credits)
      • PHY 106: Physics Laboratory 1 (1 credit)
      • PHY 108: Physics Laboratory 2 (1 credit)
• General Education Requirements:
  • Written Communication Skills:
    • WRS 105: First-Year Writing I (3 credits)
    • WRS 107: First-Year Writing II: STEM (3 credits)
  • Quantitative Skills:
    • MTH 161: Calculus I (4 credits)
  • Areas of Knowledge:
    • Arts and Humanities Cognate (9 credits)
    • People and Society Cognate (9 credits)
    • STEM Cognate (9 credits)
• Total Credit Hours: 121-122

Suggested Plan of Study

• Freshman Year:
  • Fall:
    • MSC 111: Introduction to Marine Science (3 credits)
    • MSC 112: Introduction to Marine Science Lab (1 credit)
    • GSC 110: The Earth System (4 credits)
    • MTH 161: Calculus I (4 credits)
    • WRS 105: First-Year Writing I (3 credits)
  • Spring:
    • GSC 111: Earth System History (4 credits)
    • CHM 121: Principles of Chemistry (4 credits)
    • CHM 113: Chemistry Laboratory I (1 credit)
    • MTH 162: Calculus II (4 credits)
    • WRS 107: First-Year Writing II: STEM (3 credits)
• Sophomore Year:
  • Fall:
    • GSC 260: Earth Materials (4 credits)
    • BIL 150: General Biology (4 credits)
    • BIL 151: General Biology Laboratory (1 credit)
    • MSC Course (4 credits)
    • A&H Cognate Course #1 (3 credits)
  • Spring:
    • MSC 215: Chemical Oceanography (3 credits)
    • MSC 216: Chemical Oceanography Laboratory (1 credit)
    • GSC 380: Paleontology and Stratigraphy (4 credits)
    • GSC 440: Petrology (4 credits)
    • A&H Cognate Course #2 (3 credits)
• Junior Year:
  • Fall:
    • MBE 230: Introduction to Marine Biology (3 credits)
    • MBE 232: Introduction to Marine Biology Laboratory (1 credit)
    • GSC 360: Depositional and Diagenetic Systems (4 credits)
    • PHY 201: University Physics I for the Sciences (4 credits)
    • PHY 106: Physics Laboratory 1 (1 credit)
  • Spring:
    • MSC 204: Environmental Statistics (3 credits)
    • GSC 482: Field Methods (2 credits)
    • PHY 202: University Physics II for the Sciences (4 credits)
    • PHY 108: Physics Laboratory 2 (1 credit)
    • MSC Course (3 credits)
    • A&H Cognate Course #3 (3 credits)
• Summer:
  • GSC 580: Summer Field Geology (4 credits)
• Senior Year:
  • Fall:
    • MSC 301: Introduction to Physical Oceanography (3 credits)
    • MGS 513: Introductory Geochemistry (3 credits)
    • MGS 514: Geophysics (3 credits)
    • MSC Course (3 credits)
    • P&S Cognate Course #1 (3 credits)
  • Spring:
    • GSC 480: Structural Geology (4 credits)
    • GSC 561: Communicating Geoscience (2 credits)
    • P&S Cognate Course #2 (3 credits)
    • P&S Cognate Course #3 (3 credits)

Mission

The mission of the Rosenstiel School of Marine, Atmospheric, and Earth Science is to deepen our collective knowledge of our planet through cutting-edge scientific research on the oceans, atmosphere, geology, biota, and the human dimension, while training the next generation of scientists.

Goals

Students completing this double major will be able to master a broad set of fundamental scientific knowledge in Marine Science and Geology, acquire valuable technical skills and learn how to apply this knowledge to real-world problems, in a time of increasing stress on Earth’s resources and environment.

Student Learning Outcomes

• Students will demonstrate an ability to communicate effectively.
• Students will develop analytical and quantitative skills to allow critical data analysis.
• Students will be able to carry out supervised research in the field of marine science.
• Students will be able to present and synthesize background information from scientific literature and report findings from their laboratory experiments or observations from their field work.