DEGREES
The Marine and Coastal Environmental Science department degree programs offer students the flexibility to pursue their education on four different “tracks” or focuses, including marine geology, chemical oceanography, physical oceanography, and an integrated track. Graduates are well-positioned to pursue graduate degrees related to oceanography, as well as a number of careers in oceanographic, environmental, and energy-related fields.
Marine Sciences, B.S.
This degree program offers students the flexibility to pursue their education on four different “tracks” or focuses, including marine geology, chemical oceanography, physical oceanography, and an integrated track. This allows students to tailor their classes to suit their interests and goals, which gives them a greater ownership of their education. Graduates are well-positioned to pursue graduate degrees related to oceanography, as well as a number of careers in oceanographic, environmental, and energy-related fields.
Coastal Environmental Science & Society, B.S.
This degree program tackles the economic, environmental, and social aspects to the development of marine resources by providing students with a strong scientific background. The program dovetails geological and biological sciences with economics, political science, and law. With a solid scientific foundation, graduates will be well prepared to work or study the societal and environmental impacts of ocean science concerning industries ranging from oil and gas to fisheries.
3 + 2 Master of Marine Resources Management
This degree allows a student to attain a B.S. in Coastal Environmental Science & Society with the Master of Marine Resources Management degree in five years. This flexibility allows students to pursue employment directly after receiving their degree or push on into doctoral programs, confident in the knowledge and experience gained in five years of rigorous course and lab work.
Master of Marine Resources Management
The Master of Marine Resources Management (MARM) degree gives students a broad yet clear understanding of coastal and ocean policy and management. With a focus on national and international ocean resource law and policy, coastal zone management, fisheries management, and physical & geochemical marine resources management strategies, graduates from this program have a plethora of career choices. Students are highly sought-after in federal agencies such as the Coast Guard and EPA, non-governmental organizations (NGO’s), and industries such as oil and gas, environmental consulting firms, fisheries, ports, and tourism. Degree has both Thesis and Non-thesis options.
Doctor of Philosophy in Marine and Coastal Management and Science
The Ph.D. program in Marine and Coastal Management and Science (MCMS) seeks to train the next generation of applied researchers and practitioners to address the pressing environmental concerns in coastal environments at the nexus of the human and physical environment. Increasing coastal population growth and development continues to threaten ecological and environmental systems, while people face increasing risk from natural hazards in the 21st century. Resilient development of coasts in the face of threats from storms, coastal flooding, sea-level rise, and human alteration of natural environments is an issue of paramount global importance. These multifaceted problems demand specialists who are capable of bridging the silos between coastal science, policy development, and sustainable management.
Coastal Environmental Science & Society
The Coastal Environmental Science & Society minor allows students to pursue other majors whilst giving them a broad education through this interdisciplinary coursework. The student’s learning will be broadened by knowledge of the economic, environmental, and social issues related to the development of marine resources, and is made possible by the strong scientific foundation they receive in this minor. This minor makes majors such as Marine Sciences or Marine Biology even more marketable.
Geology
Facilitated by the Department of Geology and Geophysics at Texas A&M University in College Station, these courses are designed to help expand a student’s education. Paired with any number of majors, a minor in geology helps a student become well-rounded in their knowledge of the scientific world, with courses studying environmental science and Earth’s geosystems. This knowledge diversifies and elevates an education for those seeking any number of scientific career paths and helps prepare students for the option of graduate studies in fields such as geology, oceanography, and marine sciences.
The Marine and Coastal Environmental Science Department at Texas A&M University at Galveston covers a diverse array of disciplines relating to the study and management of the marine and coastal environments. Our top quality faculty and staff serve as guides in both the classroom and the lab, allowing students to grow, learn, and lead as scholars, scientists and practitioners. The proximity to the sea provides limitless opportunities for students to have hands-on experiences, greatly enhancing their abilities and knowledge as they embark on their careers in their chosen field.
This guide provides an overview of our undergraduate and graduate degrees, minors, and admissions information.