BS in Marine Sciences
Marine Sciences is a highly interdisciplinary field requiring an understanding and application of basic science, including biology, physics, and chemistry. In particular, the Marine Sciences major provides students with a solid background in basic biology as well as in the physics and chemistry of the ocean. Upper-division electives permit each student to gain a deeper understanding of particular groups of organisms (microorganisms, algae, marine invertebrates, fish, and marine mammals) and of habitats (salt marshes, rocky intertidal, barrier islands, dunes, estuaries, and the open ocean).
Students are encouraged to participate in research and internships. Opportunities for experiential learning are available through field and laboratory courses taught at or near the Stony Brook Southampton and Stony Brook campuses.
Most students who wish to have a career in research related to the marine environment will need to plan for graduate study. Career possibilities include research, education, or employment in government agencies or non-profit organizations.
The Marine Sciences major is administered by the School of Marine and Atmospheric Sciences (SoMAS), one of the leading oceanographic institutions in the nation. It is the center for marine research, education, and public service in the marine and environmental sciences for the State University of New York system. In addition, SoMAS is the University at Stony Brook's center for research, education, and public service in the atmospheric sciences. SoMAS is one of the nation's leading coastal oceanographic and atmospheric institutions, and the expertise of the SoMAS faculty places them at the forefront of addressing and answering questions about regional environmental problems, as well as problems relating to the global ocean and atmosphere. The primary focus of the SoMAS faculty is on fundamental research designed to increase understanding of the processes that characterize the coastal ocean and the atmosphere. SoMAS is also committed to applying the results of research to solve problems arising from society's uses and misuses of the environment. The Center includes institutes in several major areas: the Institute for Terrestrial and Planetary Atmospheres, the Living Marine Resources Institute, the Long Island Groundwater Resource Institute, and the Waste Reduction and Management Institute. The institutes and many research projects add a wealth of varied resources to education and research at Stony Brook and Stony Brook Southampton.
All students should consult with their advisor to design and approve an acceptable course of study before declaring the major. Courses for this major are offered at both the Stony Brook Southampton and Stony Brook campuses.
Requirements
The major in Marine Sciences leads to a Bachelor of Sciences degree. Completion of the major requires between 69 and 72 credits. Of these, no more than one course (4 credits) with a grade lower than C can be credited to the major.
1. Foundation Courses (40-41 credits)
BIO 201 Organisms to Ecosystems
BIO 202 Molecular and Cellular Biology
BIO 203 Cellular and Organ Physiology
BIO 204 Fundamentals of Scientific Inquiry in Bio Sciences – Lab I
BIO 205 Fundamentals of Scientific Inquiry in Bio Sciences – Lab II
CHE 131/133 General Chemistry and Lab I (see Note 1)
CHE 132/134 General Chemistry and Lab II (see Note 1)
CHE 321 Organic Chemistry
MAT 125 Calculus (see Note 2)
MAT 126 Calculus (see Note 2)
ENS/PHY 119 Physics for Environmental Studies
or PHY 121/123 Physics for Life Sciences with lab (see Note 3)
AMS 102 Statistics or AMS 110 Statistics for Life Sciences
2. Oceanography Core (13 credits)
MAR 305 Experimental Marine Biology
MAR 349 Biological Oceanography
MAR 351 Introduction to Ocean Chemistry
MAR 352 Introduction to Physical Oceanography
MAR 353 Physical Oceanography Lab
3. Marine Biology (15-17 credits)
BIO 353 Marine Ecology
Four marine biology electives from below:
BIO 343 Invertebrate Zoology
BIO 346 Aquatic Arthropods and Vertebrates
MAR 301 Environmental Microbiology
or MAR 302 Marine Microbiology and Microbial Ecology
MAR 303 Long Island Marine Habitats
MAR 315 Conservation Biology
MAR 320 Limnology
MAR 366 Plankton Ecology
MAR 370 Marine Mammals
MAR 371 Marine Vertebrates
MAR 380 Ichthyology
MAR 385 Fisheries Biology
MAR 388 Tropical Marine Ecology
MAR 394 Environmental Toxicology and Public Health
MAR 487 Research
or MAR 488 Internship (maximum of 3 credits can be used for required elective)
4. Upper-Division Writing Requirement
All students in the major must submit two papers from any upper division course in the major to the director of undergraduate programs for evaluation by the end of the junior year.
Notes:
1. CHE 141/143, 142/144 Honors Chemistry and Lab may be substituted for CHE 131/133, 132/134
2. MAT 131, 132 or MAT 141, 142 may be substituted for MAT 125, 126
3. The first semester of any calculus-based Physics with lab can be substituted, such as PHY 125 or 131/133 or 141 or 142.
For a complete list of courses offered in Marine Biology with links to descriptions, click here.