Marine Science is the study of the sea and its inhabitants. As a Marine Science major you’ll consume a wide variety of subjects to augment your understanding of this field: biology, chemistry, geology, and physics are only a few of the disciplines that will be incorporated into your studies. You’ll learn about the many reasons why the sea is important to us, how it affects us, and what we can and should do to preserve it. You’ll study pollution and other health issues. You’ll learn about the many living things that inhabit the sea and the evolution, diversity, and importance of these inhabitants. A Marine Science major, like most science or engineering majors, will involve some degree of research and laboratory work. You’ll learn how to gather and analyze data and how to present your results in papers or presentations. You’ll also learn how to interpret others’ research results and how to critically read scientific literature. Eventually, your research may take you to such exotic locations as the Sargasso Sea, Antarctica, Africa, and the Caribbean, where you might, just might, get to swim with the dolphins (in the Caribbean, not Antarctica).

Preparation

As with any science major, courses in computers, biology, chemistry, and physics are of paramount importance. Also, you’ll benefit from high-level math courses such as calculus or trigonometry. English classes will give you the reading and writing skills necessary for a field involving research.