Jonathan Willis, Ph.D.
Associate Professor
Head of Department of Biological Sciences
Office: 114 Gouaux Hall
Phone: 985-448-4313
Christopher Bonvillain, Ph.D.
Professor
Coordinator of Graduate Studies in Marine and Environmental Biology
Office: 114 College of Sciences and Technology
Phone: 985-449-7116
Specific Requirements
Through this Master of Science program, students will be prepared for “real world” scientific marine and environmental technologies and skills to foster the economic development of the unique and vital natural resources of the region serviced by Ӱɴý. The program will teach students to develop and apply the science of the twenty-first century to the needs of the region’s economically important resources, its industries, and its communities.
Requirements for admission and completion of the M.S. program are listed below. A thesis based on graduate research, and an oral comprehensive exam are for the Research concentration.
The M.S. program in Marine and Environmental Biology has two concentrations:
- Professional concentration
- Thesis Research concentration
Minimum Admission Requirements
- B.S. degree in science curriculum.
- Minimum GPA of 3.00 on a 4.00 scale.
- Graduate Record Examination (GRE):
- B.S. graduates with an undergraduate GPA ≥ 3.5 (4.0 scale) are not required to submit GRE scores.
- B.S. graduates with an undergraduate GPA < 3.5 (4.0 scale) must achieve a combined GRE score (verbal and quantitative) of 300 or above.
- Graduates of international schools must achieve a combined GRE score (verbal and quantitative) of 300 or above.
- Three letters of recommendation from professionals in the field.
- Approval of the Departmental M.S. Admissions Committee for acceptance into the M.S. in Marine and Environmental Biology track.
- For the Thesis Research concentration:
- Regular graduate faculty member in the Department of Biological Sciences agrees to serve as thesis research major professor.
Completion Requirements
- A maximum of six hours of graduate electives may be from undergraduate/graduate 400* level courses.
- A maximum of six hours of 500-level geomatics (GEOM) may count towards degree requirements.
- No more than six hours of transfer credit can be applied to graduation, and transfer must be (1) credit in a course applicable to the graduate training and (2) approved by the Thesis Research Committee, Graduate Coordinator, and Department Head.
- No more than 6 hours of C-grades can be counted toward the degree and a minimum GPA of 3.0 must be maintained.
- The graduate program must be completed in no more than six years.
- Other requirements apply in accordance with the policies of Graduate Studies as described elsewhere in the Ӱɴý Catalog.
- Thesis Research concentration requirements:
- Students must complete 23 hours of core graduate courses and complete a minimum of 12 hours of graduate electives.
- Professional concentration requirements:
- Students must complete 17 hours of core graduate courses and complete a minimum of 18 hours of graduate electives.
Graduate Core Course Work – Thesis Research and Professional Concentrations
Required courses and electives – 35 hours
| BIOL 550 (3) – Science Communication |
| BIOL 551 (3) – Marine and Environmental Biology I |
| BIOL 552 (3) – Marine and Environmental Biology II |
| BIOL 560 (1) – Marine and Environmental Biology Regulation, Law & Policy Workshop |
| BIOL 574 (2) – Graduate Internship |
| One statistics course from the following:
BIOL 503 (3) – Experimental Design BIOL 537 (3) – Applied Statistical Ecology BIOL 542 (3) – Biological Data Analysis |
Thesis Research Concentration (MMET)
| BIOL 591 (1), 592 (2), 593 (3), 594 (4) – Thesis Research – 6 total hours required |
| BIOL 598 (1) – Thesis Defense |
| BIOL 599 (1) – Thesis |
| 12 hours approved graduate electives |
Professional Concentration (MMEP)
| BIOL 501 (1) – Graduate Seminar |
| BIOL 590 (1) – Professional Research |
| 18 hours approved graduate electives |
Elective Courses (maximum of 6 hrs. from *400 level; maximum of 6 hrs. from **GEOM courses):
| *BIOL 417 (3) – Molecular Ecology |
| *BIOL 421 (3) – Genome Biology |
| *BIOL 425 (4) – Applied and Environmental Microbiology |
| *BIOL 430 (3) – Limnology |
| *BIOL 435 (3) – Herpetology |
| *BIOL 465 (4) – Marine Conservation and Management |
| *BIOL 472 (2), 473 (3), and 474 (4) – Special topics plus LUMCON based courses including, “Our Changing Coastal Ocean.” |
| *BIOL 473 (3), 474 (4) – Other graduate LUMCON summer courses |
| *BIOL 480 (4) – Environmental Biotechnology |
| *BIOL 483 (3) – Marine and Estuarine Biology |
| *BIOL 490 (3) – Environmental Toxicology |
| BIOL 503 (3) – Experimental Design |
| BIOL 504 (3) – Ecological Restoration |
| BIOL 510 (3) – Applied GIS for Biologists |
| BIOL 515 (3) – Wetlands Birds |
| BIOL 522 (3) – Biodiversity and Human Health |
| BIOL 520 (3) – Bottomland Hardwood Ecology |
| BIOL 530 (3) – Aquatic Ecology |
| BIOL 535 (3) – Marine and Estuarine Invertebrate Immunity |
| BIOL 537 (3) – Applied Statistical Ecology |
| BIOL 541 (4) – Molecular Biotechnology |
| BIOL 542 (3) – Biological Data Analysis |
| BIOL 545 (3) – Environmental Public Health Microbiology |
| BIOL 555 (3) – Advanced Oceanography |
| BIOL 556 (3) – Biology of Polluted Waters |
| BIOL 561 (3) – Wetland Plant Ecology |
| BIOL 562 (3) – Field Botany |
| BIOL 566 (3) – Population Dynamics of Marine Organisms |
| BIOL 567 (3) – Marine Conservation and Management |
| BIOL 568 (3) – Professional Scientific Writing |
| BIOL 570 (3) – Special Topics |
| BIOL 575 (3) – Environmental Diagnostics and Biomarkers |
| BIOL 577 (4) – Aquatic Conservation and Management |
| BIOL 580 (3) – Bioremediation of Toxic Environments |
| BIOL 581 (2) – Analytical Techniques for Environmental Applications |
| BIOL 585 (3) – Aquatic Toxicology |
| *CHEM 490 (3) – Special Topics in Chemistry |
| **GEOM 501 (3) – GIS Applications |
| **GEOM 511 (3) – GPS for Mappers |
| **GEOM 521 (3) – Remote Sensing |
| **GEOM 531 (3) – Spatial Databases |
| MATH 507 (3) – Biostatistics |