Marine Biology, MS

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The master’s degree in Marine Biology requires submission of a thesis and a thesis defense (MS-Plan A). In addition, a minimum of 30 graduate-level credits are required and must be taken for a grade, maintaining a GPA of at least 3.0.

Requirements

At least 18 of the 30 credits must be graduate course work with a grade of B or better, including the following:

MBIO 600 - Kūlana Noiʻi: Introduction to Place-Based Methodologies in Hawaiʻi Credits: 2
One credit of graduate seminar
One Statistics/Data Science Course (3-4 credits):
MBIO 612 - Data Science Fundamentals in R Credits: 3
OR OCN 682 - Data Science Fundamentals in R Credits: 3
OR OCN 683 - Advanced Statistics in R Credits: 3
OR ZOOL 631 - Introduction to Statistical Modeling in Biology Credits: 4

6 credits from this list:

MBIO 603 - Career Skills for Marine Biologists Credits: 1
MBIO 604 - Current Research in Marine Biology Credits: 1
MBIO 610 - Mathematical Ecology of Marine Systems Credits: 3
MBIO 611 - Introduction to Quantitative Methods in Fisheries Science Credits: 4
MBIO 612 - Data Science Fundamentals in R Credits: 3
OR OCN 682 - Data Science Fundamentals in R Credits: 3
MBIO 620 - Behavioral Ecology of Coral Reef Fishes Credits: 3
MBIO 621 - Respiratory Processes in Coral Reef Organisms Credits: 3
MBIO 630 - Remote Sensing Applications in Marine Science Credits: 3
MBIO 640 - Coral Reef Structure and Function Credits: 3
MBIO 650 - Marine Mammal Science and Conservation Credits: 3
MBIO 668 - People and the Sea: Exploring Multiple Perspectives for Coastal and Marine Systems Credits: 3
OR NREM 668 - People and the Sea: Exploring Multiple Perspectives for Coastal and Marine Systems Credits: 3
MBIO 695 - Place-Based Pedagogy for Course-Based Undergraduate Research Experiences Credits: 1
MBIO 710 - Topics in Marine Fisheries and Natural Resource Management Credits: V
MBIO 715 - Topics in Marine Conservation Biology Credits: V
OCN 626 - Marine Microplankton Ecology Credits: 4
OCN 627 - Ecology of Pelagic Marine Animals Credits: 4
OCN 628 - Benthic Biological Oceanography Credits: 4
OCN 630 - Deep-Sea Biology Credits: 3
OCN 680 - Dynamics of Marine Ecosystems: Biological-Physical Interactions in the Oceans Credits: 3
OCN 683 - Advanced Statistics in R Credits: 3
BOT 682 - Physiological Ecology of Marine Plants Credits: 3
ZOOL 625 - Evolution in Marine Systems Credits: 3
ZOOL 631 - Introduction to Statistical Modeling in Biology Credits: 4
HWST 631 - Pono Science: Ethical Implications of Science in Hawaiʻi Credits: V

Note:

Each course completed for a grade is eligible to fulfill one degree requirement. If the completed course fulfills the data science requirement, it is not eligible to fulfill a subject area requirement. See the program sheet for a complete list of courses that may meet the subject area requirements.

Other Graduate-level Courses

As agreed on by the dissertation committee and student, with the following conditions:

Up to 4 credits of 400-level courses may count toward 18-credits of course work
Up to 4 credits of 1-unit seminar (e.g., MBIO 691x) may count toward 18-credits of course work
MBIO 699 /MBIO 700 /MBIO 800 do not count toward the 18 credits.

For the remaining 12 credits:

Up to 6 credits of MBIO 699 - Directed Research may count toward 30-credit requirement
6 credits of MBIO 700 - Thesis Research are required and may count toward 30-credit requirement
Enrollment in MBIO 700 is required each semester after the student advances to candidacy through graduation