Marine Sciences

The mission of Marine Programs at University of New England is to enable students to understand the real-world relevance of the marine sciences, foster scientific literacy, and critical thinking skills, and lay the foundation for lifelong learning and meaningful, productive contributions to society.

The Marine Sciences degree encompass a wide variety of disciplines that seek to understand the way the ocean functions, and how it is related to earth systems sciences, as well as to human interactions with the environment. Students will learn the theoretical underpinnings and applications of disciplines from biology to chemistry, geology, and physics. Students will be able to apply these disciplines to solving real problems, not only in ocean sciences, but in fields as far-ranging as meteorology and space exploration, as well as aquaculture and marine policy.

The mission of the Master of Science in Marine Sciences program is to prepare outstanding graduate students for careers or further training in science, technology, and education by providing an advanced knowledge base and research skills in marine sciences.

The Master of Science in Marine Sciences program offers post-baccalaureate training to students interested in continuing their education in the marine sciences. The classroom curriculum provides a strong background in all aspects of the marine sciences. The program focuses on a thesis research experience: students will conduct research and prepare a thesis on any of a variety of topics selected in consultation with our faculty.

Program Goals

• Provide a knowledge base in the marine sciences that is deeper than the typical undergraduate experience.
• Foster participation in the production of new knowledge through excellence in research.
• Instill outstanding research skills and a working knowledge of the scientific method by participation in high-quality research.
• Develop outstanding scientific communication skills through written and oral presentations.

*Students may substitute Thesis/Research credits for Electives with the approval of their advisor

Graduation Requirements

Students must successfully complete all required courses with a minimum graduate GPA of 3.0 and successfully pursue, complete, and defend publicly an approved research thesis.

Satisfactory Academic Progress

To remain in the M.S. in Marine Sciences program, the student's cumulative graduate GPA must be a minimum of 3.0. A student whose GPA falls below 3.0 or who receives a grade below B- in any course taken for graduate credit will be placed on academic probation.

Program Completion Timeline

Students have a maximum of five years to complete the graduation requirements. After two academic years (fall and spring terms), students who have completed their coursework but are still completing their theses are required to enroll in a thesis continuation credit per semester to remain in the program.

Probation/Dismissal

A graduate student whose grade point average (GPA) for any semester falls below 3.0, or whose cumulative grade point average is below 3.0, or who receives a class grade below a B- for any class taken for graduate credit is automatically placed on probation. A student placed on academic probation will be granted one fall or spring semester to raise his/her cumulative GPA to 3.0 or above, will be required to achieve a minimum GPA of 3.0 for the semester, and cannot receive a second class grade below B-. Marine Programs and the dean of the College of Arts and Sciences will consider for dismissal any student who fails to meet these criteria.

Course Withdrawal

In normal length semesters, a matriculated student may withdraw from a course without academic penalty (a grade of W is assigned) at any time during the first two-thirds of the semester. If withdrawal occurs after that date, the grade of WP (withdrew passing) or WF (withdrew failing) will be entered, subject to determination by the instructor. The grade of WF is computed in the grade point average.

Incomplete Grades

A student who believes she/he is unable to complete the work for a given course by the end of the term may apply for an extension by discussion with the instructor. At the time of this meeting, a plan must be agreed upon for completion of the course work, including a date of completion, not to exceed six weeks following the end date of the course. This agreement must be completed by the last day of class for the given course. Any student who does not follow the above guidelines will receive an F for the course. In exceptional circumstances (such as death in the family, significant illness, accident), an additional extension may be requested. Any such request must be made in writing, reviewed and signed by the instructor and the student’s advisor.

1. Students will demonstrate expertise in their thesis research field
2. Students will increase their proficiency to publication level written and professional oral communication skills
3. Students will demonstrate mastery of the concepts and principles of the Marine Sciences
4. Students will demonstrate an understanding of research design and have the ability to carry out a research project

TRANSFER CREDIT

• Transfer credits are rarely awarded to students who transfer from another Marine Science program
• Transfer credits will be reviewed and awarded on a case by case basis

ADVANCED STANDING

• No advanced standing available

EXPERIENTIAL LEARNING

• No credit awarded for experiential learning

ADMISSIONS REQUIREMENTS
 

APPLICATION

The University of New England School of Marine Programs participates in the Graduate Centralized Application Service (GradCAS). All applicants are required to apply online through this service.

DEGREE REQUIREMENT

Completion of Bachelor’s Degree from a U.S. regionally accredited institution, or international equivalent, prior to matriculation.

• All applicants are required to submit official transcripts from all colleges and universities attended. Official transcripts should be sent directly to GradCAS. Please see GradCAS application for additional information and instructions.

GPA REQUIREMENT

• Minimum cumulative undergraduate GPA of 3.0 is required.
• Minimum science/STEM GPA of 3.0 is required.
• All applicants must meet minimum GPA requirements to be considered for admission.

PREREQUISITE COURSEWORK REQUIREMENTS

• Marine Science Track
  • Science (all courses should include labs)
    • Biology, 16 credits
    • General Chemistry, 12 credits
    • Physics, 8 credits
  • Other
    • Calculus, 4 credits
• Oceanography Track
  • Science (all courses should include labs)
    • General Chemistry, 8 credits
    • Physics, 8 credits
  • Other
    • Calculus, 4 credits
    • Complete additional 16 credits in Mathematics, Chemistry, Physics, Geology, or Biology,

Other Important Prerequisite Coursework Notes:

• All prerequisite courses must be successfully completed with a grade of “C” or better (“C minus” grades are not acceptable).
• Prerequisite courses may be in progress or planned at the time of application, although all courses must be completed with an official transcript submitted to the Office of Graduate Admission prior to the start of the program.

All planned or in-progress coursework should be listed on the GradCAS application at the time of application submission; not doing so will result in the applicant not meeting all admissions requirements and therefore will not be eligible for admission review.

Online courses offered through UNE’s Online Science Prerequisites as well as online courses from other regionally accredited U.S. colleges or universities are acceptable with program approval.

STANDARDIZED TESTS

• Satisfactory completion of the Graduate Record Exam (GRE) within 5 years of application.
• Official GRE score reports should be submitted directly to GradCAS. Please refer to the GradCAS application for program GRE code and submission instructions.

PERSONAL STATEMENT

• Please refer to the GradCAS application for specific writing prompt and additional information.

RESUME

• A current resume is required and should be uploaded directly to your GradCAS application.

LETTERS OF REFERENCE

Three (3) letters of reference are required* – submitted via GradCAS

• Letters should come from a person of your choice who can speak to your academic and/or professional experience.
  *Letters from friends or family members are not acceptable

INTERNATIONAL APPLICANTS

International applicants and those with foreign degrees and coursework are required to satisfy the following additional requirements:

• Official credential evaluation by World Education Service (WES), confirming degree and grade equivalency to that of a U.S. bachelor’s degree. The completed credential evaluation should be sent directly to GradCAS. Please refer to the International Admissions section of the UNE website for more information on the type of credential evaluation required for admission review.
• Applicants whose first language is not English must demonstrate written and spoken fluency through the successful completion of a UNE approved English language proficiency test.
• Applicants should refer to the English Language Proficiency page on the UNE website for specific information on acceptable tests and minimum score requirements.
• Please refer to the GradCAS application for test score submission instructions.

OTHER IMPORTANT NOTES

• Applicants are strongly encouraged to complete and submit an application well before the application deadline for earliest consideration.
• Prior to or early in the application process, applicants are strongly advised to communicate with UNE faculty with whom they would like to work.
• Meeting with faculty during the application process does not in any way negate the need to fully complete the application and admissions process.
• All completed applications will be reviewed by the program admissions committee after the application deadline, with decisions mailed around mid-March.
• Applications completed after the posted deadline will be reviewed on a space-available basis.
• Applicants offered admission will be expected to pay a non-refundable deposit to secure a seat in the program.
• The non-refundable deposit is applied toward fees not covered by the assistantship or grant received upon acceptance.
• Should the candidate decide not to matriculate in the program, the deposit will be forfeited.

Note: All materials submitted as part of the application become the property of UNE and will not be returned or released to anyone, including the applicant. This policy includes letters of reference, primary and secondary applications, personal statements, transcripts, and other supporting materials.

Due to continuing developments with the COVID-19 pandemic, some application requirements and processes may change during the cycle for the health and safety of the university, its employees, and prospective students/applicants. We appreciate your flexibility and consideration.

POLICY EXCEPTIONS

• Policies are established to ensure fair and consistent admissions practice for all applicants to the university and its programs.
• All criteria presented in this summary are subject to change per professional accreditation requirements, changes in curriculum and/or other institutional standards, and clinical affiliation requirements.
• Exceptions to existing admission policies are rare and made only when it is deemed necessary and appropriate to maintain fair and consistent practice for all candidates, not individual candidates.

Tuition and Fees

Tuition and fees for subsequent years may vary. Other expenses include books and housing. For more information regarding tuition and fees, please consult the Financial Information section of this catalog.

Continued Enrollment

After two academic years, a student who has completed all coursework except his/her thesis will be required to pay for a thesis continuation credit plus mandatory fees each semester to remain in the program.

Other Expenses

Housing is arranged by and financed at the expense of the student. Currently, there is no on-campus housing available for graduate students.

Financial Aid

Detailed information and applications are available on request from the Financial Aid Office on the Biddeford Campus. Call (207) 602-2342, or visit the Financial Aid website. Information on Research Assistantships and Teaching Assistantships can be found on the School of Marine Programs graduate programs website.