Marine Entrepreneurship

Marine resources are critical to America’s economy. With proper management the marine environment has the potential to support thriving fisheries, aquaculture, marine bioproducts, and marine tourism industries; and the ocean is increasingly viewed as a high priority for renewable and non-renewable energy development. Marine technologies and aquaculture have been designated by the Maine Science and Technology Foundation as one of seven clusters that are the focus of Maine’s research and development support programs. Maine’s tourism economy is estimated to generate over $7 billion annually and over 88,000 jobs, and Maine’s seafood economy is worth about $0.5 billion annually, comprising 40,000 jobs. The University of New England’s (UNE) B.S. in Marine Entrepreneurship (MARE) is an interdepartmental, interdisciplinary academic program designed to train the next generation of marine science and business students at UNE for careers in the marine economy, marine businesses, and in the leadership of marine organizations. Degree requirements include the completion of an internship and an applied marine business research project. In order to increase the breadth of opportunities, numerous agreements and collaborations between the University of New England and other institutions, organizations, or individuals have been established.

Our new B.S. in Marine Entrepreneurship (MARE) is a unique major - the only one of its kind in the nation - combining study in business and marine science. Whether you are interested in starting a marine business, leading a marine organization or pursuing a career in marine environmental management, marine conservation, marine tourism, marine policy, fisheries, aquaculture, seafood or a related field, our vast marine and coastal resources, experiential programs, marine business partnerships, and internship opportunities will help you reach your full potential.

The scenic shores of coastal Maine — including UNE’s one mile of coastline and an island just off our shores — provide an ideal environment for you to learn and explore. Your experiences are grounded in a curriculum that provides a sound base of knowledge in marine business and financial management, team building skills, marine economics and marine science. The internship and experiential research requirements ensure that you have the tools you need for a successful career.

Collaborations between the University of New England and other institutions, organizations and individuals increase the breadth of student opportunities. To date, discussions have been held with more than 20 companies and organizations to open collaboration avenues for students.

THE MARINE LIVING LEARNING COMMUNITY (MLC)

All entering first-year Marine Science, Marine Affairs, and Marine Entrepreneurship majors are invited to participate in a year-long living-learning community focused on developing the skills needed to be a successful student, discovery of their majors and associated learning opportunities, and building relationships with peers, faculty, and professional staff.

The MLC integrates classroom learning, student success programming, experiential opportunities, as well as team-building and leadership development programs designed to assist Marine majors in their transitions from High School to College to Career.

Learning Community courses and events allows students an opportunity to expand their interests and grow personally, as well as professionally. A dedicated team comprised of faculty, professional staff, and peer leaders supports the MLC. This community of learning enriches classroom content and allows an opportunity to apply learning in context.

Students who participate in the MLC expected to:

• Live together in a Residence Hall Community designed by the Office of Housing and Resident/Commuter Life.
• Take two (2) or more designated courses in common over the course of their first year.
• Participate in required experiential learning opportunities and community programs.

Area Courses

Students in this major can participate in the pre-health graduate school preparation tracks.

1. MARE majors must earn a minimum of a 2.0 GPA ("C") in all required business courses. 
2. A minimum grade of C- must be achieved in all science and mathematics courses used toward graduation in any of the programs in the Department of Marine Science. 
3. Students have a maximum of seven years to complete the graduation requirements.

Accreditation

All degree programs offered by the Department of Business and School of Marine and Environmental Programs are accredited by The New England Association of Schools and Colleges (NEASC).

As a result of completing the B.S. in Marine Entrepreneurship, graduates will be able to:

1. Students will demonstrate a strong content-knowledge foundation in their specific field of study (Marine Biology, Oceanography, Marine Entrepreneurship, or Marine Affairs).
2. Students will communicate effectively in both oral and written format to convey their scientific knowledge, interdisciplinary training, and findings to peers, professional audiences, decision-makers, and/or the public.
3. Students will demonstrate critical thinking and problem-solving skills in their specific field of study by designing, carrying out, and interpreting the results of their experiments, by evaluating the literature published by professionals, by making recommendations to policymakers and/or by creating and innovating in their field.

We offer qualified students the option of graduating with Honors. This includes significant research, scholarship or creative activity under the direction of a faculty member. Interested students should consult with their advisor. 

Courses completed at another accredited college can be transferred to this degree program. Transferred courses must be reasonably close in scope and content to the required courses offered at UNE in order to count as exact equivalents. Otherwise, they may transfer as general electives. All courses completed must be no older than five years. Other restrictions apply. See Undergraduate Admissions also.

See Undergraduate Admissions.

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.