Marine Sciences

The mission of the Department of Marine Sciences 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 encompass a wide variety of disciplines that seek to understand the way the ocean functions, and how it is related to earth systems science, 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. These disciplines are critical to life as we know it on the planet, and beyond. 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

The mission of the Master of Science:  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:  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 also focuses on 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.

Admissions Requirements

Prerequisites

Academic/Experience Requirements for Both Tracks

• Graduation from a regionally accredited baccalaureate or higher degree program. (If the Bachelor's degree is in progress at the time of application, it must be completed prior to enrollment.)
• All prerequisite courses must be completed with a grade of "C" or better.
• Prerequisite courses must be completed prior to enrollment.
•  Have earned a minimum overall cumulative GPA of 3.0 or better on a 4.0 scale (required)
• Submit official transcripts from all colleges and universities attended to the Office of Graduate and Professional Admissions.
• Have completed the  Graduate Record Exam (GRE) General Test with competitive scores. Official transcript of scores must be submitted to the Office of Graduate and Professional Admissions.
• Prior to or during the admissions process, students are advised to communicate with faculty with whom they want to work.

Procedures and Policies

• Applications for admissions are accepted through the University of New England's online application. Detailed instructions are included in the online application.
• Applications must be submitted electronically by the posted deadline.
• All completed applications will be reviewed after the application deadline by the program admissions committee.  Applications received after the deadline will be reviewed on a space available basis.
• Decisions will be sent by the Office of Graduate and Professional Admissions at the beginning of March each year .  (The deposit to secure the seat for this program is minimal and will be applied to any fees that are not covered by the assistantship or grant that the student receives upon acceptance.  The deposit is non-refundable and will be forfeited should the student decide to not matriculate into the program.
• International applicants and applicants with international degrees must have their transcripts evaluated for degree and grade equivalency to that of a regionally accredited institution in the US. See International Admissions for a list of educational credential evaluators.
• International applicants must submit the International Student Supplemental Application Form if accepted to UNE.
• All applicants to UNE must be able to understand and communicate in English to be admitted to the university. UNE accepts several methods of English Proficiency, see International Admissions. If applicable, the TOEFL requirement must be completed and the score received by the application deadline. .

The Admission Committee reserves the right to make changes or exceptions to the admission policies and procedures without notice when it deems such a decision is appropriate.

For additional information on the admissions process and requirements, please access the Marine Sciences website.

Transfer Credit

Students must complete a minimum of 36 credits at UNE, therefore, transfer of credit is not accepted.

Advanced Placement

There is no advanced placement.

Experiential Learning

No credit will be awarded to students for experiential learning.

Satisfactory Academic Progress

To remain in the MS: 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-.  The Department of Marine Sciences and the Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences will consider for dismissal any student who fails to meet these criteria.

1. Students will demonstrate expertise in their thesis research field
2. Students will develop their written and oral communication skills
3. Students will demonstrate mastery of the core knowledge and fundamental principles of the Marine Sciences
4. Students will demonstrate an understanding of research design and have the ability to carry out a research project

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 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.

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.

Lab Fees

Courses with laboratory components have separate fees that vary.

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 by visiting the Financial Aid website. Information on Research Assistantships  and Teaching Assistantships can be found on the Department of Marine Sciences graduate programs website.

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.