Marine Sciences Major Requirements

The Marine Sciences major prepares students for meaningful and productive post-baccalaureate employment and/or admission to high-quality graduate programs. Although administered by GEMS, the Marine Sciences major is truly interdisciplinary in nature, both in its curriculum and faculty.The program investigates and emphasizes the multiple feedback interactions among unicellular to vertebrate marine organisms, the physiochemistry of the water in which they live, and the substrates in and/or on which they dwell. Typically, students who major in the Marine Sciences also double major or minor in one or more of the following programs: biology, chemistry, earth and environmental sciences, environmental sciences, geosciences, and psychology (for marine mammel training).

PLEASE NOTE: The course requirements for this major were changed as of June 1, 2009. All students enrolled in the major after this date, including all Fall 2009 incoming students, must satisfy the new requirements listed here. Students enrolled in the major prior to June1, 2009 may elect to satisfy the new or previous requirements. Please see your GEMS academic advsior for details.

SUBJECT AREA	COURSE NUMBER	COURSE NAME	CREDITS
Biology (8 Credits)
	BIO-115	Principles of Biology: Evolution, Diversity, and Biology of Animals	4
	BIO-272	Introduction to Marine Biology	3
	BIO-272L	Marine Biology Lab	1
Geosciences and Environmental Sciences (12 Credits)
	ENV-200	Statistical and Computer Applications in the Natural Sciences	4
	GEO-100	Earth Systems Science	3
	GEO-102	Earth Materials and Processes Lab	1
	GEO-306	Sedimentology	4
Marine Sciences (22 Credits)  Only one Introduction to Field Marine Science (MAR-227-229) course is allowed:
	MAR-120	Oceanography	3
	MAR-121	Introductory Oceanography Lab	1
	MAR-227-229	Introduction to Field Marine Science course1	4
	MAR-330	Chemical Oceanography	4
	MAR-340	Marine Processes and Environments: Seminar	3
	MAR-401	Marine Ecology	4
	MAR-410	Physical Oceanography	3
Chemistry (8 Credits)
	CHE-120	Principles of Chemistry	3
	CHE-121	Principles of Chemistry Lab	1
	CHE-122	Introduction to Chemical Systems	3
	CHE-123	Quantitative Methods Lab	1
Physics (8 Credits)  Take either PHY-100, 100L, 101, and 101L; or PHY-200, 200L, 201, and 201L:
	PHY-100	Principles of Physics I	3
	PHY-100L	Principles of Physics I Lab	1
	PHY-101	Principles of Physics II	3
	PHY-101L	Principles of Physics II Lab	1
Electives (7-8 Credits)  Two courses from the following:
	BIO-372	Behavior of Marine Organisms: An Evolutionary Approach	4
	ENV-205	Introduction to Geographical Information Systems	3
	MAR-210	Marine Life Through Time	4
	MAR-325	Marine Vertebrates: Fish to Mammals	4
	MAR-360	Plankton Ecology	4

TOTAL CREDITS REQUIRED: 65-66 (In addition to CLAES core requirements). Marine Sciences majors also will take either MTH-105: Algebra and Trigonometry or MTH-210: Calculus I to satisfy the CLAES mathematics core requirement².

Completion of a OSHA HAZWOPER Training Course is recommended for those students planning on employment within the environmental industry. This 40-hour course fulfills the requirements for the OSHA Hazardous Materials Technician, Level A and the 29 CFR 1910.20 regulations. Students who complete the course are fully certified to handle hazardous materials and waste products. Because OSHA certification normally is required for job positions in the environmental industry, OSHA-certified students are more competitive for summer, part-time, and full-time employment opportunities.

A minor in biology, chemistry, or earth and environmental sciences is recommended.

¹Introduction to Field Marine Science courses are taught at various field stations on a rotating basis during the Summer I or Summer II terms and include:

• Subtropical Environments; MAR-227
  
• Boreal Environments; MAR-228
  
• Tropical Environments; MAR-229

²Graduate schools usually require at least one semester of calculus.

HONORS PROGRAM IN MARINE SCIENCES

Graduation with Honors in Marine Sciences is awarded in recognition of majors who have demonstrated outstanding academic ability. Enrollment in the program is by invitation of the GEMS faculty. Eligibility requirements include a minimum GPA of 3.5 in courses required for the major and the satisfactory completion of a senior thesis. In addition, an honors candidates must maintain an overall minimum GPA of 3.0.

 

Please see the Academic Catalogs for more information, including course descriptions.

Disclaimer: This information is taken from a recent published version of a Rider University academic catalog or manual, though not necessarily the most recent. Please be aware that, while the University makes reasonable efforts to keep website material current and correct, this information is subject to the University's academic policy committees, relevant accreditation organizations, and (in some instances) state and federal laws and regulations. For this and other reasons it may be subject to change at any time without notice and without being immediately reflected on the Web site.