Requirements for the Marine Science major include eight fundamental courses in math and science, as well as eight other science courses identified to provide specific expertise in the marine sciences. A grade of C or above is necessary in all required courses to receive credit toward the major. Each marine science major will be assigned a faculty advisor. This advisor will meet with the student at least once a semester to help set up and implement a program of study.
For more information contact either the Director of the BU Marine Program, Pete Buston (buston@bu.edu), or the Program Manager, Julia Hammer Mendez (hammer@bu.edu).
BA in Marine Science
Core Introductory Courses
- Oceanography (EE144), including discussion/lab section for Marine Science majors.
- Marine Biology (BI260)
Biology
- Biology 1 (BI107)
- Biology 2 (BI108)
Chemistry
- CH101 and CH102 (for science majors and premedical students, recommended track for Marine Science majors)
- OR CH109 and CH110 (for biochemistry and molecular biology majors)
- OR CH111 and CH112 (for chemistry majors and well-prepared science and pre-medical students)
- OR CH171 and CH172 (this is a terminal sequence)
- OR CH171 and CH174 (this sequence allows students to also take CH273).
Math and Statistics
- Calculus I (MA123 or MA121)
- Basic Statistics and Probability (MA213) OR MA 115.
- Choose one:
- Second semester of Calculus (MA124 or MA122)
- OR second semester of Statistics (MA214 or MA116)
- OR computer science (CS 105, CS 108, or CS 111)
Physics
- General Physics (PY211) OR PY 105.
Marine Breadth Requirement. Three courses chosen from the following options:
It is recommended that you take a variety of courses to cover the breadth of Marine Science: Biological Oceanography (BO), Marine Biology (MB), Physical Oceanography (PO), Chemical Oceanography (CO), Marine Geology & Geophysics (MG), and Marine Spatial Dynamics (MSD).
FALL
- EE 310: Climate and the Environment (PO)
- EE 505: Geographic Information Systems (MSD)
SPRING
- BI 303: Evolutionary Ecology (MB)
- BI 509: Metapopulation Ecology (BO, MB)**
- BI 519: Theoretical Evolution Ecology (BO, MB)**
- BI 550: Marine Genomics (MB)
- BI 500: Biology of Sharks (MB)
- BI 586: Ecological and Evolutionary Genomics (BO, MB)**
- EE 142: Introduction to Beaches and Shoreline Processes (PO, MG, BO)
- EE 351: Paleoclimatology and Paleoceanography (PO, MG)
- EE 422: Aquatic Optics and Remote Sensing (CO, MSD)
- EE 423: Marine Biogeochemistry (BO, CO)
- EE 507: Dynamical Oceanography (PO)**
- EE 533: Quantitative Geomorphology (MG)
- EE 576: Aquatic Geochemistry (CO)
- **Offered in alternate years
Participation in the Marine Semester. For detailed information, click here.
CAS Requirements
- Completion through the fourth semester of a foreign language
University Requirements
Credit Requirements
- Students are required to complete 128 credits total in order to graduate.
Learning Outcomes for Majors in Marine Science:
- Demonstrate understanding of fundamental concepts in marine science, including principles of geological, physical, chemical, and biological processes in the marine environment
- Demonstrate understanding of common laboratory, field, and modeling methods used in marine science
- Demonstrate the ability to i) formulate a falsifiable hypothesis, ii) design an experiment or observational study to test your hypothesis, iii) analyze your results in a statistically rigorous way, and iv) draw logical conclusions based on your analysis
- Communicate effectively the concepts, methods, results and conclusions of marine science research, in oral and written form, to specialists and the general public
- Apply knowledge and skills learned to solve problems in marine geology, physics, chemistry, or biology
- Demonstrate understanding of how human activities impact the marine environment, and how the marine environment impacts human activities
Minor in Marine Science
Five marine science courses are required for a minor concentration in Marine Science. The grade in each these courses must be C or above to receive credit towards the minor. Courses to complete the minor can be chosen from Introductory Marine Science courses (EE144 and BI260), Marine Breadth courses, and Marine Semester courses.