Master of Science in Marine Studies

Join the graduate program in marine studies at UAF and dive into topics such as marine ecology, organismal biology, ecosystem processes and oceanography. You’ll also get to choose classes from both the oceanography and marine biology programs, meaning that you get more control over the degree you earn and career you prepare for.
The Master of Marine Studies degree is a broad program, which can include topics such as marine ecology, organismal biology, ecosystem processes, and oceanography. Students will select courses offered by the graduate program in either Marine Biology or Oceanography, and a variety of electives, which can also be from the fisheries program, the statistics, andor biology and wildlife departments. While the Master in Marine Studies degree is primarily based on a project or literary search instead of a research-oriented thesis, graduate students still are afforded excellent opportunities for laboratory and field experiences through the Institute of Marine Science. Laboratory facilities are available in Fairbanks, the Seward Marine Center, the Juneau Center, and at the Kasitsna Bay Laboratory. The Master in Marine Studies degree program will provide students with the knowledge base to be competitive in obtaining positions within state, federal, and tribal organization in Alaska and elsewhere.

In general, applicants may be admitted to a graduate program if they have a bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution with at least a 3.0 (B) cumulative undergraduate GPA and a 3.0 (B) GPA in their major. The Office of Admissions requires official transcripts of all college-level coursework. To be considered official, transcripts must arrive in sealed envelopes or by a secure electronic service from each institution attended. IELTS score of 6.5, TOEFL IBT score of 79.