Coastal and Marine Biology Degree Programs
Undergraduate Students
UNF’s Department of Biology offer two areas of concentrations or “tracks of study” for undergraduate students who are interested in obtaining a baccalaureate degree in Biology with a specialization in coastal and marine biology: Coastal Biology and Coastal Environmental Science.
Coastal and Marine Biology track
The Coastal and Marine Biology track is designed to provide a broad background in biology with a special emphasis on the biology of coastal organisms and ecosystems. This track is especially well suited for students interested in pursuing graduate work and research careers in coastal and marine biology.
In addition to prerequisites in General Biology, Chemistry, Physics, and Math and core courses in Cell & Molecular Biology, Ecology, Physiology, and Genetics, undergraduates working towards a B.S. in Biology with a specialization in Coastal Marine Biology have the opportunity to take courses in Oceanography, Marine Botany, Coastal Invertebrate Biology, Ichthyology, Shark Biology, Marine Mammology, Herpetology, Coastal Fisheries Management, Field Studies in Marine Biology, Conservation Biology, and more.
Coastal Environmental Science Track
This track is designed to prepare students for entry into positions with government and environmental agencies specializing in environmental work. It is a multidisciplinary program and provides students with foundation in biology, statistics, ethics and public policy courses. In addition to prerequisites in General Biology, Chemistry, Physics, and Math and core courses in Ecology, Genetics, Oceanography/Limnology, Statistics, Conservation Biology, and Analytical/Environmental Chemistry, undergraduates working towards a B.S. in Biology with a specialization in Coastal Environmental Science have the opportunity to take biology-focused courses in Marine Biology, Environmental Toxicology, Marine Mammology, Coastal Fisheries Management, Field Studies in Marine Biology, and others, along with courses in Law, Economics, Policy, Political Science, and Philosophy.
Graduate Students
UNF’s Department of Biology offer two degree programs for students who are interested in obtaining a graduate degree in Biology: the Master of Science in Biology (M.S.) and the Master of Arts in Biology (M.A.). UNF graduate students interested in Coastal and Marine Biology generally follow the degree program’sEcology/Environmental Biology track, which emphasizes the understanding of current ecological/environmental sampling techniques with additional focus on developing strong skills in experimental design and statistical analysis. The graduate program also offers a Microbiology/Molecular Biology track, which emphasizes training on the latest genetic techniques such as polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and DNA fingerprinting.
Graduate coursework on coastal and marine biology includes courses in Marine Biology, Aquatic Toxicology, Coastal Fisheries Management, Freshwater Ecology, Animal Behavior, Ichthyology, Marine Mammalogy, and others along with required courses in Evolution, Quantitative Ecology, and Critical Skills in Science.
Master of Science in Biology
The M.S. in Biology is a thesis-based degree that requires completion of an original student research project and is well suited for students interested in advanced study and careers in biological research. The requirements for completion of this degree are 30 academic credits of which a minimum of 18 credits must be for graded coursework and 1 credit for thesis defense. Remaining credits are for seminar courses and thesis research.
Master of Arts in Biology
The M.A. in Biology is a coursework-focused degree that does not require completion of a student thesis research project and is well suited for individuals that wish to increase their knowledge, training, and level of education in biology for personal satisfaction and/or career advancement, but do not desire or require independent research experience. This can include but is not limited to K-12 science teachers or individuals already employed in science-focused careers such as local environmental agencies or research facilities. The requirements for completion of this degree are 36 credits of academic coursework.
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