Marine Sciences | CLAS

major

Oceans are an important facet of the global environment: covering more than 70 percent of the Earth’s surface, oceans provide us with food, transport, and resources and they play a significant role in controlling climate. However, the world’s oceans remain largely unexplored below the surface, making them one of the last great frontiers for scientific discovery. Marine environments are inherently dynamic and governed by a broad suite of interactive biological, chemical, and physical processes.

About this Program

To graduate with this major, students must complete all university, college, and major requirements.

Related Programs

The university promotes an integrated approach to marine science education and research to prepare students for rewarding academic and professional careers. This major, offered cooperatively with the College of Agricultural and Life Sciences, lets students tailor a curriculum that suits their interests and career goals.

The curriculum provides the core scientific and quantitative skills necessary for success. Lower-division courses build a strong foundation in basic sciences and math while upper-division courses provide opportunity for specialization. Students in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences (CLAS) complete an upper-division core that integrates the physical and biological sciences, mathematics, and engineering. They work closely with a faculty advisor to create an individualized curriculum of at least 12 credits of approved electives; this plan must be approved by the program's undergraduate coordinator before the student has earned 70 credits.

Coursework for the Major

The major requires 63-67 credits of coursework completed with minimum grades of C. At least 30 credits of coursework in the major must be completed at UF.

Required Coursework

BSC 2010
2010L
Integrated Principles of Biology 1
and Integrated Principles of Biology Laboratory 1
4
BSC 2011
2011L
Integrated Principles of Biology 2
and Integrated Principles of Biology Laboratory 2
4
CHM 2045
2045L
General Chemistry 1
and General Chemistry 1 Laboratory
4
CHM 2046
2046L
General Chemistry 2
and General Chemistry 2 Laboratory
4
GLY 3083CFundamentals of Marine Sciences3
GLY 4726Chemical Oceanography3
MAC 2311Analytic Geometry and Calculus 14
MAC 2312Analytic Geometry and Calculus 23-4
or STA 2023 Introduction to Statistics 1
OCE 1001Introduction to Oceanography3
Select one:8-10
Option One
Physics 1
and Laboratory for Physics 1
Physics 2
and Laboratory for Physics 2
Option Two
Physics with Calculus 1
and Laboratory for Physics with Calculus 1
Physics with Calculus 2
and Laboratory for Physics with Calculus 2
ZOO 4403CMarine Biology4
ZOO 4926Special Topics in Zoology (Marine Ecology)3
or FAS 4270 Marine Ecological Processes
Marine sciences core elective3-4
Approved marine sciences electives 112
Total Credits62-66
1

12 credits of approved marine sciences electives, approved by the undergraduate coordinator before the student has earned 70 credits. Electives may be chosen from the Approved Electives tab.

Critical Tracking records each student’s progress in courses that are required for entry to each major. Please note the critical-tracking requirements below on a per-semester basis.

For degree requirements outside of the major, refer to CLAS Degree Requirements: Structure of a CLAS Degree.

For the purposes of critical-tracking, associated lecture and lab courses are considered one critical-tracking course (e.g., BSC 2010/BSC 2010L = 1 critical-tracking course).

Equivalent critical-tracking courses as determined by the State of Florida Common Course Prerequisites may be used for transfer students.

Semester 1

Semester 2

  • Complete 2 additional critical-tracking courses
  • 2.5 GPA required for all critical-tracking courses
  • 2.0 UF GPA required

Semester 3

  • Complete 1 additional critical-tracking course
  • 2.5 GPA required for all critical-tracking courses
  • 2.0 UF GPA required

Semester 4

  • Complete 2 additional critical-tracking courses
  • 2.5 GPA required for all critical-tracking courses
  • 2.0 UF GPA required

Semester 5

  • Complete all 8 critical-tracking courses
  • 2.5 GPA required for all critical-tracking courses
  • 2.0 UF GPA required

Semester 6

Semester 7

  • Complete General Education course
  • 2.0 UF GPA required

Semester 8

  • Complete all remaining General Education requirements
  • 2.0  UF GPA required

Students are expected to complete the Writing Requirement while in the process of taking the courses below. Students are also expected to complete the General Education International (GE-N) and Diversity (GE-D) requirements concurrently with another General Education requirement (typically, GE-C, H, or S).

To remain on track, students must complete the appropriate critical-tracking courses, which appear in bold. These courses must be completed by the terms as listed above in the Critical Tracking criteria.

This semester plan represents an example progression through the major. Actual courses and course order may be different depending on the student's academic record and scheduling availability of courses. Prerequisites still apply.

Plan of Study Grid
Semester OneCredits
CHM 2045
2045L
General Chemistry 1
and General Chemistry 1 Laboratory (Critical Tracking; State Core Gen Ed Physical Sciences)
4
Select one: 4
Analytic Geometry and Calculus 1 (Critical Tracking)
Precalculus Algebra and Trigonometry (State Core Gen Ed Mathematics) 1
OCE 1001 Introduction to Oceanography (Critical Tracking; Gen Ed Physical Sciences) 3
Quest 1 (Gen Ed Humanities) 3
 Credits14
Semester Two
CHM 2046
2046L
General Chemistry 2
and General Chemistry 2 Laboratory (Critical Tracking; Gen Ed Physical Sciences)
4
Select one: 3-4
Elective
Analytic Geometry and Calculus 1 (if needed)
State Core Gen Ed Composition; Writing Requirement 3
State Core Gen Ed Humanities 3
State Core Gen Ed Social and Behavioral Sciences 3
 Credits16-17
Semester Three
BSC 2010
2010L
Integrated Principles of Biology 1
and Integrated Principles of Biology Laboratory 1 (Critical Tracking; Gen Ed Biological Sciences)
4
GLY 3083C Fundamentals of Marine Sciences (Gen Ed Physical Sciences) 3
Select one: 3-4
Analytic Geometry and Calculus 2
Introduction to Statistics 1 (Gen Ed Mathematics)
Elective (3000 level or above, not in major) 3
Gen Ed Humanities 3
 Credits16-17
Semester Four
Quest 2 (Gen Ed Social and Behavioral Sciences) 3
BSC 2011
2011L
Integrated Principles of Biology 2
and Integrated Principles of Biology Laboratory 2 (Critical Tracking; Gen Ed Biological Sciences)
4
Select one: 4-5
Physics 1
and Laboratory for Physics 1 (Critical Tracking; Gen Ed Physical Sciences)
Physics with Calculus 1
and Laboratory for Physics with Calculus 1 (Critical Tracking)
Elective (3000 level or above, not in major) 3
 Credits14-15
Semester Five
Select one: 4-5
Physics 2
and Laboratory for Physics 2 (Critical Tracking; Gen Ed Physical Sciences)
Physics with Calculus 2
and Laboratory for Physics with Calculus 2 (Critical Tracking)
ZOO 4403C Marine Biology 4
Foreign language 5
Elective 3
 Credits16-17
Semester Six
GLY 4726 Chemical Oceanography 3
PCB 4460
Biodiversity and Ecology Field Immersion (Critical Tracking)
or Marine Ecological Processes
3-4
Gen Ed Composition; Writing Requirement 3
Foreign language 5
 Credits14-15
Semester Seven
Marine sciences core elective 3-4
Gen Ed Social and Behavioral Sciences; Critical Tracking 3
Approved elective 3
Electives (3000 level or above, not in major) 6
 Credits15-16
Semester Eight
Approved electives 9
Elective (3000 level or above, not in major) 3
Elective 3
 Credits15
 Total Credits120
1

Select MAC 1147 if needed. 


Marine Sciences Core Elective

Select one:3-4
Physical Geology (Gen Ed Physical Sciences)
Historical Geology (Gen Ed Physical Sciences)
Oceans and Global Climate Change (Gen Ed Physical Sciences) 1
Evolution of Earth and Life (Gen Ed Physical Sciences) 1
Earth Materials 1
Special Topics (Physical Oceanography) 1
1

These courses cannot count as marine sciences core electives and approved electives. 

Approved Marine Sciences Electives

Select 12 credits (minimum):12
Special Topics (Physical Oceanography) 1
Deltas and Humans
Biology of Fishes
Introduction to Fishery Science
Aquariums, Water and Aquaculture
Topics in Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences (Marine Adaptations )
Oceans and Global Climate Change (Gen Ed Physical Sciences) 1
Evolution of Earth and Life (Gen Ed Physical Sciences) 1
Earth Materials 1
Paleontology
Geophysics
Sedimentary Geology
Coastal Morphology and Processes
Special Topics in Geology (Deltas and Humans )
Special Topics in Geology (Estuarine Systems )
Invertebrate Biodiversity
Sea Turtle Biology and Conservation
Marine Mammal Biology
1

These courses cannot count as marine sciences core electives and approved electives. 

Additional Electives | With Instructor Permission

EOC 6196Littoral Processes3
EOC 6934Advanced Topics in Coastal and Oceanographic Engineering3
FAS 4175Algae Biology and Ecology3
FAS 5276CField Ecology of Aquatic Organisms4
GLY 5255Organic Geochemistry and Geobiology3
GLY 5558CSedimentology3
GLY 5736Marine Geology3
GLY 5786LTopics in Field Geology (Bahamas)2
GLY 6075Global Climate Change: Past, Present, and Future3
GLY 6425Tectonics3
GLY6726Chemical Biomarkers in Aquatic Ecosystems (instructor permission required).
GLY 6932Special Topics in Geology (Chemical Biomarkers in Aquatic Ecosystems)3
OCP 6050Physical Oceanography3
OCP 6168Data Analysis Techniques for Coastal and Ocean Engineers3
OCP 6295Estuarine and Shelf Hydrodynamics I3
PCB 4460Biodiversity and Ecology Field Immersion4
ZOO 4926Special Topics in Zoology (Biology of Sea Turtles)1-4
ZOO 6456CIchthyology4

This major provides integrative understanding of the basic concepts, theories and observational findings related to marine materials and processes, geologic time, the diversity of marine life, the structure and function of marine organisms and ecosystems and marine resource management.

The Marine Sciences major is administered jointly by the College of Agricultural and Life Sciences and the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences and utilizes faculty, courses and resources of the Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences Program (CALS), the Department of Geological Sciences (CLAS), the Department of Biology (CLAS), and the Department of Civil and Coastal Engineering (Herbert Wertheim College of Engineering).

Before Graduating Students Must

  • Achieve a passing score on the subject test. The content of the examination has been reviewed and approved by the Marine Sciences Committee.
  • Achieve a passing score on the analytical skills test. The content of the examination has been reviewed and approved by the Marine Sciences Committee.
  • Achieve a passing score on the bioethics quiz. The content of the examination has been reviewed and approved by the Marine Sciences Committee.
  • Achieve a passing score on the scientific literacy paper. This paper is assessed using a rubric that has been reviewed and approved by the Marine Sciences Committee.
  • Complete requirements for the baccalaureate degree, as determined by faculty.

Students in the Major Will Learn to

Student Learning Outcomes | SLOs

Content

  1. Demonstrate competence in the basic terminology, concepts, methodologies, and theories used within the marine sciences.

Critical Thinking

  1. Analyze information in the marine sciences and develop reasoned solutions to problems using the processes and applications of scientific inquiry.
  2. Discriminate ethical behavior from unethical behavior in scientific research.

Communication

  1. Communicate knowledge, ideas, and reasoning clearly, effectively, and objectively in written or oral forms appropriate to the marine sciences.

Curriculum Map

I = Introduced; R = Reinforced; A = Assessed

Courses SLO 1 SLO 2 SLO 3 SLO 4
GLY 3083C I I I I
GLY 4930 R R R R
OCE 1001 I I I
ZOO 4403C R R R R
ZOO 4926 (Marine Ecology) or FAS 4932 (Marine Ecological Processes) A A A A

Assessment Types

  • Marine sciences subject and analytical skills tests
  • Bioethics quiz
  • Scientific paper