Marine Biology
School of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences
Graduate Program in Marine Sciences and Limnology
Degrees: M.S., Interdisciplinary Ph.D.
Minimum Requirements for Degree: M.S.: 30 credits (beyond a bachelor's degree); Ph.D.: open
The graduate curriculum in marine biology, offered by the Department of Marine Sciences and Limnology, focuses on marine organisms, while biological oceanography focuses on how biological processes influence and are influenced by the ocean environment.
Graduate students are afforded excellent opportunities for laboratory and field research through the Institute of Marine Science. Laboratory facilities are available at Fairbanks, the Seward Marine Center, the Juneau Center for Fisheries and Ocean Science, the Fishery Industrial Technology Center at Kodiak, and at the Kasitsna Bay Laboratory. Opportunities for field work are available on the R/V Alpha Helix, which operates along the Alaskan Coast and in the Bering Sea, and on the R/V Little Dipper, which operates in Resurrection Bay.
Students are admitted to the Graduate Program in Marine Sciences and Limnology on the basis of their ability and the capability of the program to meet their particular interests and needs. Requests for admission are considered continuously and each application is reviewed by the department faculty. Stipends for financial support are awarded competitively. Limited fellowship support is available. Most students are supported on research projects that relate directly to their degree research.
The M.S. and Interdisciplinary Ph.D. in marine biology focus on marine organisms. There is some overlap with biological oceanography but the latter focuses on how biological processes influence and are influenced by the ocean environment. Students may select courses offered by the Graduate Program in Marine Sciences and Limnology, the Fisheries Program, the Biology and Wildlife Department and the Chemistry and Biochemistry Department.
Graduate Degree Requirements
Marine Biology -- M.S. Degree
Degree Requirements
- Comply with UAF degree requirements.
- Pass a written comprehensive examination.
- Complete a thesis and pass an oral defense of the thesis.
Course Requirements (30 credits)
Complete a minimum of 30 credits; at least 24 credits, including thesis and/or research, must be at the 600 level.
Required courses (12 credits)
- MSL 610 -- Marine Biology (3 credits)
MSL 615 -- Physiology of Marine Organisms (3 credits)
or MSL 664 -- Algal Biology (3 credits)
or MSL 665 -- Microbial Biochemistry (3 credits)
MSL 650 -- Biological Oceanography (3 credits)
MSL 651 -- Biology & Ecology of Marine Invertebrates (5 credits)
or MSL 611 -- Field Problems in Marine Biology (5 credits)
or an equivalent field course at another institution
MSL 692 -- Seminar (3 credits)
Marine Biology -- Interdisciplinary Ph.D. Degree
The doctoral degree is awarded for proven ability and scholarly attainment, and each candidate's program is planned with a graduate advisory committee. There are no fixed course requirements, nor is an M.S. degree required, to earn the Ph.D. degree. However, a candidate for the Ph.D. degree is the Marine Sciences program will be expected to have completed coursework at least equivalent to that required for the M.S. degree. Students must complete UAF degree requirements. (See the Graduate School for application requirements.)