Marine Studies Undergraduate Major (BA, BS, HBA, HBS)
This program is available at the following locations:
- Corvallis
- Ecampus
Marine Studies is an interdisciplinary field of study that explores the dynamic relationship between people and the marine environment, emphasizing humanities, social sciences, and arts perspectives on the coasts and ocean. This program is for students who are seeking expertise in liberal arts methodologies to address the growing challenges and opportunities for coastal and ocean sustainability.
This degree includes:
- Foundational coursework to develop critical thinking regarding human interactions with the marine environment that is grounded in knowledge of its natural characteristics.
- Core classes that provide students with interdisciplinary training, including diverse perspectives and methodological approaches to problem solving and decision-making, in marine related fields of inquiry across the social sciences, arts, and humanities.
- Required coastal experience courses offered at Hatfield Marine Science Center (HMSC) or offered at Corvallis or via Ecampus with significant course dimensions integrating with HMSC.
- Advanced elective coursework to gain expertise in transdisciplinary and liberal arts-based specializations such as, but not limited to: history, philosophy, environmental and social justice, politics and policy, arts and literature, global and transnational perspectives, and community development.
Major Code: 074
Upon successful completion of the program, students will meet the following learning outcomes:
- Demonstrate critical thinking regarding human interactions with the marine environment that is grounded in knowledge of its unique character and natural properties.
- Critically explore historical and contemporary issues in marine studies.
- Apply a range of social science and art/humanities methods to the study of humans in the marine environment.
- Integrate human interactions with the marine environment from a range of social science and arts/humanities-based perspectives, taking into account matters of ethical, social, and environmental justice.
- Students must earn a C- or higher in required coursework
- Students must earn a 2.0 GPA or higher in courses applied to the major
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Foundations | ||
| BI 150 | INTRODUCTION TO MARINE BIOLOGY | 3 |
| or ATS 201 | +*CLIMATE SCIENCE | |
| ES 260 | +*INTRODUCTION TO PACIFIC ISLANDS STUDIES | 4 |
| MAST 201 | +HUMANS AND THE OCEAN | 3 |
| MAST 300 | +SOCIETY, CULTURE, AND THE MARINE ENVIRONMENT | 4 |
| OC 101 | +*THE BLUE PLANET: THE WORLD'S OCEANS | 4 |
| or OC 201 | +*OCEANOGRAPHY | |
| or OC 202 | +*INTRODUCTION TO BIOLOGICAL OCEANOGRAPHY | |
| Difference, Power, and Oppression - Advanced | ||
| SUS 331 | +*SUSTAINABILITY, JUSTICE, AND ENGAGEMENT | 3 |
| Writing Intensive Course (WIC) | ||
| MAST 444 | ^WRITING FOR MARINE STUDIES | 4 |
| or WR 460 | ^WRITING OF THE SEA | |
| Arts, Humanities, and Social Justice | ||
| Select 12 credits from the following courses: | 12 | |
| +SCIENCE COMMUNICATION | ||
| LITERATURES OF THE COAST | ||
| NATIVE AMERICANS IN OREGON | ||
| +ETHNICITY AND SOCIAL JUSTICE | ||
| MARITIME HISTORIES OF THE PACIFIC | ||
| *FOOD IN WORLD HISTORY | ||
| INTRODUCTION TO NONPROFIT MANAGEMENT | ||
| PHILOSOPHY WITH A PORPOISE: MAKING MEANING AT (AND WITH) SEAS | ||
| *ENVIRONMENTAL ETHICS | ||
| *WORLD VIEWS AND ENVIRONMENTAL VALUES | ||
| NATIVE AMERICAN PHILOSOPHIES | ||
| *PHILOSOPHY OF BIOLOGY | ||
| +*ARTS & SOCIAL JUSTICE | ||
| Policy and Social Sciences | ||
| Select 12 credits from the following courses: | 12 | |
| *INTRODUCTION TO COASTAL AND MARINE RESOURCE ECONOMICS | ||
| *MARITIME CULTURES AND LIFE-WAYS | ||
| ECOLOGICAL ANTHROPOLOGY | ||
| OCEANS IN PERIL | ||
| MANAGEMENT PRINCIPLES OF PACIFIC SALMON IN THE NORTHWEST | ||
| +*FOOD FROM THE SEA | ||
| INTRODUCTION TO OCEAN LAW | ||
| COASTAL OCEANOGRAPHY | ||
| *OCEANS, COASTS, AND PEOPLE | ||
| THE POLICY AND LAW OF U.S. COASTAL GOVERNANCE | ||
| MARINE POLICY IN THE UNITED STATES | ||
| ENVIRONMENTAL POLITICS AND POLICY | ||
| SOCIAL DIMENSIONS OF SUSTAINABILITY | ||
| *ENVIRONMENTAL SOCIOLOGY | ||
| *SOCIETY AND NATURAL RESOURCES | ||
| Coastal Learning | ||
| Select 8 credits from the following courses: | 8 | |
| CREATIVE FIELD WORK I | ||
| INTRODUCTION TO MARINE LIFE IN THE SEA: MARINE HABITATS | ||
| PACIFIC NORTHWEST COASTAL ECOSYSTEMS | ||
| *INDIGENOUS OCEAN AND COAST | ||
| *RACE, GENDER, AND LABOR ON THE OREGON COAST | ||
| SPECIAL STUDIES (maximum of 2 credits) | ||
| BIOLOGY AND CONSERVATION OF MARINE MAMMALS | ||
| +*FOOD FROM THE SEA | ||
| ECOLOGY OF MARINE AND ESTUARINE BIRDS | ||
| +*ENDANGERED SPECIES & SOCIETY | ||
| MARINE STUDIES INTERNSHIP (maximum of 4 credits) | ||
| ESTUARINE ECOLOGY | ||
| Additional Requirements | ||
| Remaining Core Ed, CLA Core, BA/BS Requirements and Electives | 123 | |
| Total Credits | 180 | |
- *
Baccalaureate Core course. Applies to general education requirements for undergraduate students in a catalog year up to 2024-2025
- +
Core Education course. Applies to general education requirements for undergraduate students in catalog year 2025-2026 and beyond
- ^
Writing Intensive Curriculum (WIC) course
Major Code: 074
Degree plans are subject to change and the following is only an example of how students may complete their degree in four years. Students should consult their advisor to determine the best degree plan for them. Contact details for advisors can be found on the Academic Advising page.
Bachelor of Arts
| First Year | ||
|---|---|---|
| Fall | Credits | |
| OC 101 | +*THE BLUE PLANET: THE WORLD'S OCEANS or +*OCEANOGRAPHY or +*INTRODUCTION TO BIOLOGICAL OCEANOGRAPHY | 4 |
| WR 121Z | +*COMPOSITION I | 4 |
| BA Foreign Language | 4 | |
| Core Ed: Transitions | 2 | |
| Credits | 14 | |
| Winter | ||
| BI 150 or ATS 201 | INTRODUCTION TO MARINE BIOLOGY or +*CLIMATE SCIENCE | 3 |
| BA Foreign Language | 4 | |
| CLA Core: Humanities | 3-4 | |
| Core Ed: Social Science | 3-4 | |
| Credits | 14 | |
| Spring | ||
| BA Foreign Language | 4 | |
| CLA Core: Social Science | 3-4 | |
| Core Ed: Difference, Power & Oppression Foundations | 3-4 | |
| Core Ed: Arts & Humanities General | 3-4 | |
| Credits | 16 | |
| Second Year | ||
| Fall | ||
| MAST 201 | +HUMANS AND THE OCEAN | 3 |
| BA Foreign Language | 4 | |
| CLA Core: Non-Western Culture | 3-4 | |
| Core Ed: Communication, Media & Society | 3-4 | |
| Credits | 15 | |
| Winter | ||
| ES 260 | +*INTRODUCTION TO PACIFIC ISLANDS STUDIES | 4 |
| BA Foreign Language | 4 | |
| CLA Core: Fine Arts | 3-4 | |
| Core Ed: Scientific Inquiry & Analysis | 4 | |
| Credits | 15 | |
| Spring | ||
| Policy and Social Sciences Course | 4 | |
| BA Foreign Language | 4 | |
| Elective | 4 | |
| Elective | 3 | |
| Credits | 15 | |
| Third Year | ||
| Fall | ||
| MAST 300 | +SOCIETY, CULTURE, AND THE MARINE ENVIRONMENT | 4 |
| Arts Humanities and Social Justice Course | 4 | |
| Policy and Social Sciences Course | 3 | |
| Coastal Learning Course | 4 | |
| Credits | 15 | |
| Winter | ||
| Arts, Humanities, and Social Justice Course | 4 | |
| Policy and Social Sciences Course | 4 | |
| Core Ed: Scientific Inquiry & Analysis | 4 | |
| Elective | 4 | |
| Credits | 16 | |
| Spring | ||
| Arts, Humanities, and Social Justice Course | 4 | |
| CLA Core: Additional Course | 3-4 | |
| Elective | 4 | |
| Elective | 4 | |
| Credits | 15 | |
| Fourth Year | ||
| Fall | ||
| MAST 444 or WR 460 | ^WRITING FOR MARINE STUDIES or ^WRITING OF THE SEA | 4 |
| Coastal Learning Course | 4 | |
| Core Ed: Seeking Solutions | 3-4 | |
| Elective | 4 | |
| Credits | 15 | |
| Winter | ||
| SUS 331 | +*SUSTAINABILITY, JUSTICE, AND ENGAGEMENT | 3 |
| Core Ed: Quantitative Literacy & Analysis | 4 | |
| Elective | 4 | |
| Elective | 4 | |
| Credits | 15 | |
| Spring | ||
| Core Ed: Writing Elevation | 3-4 | |
| Elective | 4 | |
| Elective | 4 | |
| Elective | 4 | |
| Credits | 15 | |
| Total Credits | 180 | |
Bachelor of Science
| First Year | ||
|---|---|---|
| Fall | Credits | |
| OC 101 | +*THE BLUE PLANET: THE WORLD'S OCEANS or +*OCEANOGRAPHY or +*INTRODUCTION TO BIOLOGICAL OCEANOGRAPHY | 4 |
| WR 121Z | +*COMPOSITION I | 4 |
| CLA Core: Social Science | 3-4 | |
| Core Ed: Transitions | 2 | |
| Credits | 14 | |
| Winter | ||
| BI 150 or ATS 201 | INTRODUCTION TO MARINE BIOLOGY or +*CLIMATE SCIENCE | 3 |
| Core Ed: Social Science | 3-4 | |
| Core Ed: Difference, Power & Oppression Foundations | 3-4 | |
| Elective | 4 | |
| Credits | 15 | |
| Spring | ||
| BS MTH or ST Course | 4 | |
| Core Ed: Arts & Humanities General | 3-4 | |
| Elective | 4 | |
| Elective | 4 | |
| Credits | 16 | |
| Second Year | ||
| Fall | ||
| MAST 201 | +HUMANS AND THE OCEAN | 3 |
| Core Ed: Scientific Inquiry & Analysis | 4 | |
| Core Ed: Communication, Media & Society | 3-4 | |
| Elective | 4 | |
| Credits | 14 | |
| Winter | ||
| ES 260 | +*INTRODUCTION TO PACIFIC ISLANDS STUDIES | 4 |
| CLA Core: Humanities | 3-4 | |
| BS MTH or ST Course | 4 | |
| Elective | 4 | |
| Credits | 15 | |
| Spring | ||
| Policy and Social Sciences Course | 4 | |
| CLA Core: Non-Western Culture | 3-4 | |
| Core Ed: Scientific Inquiry & Analysis | 4 | |
| Elective | 3 | |
| Credits | 15 | |
| Third Year | ||
| Fall | ||
| Coastal Learning Course | 4 | |
| Policy and Social Sciences Course | 4 | |
| CLA Core: Fine Arts | 3-4 | |
| Core Ed: Quantitative Literacy & Analysis | 4 | |
| Credits | 15 | |
| Winter | ||
| Coastal Learning Course | 4 | |
| CLA Core: Additional Course | 3-4 | |
| BS Computer Science | 4 | |
| Elective | 4 | |
| Credits | 15 | |
| Spring | ||
| MAST 300 | +SOCIETY, CULTURE, AND THE MARINE ENVIRONMENT | 4 |
| Arts, Humanities, and Social Justice Course | 4 | |
| BS Science | 4 | |
| Elective | 3 | |
| Credits | 15 | |
| Fourth Year | ||
| Fall | ||
| MAST 444 or WR 460 | ^WRITING FOR MARINE STUDIES or ^WRITING OF THE SEA | 4 |
| SUS 331 | +*SUSTAINABILITY, JUSTICE, AND ENGAGEMENT | 3 |
| Arts, Humanities, and Social Justice Course | 4 | |
| Policy and Social Sciences Course | 4 | |
| Credits | 15 | |
| Winter | ||
| Elective | 4 | |
| Core Ed: Seeking Solutions | 3-4 | |
| Elective | 4 | |
| Elective | 4 | |
| Credits | 16 | |
| Spring | ||
| Arts, Humanities, and Social Justice Course | 4 | |
| Core Ed: Writing Elevation | 3-4 | |
| Elective | 4 | |
| Elective | 3 | |
| Credits | 15 | |
| Total Credits | 180 | |
- *
Baccalaureate Core course. Applies to general education requirements for undergraduate students in a catalog year up to 2024-2025
- +
Core Education course. Applies to general education requirements for undergraduate students in catalog year 2025-2026 and beyond
- ^
Writing Intensive Curriculum (WIC) course