Marine Biology Minor
This program is available at the following location:
- Corvallis
Administered by the Department of Integrative Biology under the School of Life Sciences.
The Marine Biology minor is designed to provide students with an introductory background in the biology of marine organisms and their habitats.
Minor Code: 031
Upon successful completion of the program, students will be able to:
- Explain the fundamental concepts of the marine biological sciences including marine organismal biology and marine ecology.
- Use basic research methodologies to formulate and evaluate hypotheses in marine biology and ecology.
- Apply knowledge of marine biological sciences and the process of science to help inform decision-making on socio-scientific issues related to marine biology and conservation.
Students with a Biology major cannot declare the Marine Biology minor but can complete the Marine Biology and Ecology option specific to that major. Students with an Environmental Sciences major and Aquatic Biology option cannot declare the Marine Biology minor. The Marine Conservation and Management minor cannot be declared in combination the Marine Biology minor. Minor courses may be shared with programs outside of the list above, but students must complete a minimum of 14 credits unique to the minor that do not fulfill requirements of other majors, minors, options or certificates.
The minor requires the BI 221Z, BI 222Z and BI 223Z or BI 204, BI 205 and BI 206 series and at least one term of chemistry for required coursework. Students should plan to complete the introductory BI 111 and BI 150 courses before taking other listed coursework.
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Core | ||
| BI 111 | INTRODUCTION TO MARINE LIFE IN THE SEA: MARINE HABITATS | 1 |
| BI 150 | INTRODUCTION TO MARINE BIOLOGY | 3 |
| BI 347 | OCEANS IN PERIL | 3 |
| BI 351 | MARINE ECOLOGY | 3 |
| OC 201 | +*OCEANOGRAPHY | 4 |
| OC 202 | +*INTRODUCTION TO BIOLOGICAL OCEANOGRAPHY | 4 |
| Z 361 & Z 362 | INVERTEBRATE BIOLOGY and INVERTEBRATE BIOLOGY LABORATORY | 5 |
| Electives | ||
| Humans and the Ocean | ||
| Select one course from the following: | 3 | |
| +OCEAN JUSTICE | ||
| +*FOOD FROM THE SEA | ||
| +OCEANS, COASTS, AND PEOPLE | ||
| Marine Organismal Biology | ||
| Select one course from the following: | 3-4 | |
| BIOLOGY AND CONSERVATION OF MARINE MAMMALS (taught at Hatfield Marine Science Center) | ||
| ICHTHYOLOGY (taught at Hatfield Marine Science Center) | ||
| SYSTEMATICS OF FISHES | ||
| ECOLOGY OF MARINE AND ESTUARINE BIRDS (taught at Hatfield Marine Science Center) | ||
| Total Credits | 29-30 | |
- *
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
Minor Code: 031