Marine Science, BA

Introduction

Stockton University is located adjacent to the Jacques Cousteau National Estuarine Research Reserve (Mullica River-Great Bay estuary) and is one of only a few undergraduate institutions in the U.S. that offers a degree program in Marine Science alongside a dedicated marine field facility. With direct access to the Stockton Marine Field Station only 15 minutes away, the program is well situated to provide superior field, teaching, and undergraduate research opportunities that form the backbone of the curriculum. Stockton’s Marine Science (MARS) program encompasses two general areas of study: Marine Biology and Oceanography.

Within each of these broad areas of study are several focus areas that students may choose from, as a function of their selected electives. Examples include estuarine/marine ecology, resource management, taxonomy of marine species, physical oceanography, marine geology, ocean chemistry, and marine technology/hydrography. Several field courses, laboratory courses, seminars, independent studies and research team opportunities are offered, with a strong emphasis on hands-on learning in the field. The program is interdisciplinary and includes course requirements in several areas of science. Upper-level students have the opportunity to design and implement their own independent study projects and are strongly encouraged to present results at internal research symposia and regional science conferences. 

Marine Science Program

All students in the Marine Science program must complete the core requirements. Students must also complete the Marine Biology or Oceanography concentration requirements. Then, in consultation with their preceptor, students select appropriate elective (cognate) courses to round out their degree. These electives help to shape the student’s experiences and tailor them toward more specific areas of study related to future career paths. Students have significant latitude to develop their own program of study within their concentration, and the listed required courses are the minimum requirements. The electives and the course sequence for each student should be determined with the assistance of individual preceptors. Elective cognate courses can be chosen from offerings in Marine Science, Biology, Chemistry, Environmental Science, Geology, Mathematics, Applied Physics, and Sustainability. Students in other programs may earn a minor in Marine Science. 

K-12 Biology Certification through School of Education

The Stockton University School of Education offers an initial teacher certification on the undergraduate program level as either a concentration within a first four-year degree or as a post-baccalaureate (second BA) earned after the first content major is completed. The Marine Science Program’s BA curriculum (Marine Biology concentration) offers an option for students seeking K-12 Biology certification. Please consult the School of Education for the appropriate curriculum worksheet. Students opting to pursue a BA in Marine Science (Marine Biology) with a K-12 certification should seek out preceptors in both the Marine Science program and School of Education. 

Admission to the Program

The program is open to any student admitted to Stockton University, School of Natural Sciences and Mathematics. High school coursework in the sciences and mathematics is recommended.

Students transferring to Stockton in the junior year (64 credits) should consult with a program preceptor as soon as possible to determine whether credits beyond the 128-credit minimum are necessary to earn a B.S. degree. This is less likely if prospective transfers have taken college biology, chemistry, and math courses. 

All interested students are welcome. Before students can begin most science courses as a Marine Science major, students must demonstrate math readiness in ONE of the following ways: 

• SAT Math score of 570 or above

• ACT Math score of 24 and above

• Transfer of college-level algebra course (or college-level Precalculus/Calculus)

• Advanced Algebra and Function (AAF) Accuplacer test score of 260 or higher 

• Advanced Placement (AP) testing (refer to the AP credits policy)

• Successfully complete a sequence of math courses to become eligible to take Precalculus (MATH 1100)
  
  Stockton University stands ready to assist students without this math preparation to develop a strong math foundation with our introductory and intermediate courses in Mathematics. These math courses are in addition to the courses required to complete a degree in Marine Science and may require additional time for a student to complete their degree. A student with math preparatory needs may have to take math courses during summer to expedite progress toward the degree.

Graduation Requirements

The minimum requirement for the Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) in Marine Science is 64 credits of program and cognate courses. The Bachelor of Science (B.S.) degree requires a minimum of 80 credits in program and cognate courses. These program credits, in combination with the University’s General Studies requirements and At-Some-Distance (ASD) courses, constitute the minimum of 128 credits necessary for a Stockton degree. Stockton University’s General Studies course requirements include the G-course distribution (32 credits), W, Q and R course requirements and AHVI attributes. For details on General Studies requirements, visit the relevant section in this Bulletin. The ASD course requirement for the B.A. degree is 32 credits and for the B.S. degree is 16 credits. These courses are not directly related to the program and would include G-courses or courses from other programs. W, Q, R and AHVI requirements could be met via G-course requirements, program course requirements, or ASD course requirements. Courses should be chosen carefully with frequent guidance from the student’s preceptor, to meet graduation requirements and each student’s career goals. It is the student’s responsibility to ensure that all graduation requirements are met in a timely manner. 

In order to be able to graduate, a student must meet all University graduation requirements, including a minimum overall Grade Point Average (GPA) of 2.0. University requirements for graduation can also be found in the relevant section of this Bulletin. Special graduation requirements apply to transfer students as detailed in the relevant pages of this Bulletin. All Natural Sciences and Mathematics (NAMS) majors are required to meet a minimum overall GPA of 2.0 in all NAMS courses. In addition, a student must satisfy the Marine Science program course distribution requirements and have a minimum GPA of 2.0 in program and cognate courses. 

Students are expected to meet prerequisites specified for each required course in the course catalog. Students with deficiencies in incoming preparation may need to take additional courses as prerequisites, which may or may not count toward the degree requirements. A transfer student who wishes to major in Marine Science should contact the Program Chair prior to registering for courses at Stockton. Important note: some transfer students may require an extra year to fulfill degree requirements, particularly if they lack a science background. Also, continuously maintaining good standing as a student, including academic achievements and code of conduct as per University requirements is imperative to the success of a student in any major. 

Graduation with Distinction

A Bachelor of Science degree with distinction in Marine Science will be awarded to students who meet University criteria, who maintain at least a 3.50 grade point average, whose coursework is of outstanding quality and complete an outstanding senior project, as determined by program faculty. A Program Distinction project can fall under one of these three categories:

1. A research project developed and completed with a Stockton faculty member.

2. A research project done outside of Stockton, such as during a summer research program (REU).

3. Any other type of project approved by the MARS faculty (not necessarily research, but specific to Marine Science, such as a science communication project).

While all students are encouraged to engage in research and other types of projects, Program Distinction projects have special requirements:

• Approval for the distinction project must be sought from a MARS faculty advisor. 

• A short, written proposal must be submitted to the MARS faculty for final approval before starting (Options 1 and 3), or as soon as possible after deciding to use an Option 2 project.

• The Program Distinction candidate must submit a written final report and give an oral or poster presentation. 

• The project itself, the final report, and the presentation must be completed before the end of the student’s final semester.  It is recommended that students begin the project proposal by the end of the academic year prior to graduation to allow sufficient time for completion of the project.

These projects cannot be completed in conjunction with other course requirements or credit, unless significant additions are made to methodology/results. Program Distinction is not required for graduation and is only available to students with a GPA of 3.50 or greater since reaching junior status through graduation. Detailed Program Distinction requirements are available on the Marine Science website. 

Special Opportunities

Marine Science students benefit from the close proximity of the Stockton University Marine Field Station and Coastal Research Center in Port Republic, NJ. Located just 15 minutes away from the Galloway campus on an eight-acre waterfront site. The Stockton University Marine Field Station makes available the facilities, research vessels, sampling equipment, and staff to provide Stockton students with hands-on learning experiences in a marine environment second to none. The Field Station offers several teaching and research laboratories and offices, research vessels, various marine sampling equipment, state-of-the-art water sampling equipment, and numerous marine technology instruments, including a remotely operated vehicle (ROV) multibeam sonar, side scan sonar, magnetometer, mobile LiDAR, and Acoustic Doppler Current Profilers. Undergraduate students engaged in Marine Science and Marine Science-related courses (biology, environmental science, geology) access the facility regularly throughout their academic career. The Port Republic site is also home to the Coastal Research Center, a contract and grant-funded institute focused on research and monitoring of New Jersey’s coastal zone issues ranging from shoreline erosion, storm damage to beaches, nuisance flooding, and restoration of bay islands. Undergraduate students engaged in Marine Science and Marine Science-related courses (biology environmental science, geology) access the facility regularly throughout their academic career. In addition to experiential learning, the Marine Field Station and the Coastal Research Center provide part-time work and volunteer opportunities for MARS students, as do numerous local agencies.

All students are encouraged to further utilize the facility for independent study projects and to become part of the numerous faculty and staff-led research teams. There are many opportunities to carry out Marine Science research at the undergraduate level at Stockton as well as at State and Federal agencies and institutions nearby. Students may propose their own field, laboratory, or library research projects to prospective faculty sponsors, and/or work on suitable internships. Student interns have been placed locally in field/laboratory positions, including at the Adventure Aquarium, Atlantic City Aquarium, Rutgers University Field Stations (Tuckerton, Port Norris, Cape May), Jacques Cousteau National Estuarine Research Reserve, New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection, Brigantine Marine Mammal Stranding Center, at area shellfish hatcheries, and hydrographic survey companies.

Institutional memberships in professional organizations provide students with additional learning and networking opportunities. Stockton is a member of the New Jersey Sea Grant Consortium (NJSGC) and has access to Consortium marine stations. Stockton students can take, with the approval of the MARS program, summer courses at the NJSGC facilities at Sandy Hook, NJ. The university is an approved provider of the Marine Technology Society Microcredential Program and offers foundational microcredentials in Remotely Operated Vehicles, Sonar Technology, and Deck Operations.

Career Opportunities

Graduates of the Marine Science program seek employment directly with their B.A. or B.S. degrees or go on to graduate school to work for M.S. or Ph.D. degrees. All Marine Science students are required to take a 1-credit seminar course that prepares them for successful careers after graduation. Regardless of area of interest, undergraduate students who seek additional hands-on experiences outside of the classroom tend to flourish at the next level.

There are many employment opportunities in this field, both in the private and public sectors. Students concentrating in Oceanography, and those taking additional electives in marine geology, marine technology, software such as Geographic Information Systems, and underwater surveying, should do well in an increasingly quantitative field.

Stockton graduates in Marine Science have been very successful in obtaining entry-level positions in their field with local, state, and federal agencies. Such positions have involved laboratory work, fieldwork on marine habitats, data analysis, K-12 and public education, and law enforcement. Some have gone on to consulting jobs with private firms, while others have entered postgraduate study at major universities. 

Full degree curriculum and transfer audits for the marine science program can be explored using the Degree Works web based tool. Full details about the curriculum are accessible on the Marine Science website.