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  • New! Major in Coastal & Marine Sciences
  • Major Curriculum

    • Major in Marine Science

    The major curriculum is designed to provide students with an understanding of the processes and functions of coastal, estuarine, and marine environments. Core coursework will educate students in the natural sciences subfields of geology, biology, chemistry, and physics as they relate to the interdisciplinary field of coastal and marine sciences. Students will also explore the effects of marine systems processes on human populations, economies, and societies, and learn how natural and anthropogenic factors shape coastal ecosystems.

    Courses for the Coastal & Marine Sciences major will be held in-person at the main W&M Williamsburg campus, with the exception of the required immersion semester experience. All immersion semester courses will be taken in-person at the nearby W&M's Batten School & VIMS Gloucester Point campus. Opportunities to participate in elective field courses at the VIMS Eastern Shore Laboratory campus and on international study abroad programs are also available. 

    Anticipated Major Proficiency Courses - 16-18 credit hours 
    Natural Science Courses (10 credits)
    • BIOL 204 + Lab - Introduction to Organisms, Ecology and Evolution + Lab/Discussion (3 credits + 1 credit) COLL 200
    • CHEM 103 - General Chemistry (3 credits)
      • OR CHEM 205 - Advanced General Chemistry I (3 credits) COLL 200 Pre-req: AB/IB Chem Transfer Credit)
    • PHYS 101 (or PHYS 101H) - General Physics I (3 credits) MATH 111 (or MATH 131)
      • OR PHYS 107 - Physics for the Life Sciences (3 credits)
    Disciplinary Perspectives Course (3-4 credits)
    • ANTH 315 - Environmental Archaeology (3 credits)
    • BIOL 203 + Lab - Introduction to Molecules, Cells, Development + Lab/Discussion (3 credits + 1 credit) COLL 200
    • CHEM 206 - Organic Chemistry I (4 credits) Pre-req: CHEM 103 or CHEM 205
    • CONS 201 - Introduction to Integrative Conservation (3 credits) COLL 200
    • CONS 210 - Introduction to Conservation GIS (3 credits) 
    • CONS 370/SOCL 370 - Environmental Justice (3 credits) COLL 350
    • ECON 101 - Principles of Microeconomics (3 credits) 
    • ENSP 101 - Introduction to Environment and Sustainability (3 credits) COLL 200
    • GEOL 101 + GEOL 160 - The Dynamic Earth: Physical Geology + Investigating the Earth: Introductory Geology Lab (3 credits + 1 credit) COLL 200
    • GEOL 110 + GEOL 160 - Earth's Environmental Systems: Physical Geography + Investigating the Earth: Introductory Geology Lab (3 credits + 1 credit) COLL 200
    • GEOL 250 - Geologic Evolution of Virginia (4 credits)
    • GIS 201 - Introduction to Geographic Information Systems and Spatial Analysis (3 credits)
    • PHYS 102 - General Physics II (3 credits) Pre-req: PHYS 101 (or PHYS 101H) & MATH 112 (or MATH 132)
    • PHYS 102H - General Physics II Honors (3 credits) Pre-req: MATH 112
    • PHYS 108 - Physics for the Life Sciences II (3 credits) Pre-req: PHYS 107
    • PUBP 201 - Introduction to Public Policy (3 credits)
    Quantitative Skills Course (3-4 credits)
    • BUAD 231 - Business Statistics (3 credits)
    • CSCI 141 + Lab - Introduction to Programming (4 credits)
    • ECON 307 - Principles and Methods of Statistics (3 credits) Pre-req: ECON 101 & ECON 102
    • MATH 111 - Calculus 1 (4 credits)
    • MATH 131 - Calculus for Life Sciences (4 credits)
    Anticipated Major Curriculum - 36 credit hours 
    Major Common Core (24 credits)
    • MSCI 230 - Introduction to Marine Science (3 credits) COLL 200
    • MSCI 250 - People, Society and the Coast (3 credits) Pre-req: MSCI 230
    • MSCI 305 - Coastal and Marine Geology (3 credits) Pre-req: MSCI 230
    • MSCI 310 - Motion of the Ocean (3 credits)Pre-req: MSCI 230 & PHYS 101 (or PHYS 107)
    • MSCI 315 - Biological Oceanography (3 credits) Pre-req: MSCI 230 & BIOL 204+lab
    • MSCI 320 - Coastal and Marine Chemistry (3 credits) Pre-req: MSCI 230 & CHEM 103 (or CHEM 205)
    • MSCI 360 - Field and Research Methods in Marine Science (3 credits) Pre-req: MSCI 230; Co-req: MSCI 365
    • MSCI 365 - Quantitative Methods in Marine Science (3 credits) Pre-req: MSCI 230; Co-req: MSCI 360
    Major Electives (9 credits)

    (some of these courses are already live, others will be coming online over the coming years. Watch the Catalog for updates).

    • MSCI 201 - Marine Science Mash-up (1 credit)
    • MSCI 331 - Coastal Environments: Virginia Eastern Shore (3 credits) Pre-req: MSCI 230
    • MSCI 332 - Coastal Environments: North Wales (3 credits) COLL 300 Pre-req: MSCI 230
    • MSCI 333 - Coastal Environments: Topics (1-3 credits) Pre-req: variable
    • MSCI 340 - Marine Biology (3 credits) Pre-req: BIOL 204
    • MSCI 343 - Marine Fisheries Science (3 credits) Pre-req: MSCI 230 & BIOL 204
    • MSCI 390 - Research in Marine Science (1-3 credits) Pre-req: MSCI 230
    • MSCI 392 - Coastal and Marine Internship (1-3 credits)
    • MSCI 398 - Marine Science Seminars (1 credit)
    • MSCI 399 - Marine Science Seminars (1 credit) Pre-req: MSCI 230
    • MSCI 404 - Microbial Processes in a Changing Coastal Environment (2 credits) Pre-req: MSCI 230 (or BIOL 203) & BIOL 204
    • Coming Spring 2026!: MSCI 4xx - Marine Pollution (3 credits) Pre-req or Co-req: MSCI 230
    • ANTH 350 - Special Topics in Anthropology: Voices in Conservation (3 credits)
    • BIOL 317/GEOL 325 - Paleontology (3 credits) Pre-req BIOL 204 or GEOL 160 or GEOL 250
    • BIOL 404 - Special Topics in Biology: Parasitology (3 credits) Pre-req: varies
    • BIOL 427 - Wetlands Ecosystems (3 credits) Pre-req: BIOL 204
    • BIOL 457 - Marine Invertebrate Biology (3 credits) Pre-req: BIOL 302
    • BIOL 460 - Advanced Seminar in Biology: Marine Ecology (3 credits) COLL 400 Pre-req: varies
    • BIOL 461 - Marine Ecology and Conservation (3 credits) COLL 400 Pre-req: BIOL 204 & BIOL 302
    • ECON 322 - Environmental and Natural Resource Economics (3 credits) COLL 200 Pre-req: ECON 101
    • GEOL 310 - Regional Field Geology: Coastal Environment Bahamas (1-3 credits) COLL 300 Pre-req: GEOL 101 (or GEOL 110) & GEOL 160
    • GEOL 324 - Paleoclimatology and Paleoceanorgaphy (3 credits) Pre-req: GEOL 160 & GEOL 101 (or GEOL 110 or GEOL 150)
    • GIS 420 - Advanced GIS Analysis and Programming (3 credits) Pre-req: GIS 201
    Major Capstone Course (3 credits)
    • MSCI 460 - Senior Seminar (3 credits) COLL 400 Pre-req: MSCI 230 & MSCI 250
    • MSCI 491 - Advanced Research in Marine Science (3 credits) COLL 400 Pre-req: MSCI 230 & MSCI 250
    • MSCI 495/496 - Honors (3 credits/3 credits) COLL 400 Application Required 
    Anticipated Additional (Future) Offerings 
    General Electives
    • MSCI 100 - Critical Questions in Marine Science (3 credits) COLL 100
    • MSCI 415 - Current Research in Marine Science (1 credit, pass/fail) Pre-req: MSCI 230
    • MSCI 420 - Marine Environmental Chemistry (3 credits) Pre-req: BIOL 204 & CHEM 103 (or CHEM 205)
    • MSCI 429 - Fish Physiology (3 credits) Pre-req: MSCI 315
    • MSCI 455 - Marine Resource Economics (3 credits) Pre-req: MSCI 230
    • MSCI 4xx - Disease Ecology (3 credits) Pre-req: BIOL 204 & CHEM 103 (or CHEM 205)
    • MSCI 4xx - Indigenous Wayfinding (3 credits) Pre-req: MSCI 230
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