W&M’s new major in coastal and marine sciences a first for Virginia
State agency approves major and clears way for public undergraduate coastal and marine sciences degree program to launch this fall
Virginians will soon have their first in-state, public option to pursue an undergraduate degree in coastal and marine sciences.
The State Council of Higher Education for Virginia (SCHEV) gave formal approval Thursday of William & Mary’s new bachelor’s program, set to launch this fall. The program will leverage opportunities and expertise available through William & Mary’s Batten School & VIMS while providing students the flexibility to explore a multitude of evolving career paths.
“I’d like to thank SCHEV for recognizing the need for this program — Virginia will be strengthened by preparing future generations to tackle some of the biggest challenges of our time,” said Derek Aday, dean of the Batten School of Coastal & Marine Sciences and director of VIMS.
“Backed by record-breaking philanthropic support, situated on one of the most important estuaries in the U.S., and home to many of the world’s leading experts in coastal and marine sciences, the Batten School offers unrivaled formal educational opportunities to students, and we will be further strengthened by the new perspectives, energy and enthusiasm brought by an increased undergraduate presence.”
W&M’s Batten School, colocated with the Virginia Institute of Marine Science, ranks among the top coastal and marine science institutions in the U.S. and currently offers two research degrees (Ph.D. and M.S.), a professional master’s degree (M.A.) and an undergraduate minor administered in collaboration with W&M’s Arts & Sciences. The undergraduate major will provide a foundational education in coastal and marine sciences with an emphasis on experiential learning and research.
In July 2024, William & Mary received a record $100 million gift from philanthropist Jane Batten, HON ’17, L.H.D. ’19, naming the school and establishing an endowment designed to sustain and grow its academic and research endeavors. The gift was the largest in the university’s history and the largest ever given to a school dedicated to coastal and marine sciences. Thanks to Batten’s support, undergraduates will benefit from numerous campus improvements, the hiring of new faculty members and $5,000 for each student to use for independent research or an internship experience.
The news comes as William & Mary announces 2025 as the Year of the Environment, recognizing its estuarine campus and renewing commitments to healthy ecosystems and the communities that rely on them.
“William & Mary undergraduate students benefit from the incredible momentum that is uniting the Batten School & VIMS, the undergraduate college and the Year of the Environment,” said Provost Peggy Agouris. “This new degree reflects a broader vision for the school – one that fosters powerful connections, interdisciplinary collaboration, and real-world impact. By equipping our students with the tools and knowledge to tackle pressing global challenges, we are preparing them for meaningful careers that have deep impact all around the world. I am thrilled to see this vision reinforced with the launch of this new degree path.”
Associate Professor Christopher Hein, director of undergraduate programs at the Batten School & VIMS, emphasized that the new degree program is designed to offer an inclusive experience for the most passionate students.
“The program is designed for students who truly want to ‘get into the weeds’ and explore all of the ways in which marine and coastal sciences impact everything from sea level rise and biodiversity to the management of natural resources and industries that are critical to economies and peoples’ way of life,” he said. “This will attract applicants with diverse backgrounds and interests, so we’ve made sure that the program is inclusive and flexible enough to cultivate the educational experiences that best match students’ future goals.”
The new degree will mark another milestone: the first undergraduate courses to be taught at the Batten School & VIMS campus in Gloucester Point, including an immersion semester where all of a student’s coursework is completed at the Batten School.
Creating personalized paths rooted in fundamentals
Professor Deborah Steinberg joined VIMS in 2001. Starting this fall, she’ll be teaching her renowned graduate Biological Oceanography course as a 300-level class for undergraduates on W&M’s main campus in Williamsburg.
“I’ve worked with undergraduate students since I first joined William & Mary. I have taken a number of them on research cruises in the Antarctic, and many have made important contributions to ongoing research at VIMS,” said Steinberg. “I’m excited for the opportunity to be more engaged with them. Not only do I benefit from their enthusiasm and passion, but it allows me to serve as a conduit to connect them with colleagues’ labs and ongoing research projects related to their interests.”
W&M sophomore Cedrick Dimaranan took Steinberg’s biological oceanography course last semester when, along with other undergraduates taking the course as an elective, he had to join her class remotely from the Williamsburg campus. He hopes to pursue a career in medicine and public health, with plans to major in biology and minor in marine science.
“For better or worse, the oceans and our changing climate will be a major factor influencing society in the future. Even though I don’t plan on pursuing a career in marine science, I recognize the value in having an interdisciplinary background as a physician working in public health,” said Dimaranan, who became aware of all W&M had to offer in marine science after taking the course Introduction to Marine Science. “In high school, I became interested in health care pollution, specifically how antibiotics in our waterways contribute to antibiotic resistance. Now, I’ve been able to take that interest full circle by engaging in a research project studying whether antibiotic resistant genes are present in Vibrio bacteria in the Chesapeake Bay.”
Dimaranan’s experience is emblematic of the personalized nature of W&M academics and the ethos that administrators and faculty like Associate Dean for Academic Affairs at the Batten School & VIMS Siddhartha Mitra, Ph.D. ‘97 and Hein are attempting to instill in the new degree. They hope to not only prepare graduates in the fundamental topics related to coastal and marine sciences but also show how it is all connected to the wider world in which we live.
This connection is emphasized in one of the courses required for the major, People, Society and Coasts. The course centers on understanding human-nature relationships in coastal environments and will be taught by Assistant Professor Adriane Michaelis, who has a unique background combining anthropology and marine science.
“There is an increasing emphasis on interdisciplinary research incorporating social sciences. Maybe they’re interested in subjects like fisheries or coastal geology, but I’m excited to have the opportunity to mentor and engage students early on in thinking about the ways in which humans are connected,” said Michaelis.
The countdown to launch
Following SCHEV’s approval, excitement is building among faculty and students. An application process will be announced later this spring, with expectations of accepting an initial cohort of approximately 10 students.
“We anticipate that this will be a very competitive program. We intend to start small and slowly increase the class size in the coming years by balancing student demand and the Batten School’s hands-on approach to teaching,” said Mitra.
“What makes me most excited is the greater accessibility and opportunity that will come with the major,” said Dimaranan, who realizes that the Minor in Marine Science program will also benefit from added resources and courses geared toward undergraduates. “With the addition of transportation between campuses, we can build an undergraduate community with greater access to all that the Batten School & VIMS has to offer.”
The Batten School & VIMS have a long history of providing research, education and advisory services to benefit the commonwealth. Soon, they will provide a new path for students who want to engage in the science that will shape the future of Virginia and beyond.
Visit vims.edu/academics for future updates and to learn more.