Marine Affairs

Degree

Bachelor of Arts with a major in Marine Affairs
College of Arts and Sciences (CAS)
School of Marine Programs

Contact

Charles Tilburg, Ph.D.
Academic Director, School of Marine and Environmental Programs
ctilburg@une.edu

 

Mission

The mission of the School of Marine and Environmental Programs at the SWAGÊÓƵ is to help our students gain an understanding of the natural world, develop critical thinking skills, and become scientifically literate. Together, we lay a foundation for lifelong learning and meaningful contributions to society and offer a baccalaureate education to students interested in all facets of the marine environment.

Our programs encompass a wide variety of disciplines that seek to understand the way the ocean functions, how it is related to earth systems science, and how humans interact with the environment. Students will learn theoretical underpinnings and applications of disciplines from biology to chemistry, geology, and physics. These disciplines are critical to life as we know it on the planet. Students will be able to apply these disciplines to solving real problems encountered in coastal and marine ecosystems and by the human communities that depend on them. 

Major Description

The Marine Affairs major is aimed at providing future student leaders a solid grounding in the vital fields of coastal and marine science, as well as resource use, marine governance systems, management, policy, ecosystems ecology, conservation, and sustainable development. This major is suitable for students who are concerned about the marine environment, and are interested in careers in the ecosystem and human health interactions, ocean management, political decision making, and marine sustainability science and policies. The program focuses on hands-on activities, internships, and research experiences in addition to classroom work.

The Marine Living Learning Community (MLC)

All entering first-year Marine Science, Marine Affairs, and Marine Entrepreneurship majors are invited to participate in a year-long living learning community focused on developing the skills needed to be a successful student, discovery of their majors and associated learning opportunities, and building relationships with peers, faculty, and professional staff.

The MLC integrates classroom learning, student success programming, experiential opportunities, as well as team-building and leadership development programs designed to assist Marine majors in their transitions from High School to College to Career.

Learning Community courses and events allows students an opportunity to expand their interests and grow personally, as well as professionally. A dedicated team comprised of faculty, professional staff, and peer leaders supports the MLC. This community of learning enriches classroom content and allows an opportunity to apply learning in context.

Students who participate in the MLC are expected to:

  • Live together in a Residence Hall Community designed by the Office of Housing and Resident/Commuter Life.
  • Take two (2) or more designated courses in common over the course of their first year.
  • Participate in required experiential learning opportunities and community programs.

Curricular Requirements

CAS Core Requirements*Credits
Total Credits42
Program Required CoursesCredits
BUEC 390 – Environmental Economics or BUEC 395 – Ecological Economics3
CHE 110/110L – General Chemistry I w/Lab or CHE 130/130L – Principles of Chemistry w/Lab4
GIS 161 – Fundamentals of Geographic Information Systems3
MAF 200 – Introduction to Marine Pollution3
MAF 210 – Introduction to U.S. Ocean Governance3
MAF 310 – Ocean and Coastal Law3
MAF 320 – Internship3–12
MAF 400 – Marine Affairs Capstone3
MAR 105/105L – Introduction to Ecology/Evolution of Marine Organisms w/LabCredits Fulfilled by Core Requirements
MAR 106/106L – Introduction to Cellular/Molecular of Marine Organisms w/Lab4
MAR 150/150L – Discovering the Ocean Environment w/Lab or MAR 270/270L – Oceanography w/Lab4
MAR 250/250L – Marine Biology w/Lab or MAR 350/350L – Marine Ecology w/Lab4
MAR 316 – Science in Society3
MAT 150 – Statistics for Life Sciences or MAT 170 – Applications of FunctionsCredits Fulfilled by Core Requirements
PSC 125 – Understanding Law or PSC 210 – Constitutional Law3
Total Credits43–52
Select One (1) Course from the List BelowCredits
CMM 210 – Understanding Media3
CMM 240 – Social Media: Theory and Practice3
CMM 305 – Public Relations in the Digital Age3
EDU 202 – Curriculum Theory and Design3
ENV 321 – Environmental Communications3
SPC 100 – Effective Public Speaking3
WRT 233 – Professional and Technical Writing3
WRT 317 – Proposal and Grant Writing3
Total Credits3
Select One (1) Course from the List BelowCredits
BUMG 301 – Organizational Behavior3
BUMG 303 – Management of Non-profit Organizations3
BUMG 311 – Business and Society Relations3
BUMK 200 – Marketing3
BUMK 310 – Advertising3
OBI 335 – Outdoor Recreation Planning and Policy (Formerly ORM 335)3
SOC 226 – Environmental Sociology3
Total Credits3
Open Elective Courses (as needed to reach 120 credits)Variable
Minimum Total Required Credits120

*Must take MAR 105/105L as Lab Science Course and MAT 150 or MAT 170 as Math Course

Graduation Requirements

A minimum grade of C- must be achieved in all science, mathematics, and Marine Affairs courses used toward graduation in any of the programs in the Department of Marine Science. A 2.00 cumulative average in sciences is a requirement for graduation in any of the programs in the School of Marine and Environmental Programs.

Program Completion Timeline

Students have a maximum of seven (7) years to complete the graduation requirements

Students in this major can participate in the pre-health graduate school preparation tracks.

Learning Outcomes

  • Students will demonstrate a strong content-knowledge foundation in their specific field of study (Marine Biology, Oceanography, Marine Entrepreneurship, or Marine Affairs).
  • Students will communicate effectively in both oral and written format to convey their scientific knowledge, interdisciplinary training, and findings to peers, professional audiences, decision-makers, and/or the public.
  • Students will demonstrate critical thinking and problem-solving skills in their specific field of study by designing, carrying out, and interpreting the results of their experiments, by evaluating the literature published by professionals, by making recommendations to policy makers and/or by creating and innovating in their field.

Minor

Minor Requirements

Program Required CoursesCredits
BIO 105/105L – Bio I: Ecology/Evolution w/Lab or MAR 105/105L – Ecology/Evolution of Marine Organisms w/Lab4
BIO 106/106L – Biology II: Cellular/Molecular w/Lab or MAR 106/106L – Cellular/Molecular of Marine Organisms w/Lab or BIO 104 – General Biology or any four (4)-credit Lab Science Course4
Total Credits8
Select Four (4) from the List BelowCredits
BUEC 390 – Environmental Economics3
BUMG 303 – Management of Non-profit Organizations3
ENV 321 – Environmental Communications3
MAF 200 – Introduction to Marine Pollution3
MAF 210 – Introduction to U.S. Ocean Governance3
MAF 300 – Climate Change, Oceans, and the Law3
MAF 310 – Ocean and Coastal Law3
MAR 316 – Science and Society3
Total Credits12
Minimum Total Required Credits20

*Can't double count with other requirements.

UMaine School of Law 3+3 Pathways Program

SWAGÊÓƵ Marine Affairs-UMaine 3+3 Law Pathway Program Information

The SWAGÊÓƵ’s Marine Affairs–UMaine 3+3 Law program is for students who wish to complete a B.A. and a J.D. degree in six (6) years rather than the typical seven (7). For more information see the Marine Affairs 3+3 page in this catalog.

Transfer Credit

Courses previously completed at another accredited college can be transferred to this degree program. Transferred courses must be reasonably close in scope and content to the marine sciences courses offered at SWAGÊÓƵ in order to count as exact equivalents. Otherwise, they will transfer as general electives. All Science/Math courses previously completed must be no older than five (5) years.

Other options and restrictions apply. See Undergraduate Admissions for more information.

Admissions

See Undergraduate Admissions for more information.

Financial Information

Tuition and Fees

Tuition and fees for subsequent years may vary. Other expenses include books and housing. For more information regarding tuition and fees, please consult the Financial Information section of this catalog.

Notice and Responsibilities Regarding this Catalog

This catalog outlines the academic programs, degree criteria, policies, and events of the SWAGÊÓƵ for the 2024–2025 academic year and serves as the official guide for academic and program requirements for students enrolling at the University during the Summer of 2024, Fall 2024, and Spring 2025 semesters.

The information provided is accurate as of its publication date on April 26, 2024.
The SWAGÊÓƵ reserves the right to modify its programs, calendar, or academic schedule as deemed necessary or beneficial. This includes alterations to course content, class rescheduling, cancellations, or any other academic adjustments. Changes will be communicated as promptly as possible.

While students may receive guidance from academic advisors or program directors, they remain responsible for fulfilling the requirements outlined in the catalog relevant to their enrollment year and for staying informed about any updates to policies, provisions, or requirements.