Marine Entrepreneurship

Degree

Bachelor of Science with a major in Marine Entrepreneurship
College of Business (COB)
Department of Business

Contact

John Austin, Ph.D.
Interim Dean, College of Business
jaustin8@une.edu

Mission

The SWAGÊÓƵ’s (SWAGÊÓƵ) B.S. with a major in Marine Entrepreneurship (MARE) is an interdisciplinary academic program designed to train the next generation of marine science and business students at SWAGÊÓƵ for careers in the marine economy, marine businesses, and in the leadership of marine organizations. Degree requirements include the completion of an internship and an applied marine business research project. 

Major Description

Our B.S. with a major in Marine Entrepreneurship (MARE) is a unique major — the only one of its kind in the nation — combining study in business and marine science. Whether you are interested in starting a marine business, leading a marine organization, or pursuing a career in marine environmental management, marine conservation, marine tourism, marine policy, fisheries, aquaculture, seafood (or a related field), our vast marine and coastal resources, experiential programs, marine business partnerships, and internship opportunities will help you reach your full potential.

The scenic shores of coastal Maine — including SWAGÊÓƵ’s one mile of coastline and an island just off our shores — provide an ideal environment for you to learn and explore. Your experiences are grounded in a curriculum that provides a sound base of knowledge in marine business and financial management, team-building skills, marine economics, and marine science. The internship and experiential research requirements ensure that you have the tools you need for a successful career.

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 during their first year.
  • Participate in required experiential learning opportunities and community programs.

Curricular Requirements

CAS Core RequirementsCredits
Total Credits42
Program Required CoursesCredits
BUAC 201 – Financial Accounting3
BUEC 204 – Microeconomics3
BUEC 390 – Environmental Economics3
BUFI 315 – Financial Concepts and Skills3
BUMG 120 – Innovation through Technology3
BUMG 200 – Management3
BUMG 301 – Organizational Behavior or BUMG 302 – Human Resource Mgmt or BUMG 307 – Operations Management3
BUMG 313 – Social Innov & Entre or BUMK 312 – Entrepreneurship/Small Business Management3
BUMG 325 – Legal Environment of Business3
BUMG 495A – Business Administration Internship or MAR 495 – Adv Marine Science Internship3
BUMG 498 – Strategic Management or MAR 410 – Marine Science Research3
BUMK 200 – Marketing3
MAR 105/105L – Eco/Evo of Marine Organisms w/LabCredits Fulfilled by Core Requirements
MAR 106/106L – Biology II of Marine Organisms w/Lab4
MAR 150/150L – Discovering the Ocean Environment w/Lab4
MAR 250/250L – Marine Biology w/Lab4
MAT 150 – Statistics for Life SciencesCredits Fulfilled by Core Requirements
Two (2) Biology/Marine Program Electives (see below)6–8
Two (2) courses at 200-level or above with the prefix MAR, MAF, GIS, BIO, OBI (formerly ORM), SLM (formerly SRM), PSC, or ENV6–8
Total Credits60–64
Open elective courses (as needed to reach 120 credits)Variable
Minimum Total Required Credits120

Elective Courses

Biology/Marine ElectivesCredits
BIO 221 – Principles of Aquaculture3
BIO 222/222L – Finfish/Shellfish Culture Techniques w/Lab4
MAF 210 – Introduction to U.S Ocean Governance3
MAF 310 – U.S. Ocean and Coastal Law3
MAR 316 – Science and Society3
MAR 331 – Biology of Fishes4

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

Academic and Technical Standards

  • MARE majors must earn a minimum of a 2.0 GPA (C) in all required business courses.
  • A minimum grade of C- must be achieved in all science and mathematics courses used toward graduation in any of the programs in the School of Marine and Environmental Programs.
  • Students have a maximum of seven (7) years to complete the graduation requirements.

Accreditation

All degree programs offered by the College of Business and School of Marine and Environmental Programs are accredited by The New England Commission of Higher Education.

Learning Outcomes

As a result of completing the B.S. with a major in Marine Entrepreneurship, graduates will be able to:

  • 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 policymakers and/or by creating and innovating in their field.

Honors Program

We offer qualified students the option of graduating with Honors. This includes significant research, scholarship or creative activity under the direction of a faculty member. Interested students should consult with their advisor.

Transfer Credit

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

Other 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.