Do you want to explore science in an applied, hands-on way? Marine scientists apply scientific skills in the natural and physical sciences to protect ocean and coastal environments and solve modern, global problems. Our oceans account for more than 96 percent of the world’s water, and few of the world’s coastlines are beyond the influence of human pressures. The coastal environmental processes emphasis concentrates on environments and systems in the coastal zone, and the strong physical-biological connection that exists here; the marine environmental chemistry emphasis spotlights major themes in marine chemistry, geochemistry, the carbon cycle and contaminant fate and transport.

Major Requirements

Courses, fieldwork and research opportunities encourage students to think collaboratively and draw upon globally-recognized experts from a wide variety of disciplines as well as the resources of UC Davis' Coastal and Marine Sciences Institute and Bodega Marine Laboratory.

Coursework in mathematics, chemistry, physics, biology and earth sciences lays the foundation for core curriculum in marine science. The coastal environmental processes emphasis provides mastery through coursework highlighting the critical terrestrial-marine interface and fundamental physical processes in the coastal zone. The marine environmental chemistry emphasis includes advanced coursework in topics such as chemistry, environmental toxicology, civil and environmental engineering, hydrology or wildlife, fish and conservation biology. The major concludes with a capstone research course.