Marine Science

College of Science and Engineering
Dean: James C. Kelley

Department of Biology
HH 534
415-338-1548
Chair: John Hafernik

Graduate Coordinator: Thomas Niesen

Program

M.S. in Marine Science

Program Scope

This degree program, offered by the Department of Biology in cooperation with Moss Landing Marine Laboratories (MLML), provides the opportunity for students to acquire a practical and theoretical education in the marine sciences to prepare them for careers as marine specialists, scientists, and teachers. The program at MLML provides extensive field and laboratory work for advanced study in the marine sciences, which cannot be duplicated on individual California State University consortium campuses.

MASTER OF SCIENCE IN MARINE SCIENCE

Admission to the Program

The Master of Science in Marine Science is administered through MLML and the Department of Biology at San Francisco State University. For application forms, please contact the Chair, Department of Biology, at San Francisco State University or the Moss Landing Marine Laboratories, P.O. Box 450, Moss Landing, California 95039. The prospective student will be considered for admission to conditionally classified graduate status on this campus by the normal admission procedures. Final determination of admission is made by MLML. See General Admission Requirements section.

Fully Classified Status in the Program

A conditionally classified student may become fully classified in the marine science program as set forth in the following steps:

Obtain an adviser both at MLML and at the Department of Biology at SFSU. Each new student in the master's program at MLML will be assigned an adviser who may or may not be the final thesis adviser.
Make up any course work deficiencies in either the Department of Biology at SFSU and/or MLML. MSCI 304 (MS 104), Quantitative Marine Science, and three of the following five courses are prerequisites for fully classified graduate standing: MSCI 303 (MS 103), Marine Ecology; MSCI 341 (MS 141), Geological Oceanography; MSCI 342 (MS 142), Physical Oceanography; MSCI 343 (MS 143), Chemical Oceanography; and MSCI 344 (MS 144), Biological Oceanography. These courses may be waived by the graduate committee upon certification that equivalent courses have been satisfactorily completed. MSCI 304 (MS 104) cannot be counted towards the 30-unit degree requirement. Moss Landing Marine Laboratories catalog numbers are listed in parentheses following SFSU catalog numbers.
Students must either pass a written qualifying examination or pass the courses required above with a grade of "B" or better. Students substituting equivalent courses taken elsewhere must petition to have the courses accepted or take an examination regardless of the grade(s) received in these equivalent courses. The examination, designed by the faculty of MLML, will normally be taken at the end of the student's first academic semester. The exam may be repeated once and must be passed before the student may be classified.

Advancement to Candidacy

In order to be advanced to candidacy the student must have:

Attained full classified standing.
Selected a thesis problem and a thesis advisory committee. The thesis committee will be composed of at least three members, including one faculty member from MLML (who is ordinarily the thesis adviser) and one faculty member from the Department of Biology at SFSU. The other member(s) of the thesis committee may be from MLML, SFSU, or elsewhere, with the approval of the thesis adviser and the Department of Biology, SFSU.
Filed a Graduate Approved Program after completing approximately half of the program course requirements, and have it approved by the major adviser, graduate coordinator, and the Dean of the Graduate Division.

San Francisco State University students at Moss Landing Marine Laboratories must continue to follow university enrollment regulations and use San Francisco State University Marine Science course numbers.

Program

A student becomes eligible for the master's degree in Marine Science after the following requirements have been satisfied:

1. The student has been advanced to candidacy.
2. The student has satisfied MLML's requirements for the degree.
3. The student has completed the following curriculum requirements: a. A minimum total of fifteen required units of 700 and 800 level courses (a minimum of 30 total units), including two units of MSCI 885, MSCI 886, or MSCI 887, and four units of MSCI 898. b. A total of not more than fifteen units of upper division courses as approved by the thesis committee.
4. The student must have submitted a thesis approved by the thesis advisory committee. The thesis must conform to the regulations set forth by the Graduate Division, SFSU.
5. The student must successfully give an oral thesis defense in the form of a seminar open to the general public. The thesis advisory committee must be present, may require further oral questioning after the seminar, and will evaluate the success of the presentation.

Courses Acceptable

Elective courses that may be used to satisfy requirements are listed below. Other electives including courses from SFSU may be included in consultation with the thesis advisory committee. The combination of required units (seminar and thesis) and elective units must total at least 30 units.

SFSU #	MLML #

Upper Division

MSCI 305	MS 105

MSCI 312	MS 112

MSCI 313	MS 113

MSCI 324	MS 124

MSCI 325	MS 125

MSCI 331	MS 131

MSCI 361	MS 161

MSCI 373	MS 173

MSCI 374	MS 174

MSCI 375	MS 175

MSCI 377	MS 177

MSCI 702	MS 202

MSCI 704	MS 204

MSCI 711	MS 211

MSCI 712	MS 212

MSCI 722	MS 222

MSCI 731	MS 231

MSCI 733	MS 233

MSCI 734	MS 234

MSCI 744	MS 244

MSCI 745	MS 245

MSCI 751	MS 251

MSCI 761	MS 261

MSCI 771	MS 271

MSCI 772	MS 272

MSCI 774	MS 274

MSCI 780	MS 280

MSCI 885	MS 285

MSCI 886	MS 286

MSCI 887	MS 287

MSCI 897	MS 298

MSCI 898	MS 299