Degree Requirements

The Limnology and Marine Science Program offers M.S. and Ph.D. degrees as well as a Ph.D. minor in limnology and marine science.

Study plans are individually tailored for each student by a guidance and evaluation committee.

MS Requirements: Students must meet the Graduate School Requirements for the Master's Degree. Students must write and defend a master's thesis. Students thesis committees are composed of three faculty members including the major professor, another professor from the major field of interest, and a third from another discipline. At least two must be from the Limnology and Marine Science Program faculty, one from the biological sciences and one from the physical sciences. The committee guides the student in developing study plans, research, and career goals.

Ph.D. Requirements: All Ph.D. candidates are expected to obtain a broad background in aquatic sciences and depth in their research area. This broad background should include biology, chemistry, geology, and physics. Students must meet the Graduate School Requirements for the Doctoral Degree. The major, by the nature of the program, includes advanced courses in several subdisciplines in limnology and marine science. Students are required to pass a preliminary examination prior to writing the thesis. Students must complete a minor which may be used to obtain tools of research, focus in greater depth on a single discipline within limnology and marine science, or open additional areas related to the field, such as the social sciences. The Ph.D. thesis committee is composed of five faculty members including the major professor and at least two other faculty members from the Limnology and Marine Science Program.

Ph.D. Minor

Students working toward a Ph.D. degree with a major in another department may elect to minor in Limnology and Marine Science. A minor program of at least 12 credits, developed individually for each student, should strike a reasonable balance of physical and biological courses and include at least one semester of the Limnology and Marine Science Seminar. The proposed minor must be approved by the Limnology and Marine Science Graduate Program.