|
DEPARTMENT OF MARINE SCIENCES |
|
| |
| Chair: Robert L. Shipp |
| Professors: Heck, Kiene, Shipp, Valentine |
| Associate
Professors: Cebrian, Graham,
Park, Powers |
| Assistant
Professor: Carmichael |
| |
Department
of Marine Sciences web site
http://www.southalabama.edu/marinesciences |
| |
| MASTER
OF SCIENCE (M.S.) DEGREE |
| The
Master of Science (MS) Program in marine sciences
is designed to train and prepare superior students
for a career in this field. The marine sciences
program offers courses and opportunities for
research in four main areas: biological, chemical,
physical, and geological oceanography. Each
MS student receives formal training in at least
three of these disciplines while concentrating
in a specific research area. Thus, the program
is structured to develop the capacity for productive
and innovative research, founded on a solid
background of broad scientific knowledge. The
requirements and procedures that follow are
specifically for the Department of Marine Sciences.
However, the general rules and policies of the
Graduate School also apply. |
| |
| MINIMUM
REQUIREMENTS FOR ADMISSION |
| Application
before February 1 is encouraged; beginning February 15, the admission committee will make initial
recommendations about applicants for the following
Fall class, with formal letters sent to applicants
by the end of March. Although students are normally
admitted in the Fall Semester, depending on
availability of space and funding, applications
may be approved and students admitted throughout
the year. In addition to the general admissions
requirements of the Graduate School, minimal
requirements for admission in full standing
to the Marine Sciences MS Program are: |
| 1. |
A baccalaureate
degree in marine sciences or in a discipline
related to marine sciences (e.g., biology,
chemistry, geology, physics) from an accredited
four year college or university. |
| 2. |
An undergraduate
minimum grade-point average of 3.0 overall
(4.0 point system). |
| 3. |
A minimum
score of 1100 combined on the verbal and
quantitative subtests of the Graduate
Record Exam (GRE). |
|
| |
| The
applicant will be required to submit: |
| 1. |
A completed
application including a statement indicating
the student's interests and professional
goals. |
| 2. |
Official
transcripts from all undergraduate institutions
attended. |
| 3. |
Three
letters of recommendation. |
| 4. |
Official
scores from the Graduate Record Exam (General
Test). |
|
| Assessment
of credentials will be supplemented by evaluation
of letters of recommendation and the educational
background of the student. Foreign applicants
will be required to pass the TOEFL exam with
a score of 525 or greater, or
equivalent score on computer administered tests. |
| Provisional
admission may be granted upon recommendation
of the departmental admissions committee. Full
standing can be attained after conditional admission
by satisfactorily completing (with a grade of
no lower than "B") nine (9) semester
hours of course work in marine sciences at USA. |
| To
insure compatibility between the student's research
interests and the faculty expertise in the Marine
Sciences Department, particular attention will
be given to the statements of research interests.
A faculty member will be asked to act as a "mentor"
for the applicant based on the statement of
interest and, if necessary, a personal interview.
Through this process the student's interests
will be matched to the expertise available within
the faculty. Moreover, the mentor also may
be able to offer the student financial support
if a departmental stipend is not available.
Students whose interests do not correspond to
those of a faculty member and/or have not identified
a faculty willing to serve as a mentor, will
not be admitted into the MS degree program in
marine sciences. |
| Application
forms for admission to the program and for fellowships
(see below) are obtained by writing to: Chair,
Department of Marine Sciences, University of
South Alabama, Mobile, AL 36688-0002 or visit
the web site at http://www.southalabama.edu/marinesciences |
| |
| FELLOWSHIPS
AND ASSISTANTSHIPS |
| The
Department of Marine Sciences offers at-large
fellowships to MS students annually on a competitive
basis. In addition, there are a variable number
of research assistantships that are sponsored
by externally funded grants and contracts. The
current stipend for MS students is $15,600 per year plus a tuition fellowship and waiver
of out-of-state fees. Prospective
students must submit applications by February
1 to receive consideration for at-large fellowships. Information about assistantships is available
from the Office of the Dean of the Graduate
School, Mobile Townhouse 222, University of
South Alabama, Mobile, AL 36688-0002. |
| |
| DEGREE
REQUIREMENTS |
| The
Master of Science degree in Marine Sciences
is awarded in recognition of the student's demonstrated
ability to successfully complete a prescribed
program of courses. It also is strongly preferred that students undertake original scholarly research,
which culminates in writing and defending an
acceptable thesis. |
| |
| GENERAL |
| Required
Credit |
| A
minimum of thirty-two (32) semester hours of
course credit beyond the baccalaureate degree
is required for students pursuing an MS degree.
Details about the curriculum are given as follows. |
| |
| Transfer
Credit |
| A
maximum of eight (8) semester hours of graduate
courses taken at another accredited university
in the same (or closely related) subject as
that of the masters program may be considered
as part of the MS degree requirements at USA.
Only grades of "A" or "B"
may be accepted as transfer credits. The student's
mentor (major professor), in consultation with
the Chair, and if necessary, the student's advisory
committee, will evaluate transfer credit; the
transfer credit is approved by the Dean of the
Graduate School only after completion of a minimum
of eight semester hours of graduate course work
in the MS program in marine sciences at USA. |
| |
| Residence,
Full-Time Study, and Continuous Registration |
| A
minimum of two consecutive semesters of full-time
study in residence is required. The residency
requirements may be met at USA or the Dauphin
Island Sea Lab. |
| Employment
other than University activities directly associated
with graduate study is not allowed during full-time
study, unless specifically approved by the Chair. |
| |
Time Limit |
| All
requirements for the MS degree must be completed
within five years from the date of matriculation.
A student who has not satisfactorily completed
a M.S. degree in a five-year period must apply
for a defined extension to complete the
degree. This request must be recommended by
a major professor, the Chair, the Director of
Graduate Studies, and approved by the Dean of
the Graduate School. If the student does not
complete the degree requirements in the defined
extension period, the Director of Graduate Studies
may recommend, and the Dean of the Graduate
School may take, whatever action is necessary
up to and including dismissal. |
| Failure
to complete the work within the periods specified
shall necessitate reevaluation of the student's
program, and may result in a recommendation
of dismissal by the Director of Graduate Studies
to the Graduate Dean. |
| |
| COURSE
REQUIREMENTS |
| A
field of specialization is required of all candidates
for the MS degree. In addition, all students
must have formal course work in at least three
(3) of the following general areas of marine
sciences; biological, chemical, geological,
and physical oceanography. This requirement
is normally met by completion of three of the
four (4) core courses (see below), representing
nine (9) credit hours. |
| |
| Core
Courses |
| The
four (4) core courses consist of three (3) semester
hours each for a total of 12 semester hours
in physical (MAS 601), chemical (MAS 602), geological
(MAS 603), and biological oceanography (MAS
604), or equivalent transfer hours. At least
two (2) semester hours of seminar (two, one
(1) semester hour enrollments) are required. |
| The
remaining course work will be determined by
the student's advisory committee, but must include
six (6) semester hours of marine sciences electives.
Although a thesis is not an absolute requirement,
this program is strongly oriented toward research,
and students will be expected to demonstrate
research capability, preferably through completion
of an acceptable thesis. For students pursuing
a thesis program, the MS degree program of study
may include up to nine (9) hours of thesis credit
toward the minimum requirements of thirty-two
(32) semester hours. |
| |
| Schematic
of Typical Program |
| Core
Courses (3 of 4) |
| MAS
601 |
3 |
MAS
602 |
3 |
| MAS
603 |
3 |
MAS
604 |
3 |
| Seminar
(two enrollments) 2 |
| |
| Marine
Sciences Electives (as determined by advisory
committee, but at least six |
| (6)
semester hours) |
6 |
| Directed
Studies |
6 (maximum) |
|
| Thesis |
9
(maximum) |
|
| Total
Hours 35 |
(32 minimum) |
|
| |
| COMPREHENSIVE
EXAMINATIONS |
| Grades of "B" or better in all core courses will satisfy the requirement of a comprehensive exam. |
| |
| NON-THESIS
PROGRAM |
| Students
pursuing the MS degree in Marine Sciences are
strongly encouraged to follow the thesis option.
However, a non-thesis curriculum is available
for students, upon agreement of the major professor
and advisory committee, who so elect. The student
will be required to complete the same degree
requirements as those for a student who chooses
the thesis option, with the following exceptions: |
| 1. |
A
thesis will not be required, consequently
MAS 599 (Thesis) may not be taken, and
the nine (9) semester hours normally associated
with it must be earned through formal
course work. |
| 2. |
Course
work must include all four core courses. |
| 3. |
The
student must take an oral comprehensive
exam, to be given by the advisory committee,
in addition to the written exam. |
| 4. |
The
student must complete MAS 594 (Directed
Studies) under the direction of the major
professor. The student must also have
an advisory committee whose members will
decide if the student's report relating
to the directed study is satisfactory.
The committee normally will consist of
the major professor and two others. The
student is required to present an open
seminar about the directed study during
the last semester of residency. |
|
| |
| DEFENSE
OF THESIS (when applicable) |
| The
final oral defense of the thesis is scheduled
after the thesis is completed except for such
revisions as may be necessary as a result of
the defense. The final oral defense will not
be given before all required course work has
been completed or is currently in progress. |
| |
| DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY (Ph.D.) PROGRAM |
| The
Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) Program in marine
sciences is designed to provide formal course
work and advanced research in marine sciences
that produces significant, original contributions
to knowledge. The Ph.D. degree is awarded to
students who have reached and formally demonstrated
a level of competence and accomplishment that
enables them to pursue careers as marine science
professionals. The Ph.D. degree confers eligibility
for many positions in academia, industry, and
government. |
| The
marine sciences program offers courses and opportunities
for research in four main areas: biological,
chemical, physical, and geological oceanography.
Each student receives formal training in each
of these disciplines while concentrating in
a specific research area. The requirements and
procedures that follow are specifically for
the Department of Marine Sciences. However,
the general rules and policies of the Graduate
School also apply. |
| |
| MINIMUM
REQUIREMENTS FOR ADMISSION |
| Students
are normally admitted in the Fall Semester.
Although applications for admission and fellowships
are accepted throughout the year, application
before February 1 is encouraged; beginning February 15 the admissions committee will make initial
recommendations about applicants for the following
Fall class, with formal letters sent to applicants
by the end of March. Depending on availability
of space and funding, applications may be approved
and students admitted throughout the year. In
addition to the general admissions requirements
of the Graduate School, requirements for admission
to the Marine Sciences Ph.D. program are: |
| 1. |
A narrative
statement indicating the student's research
interests, professional goals and commitment
to full-time study for completion of degree
requirements. |
| 2. |
Three
letters of recommendation. |
| 3. |
For
students with baccalaureate degrees: |
| A. |
Official
scores from the Graduate Record Examination
General Test with a minimum score of 1100
combined on the verbal and quantitative
subtests. |
| B. |
A
baccalaureate degree in a discipline related
to marine sciences (e.g., biology, chemistry,
geology, physics) from an accredited four-year
college or university. |
| C. |
An
undergraduate minimum grade-point average
of 3.0 overall (A=4). |
| 4. |
For
students with MS degrees: |
| A. |
An
MS degree in a discipline related to marine
sciences (e.g., biology, chemistry, geology,
physics) from an accredited college or
university. |
| B. |
A
graduate minimum grade-point average of
3.25 overall (A=4). |
| C. |
For
fellowship applicants, official GRE scores
are required. |
| 5. |
International
students must submit an official score
of at least 525 on the Test of English
as a Foreign Language (TOEFL), or
equivalent score on computer administered
tests. |
|
| To
insure research compatibility between the student
and the faculty in the marine sciences program,
attention will be given to the statement of
research interests. A faculty member will be
asked to act as a mentor for the applicant
based on the statement of interests and, if
necessary, a personal interview. Through this
process, the student's interests will be matched
to the expertise available within the faculty.
Moreover, the mentor may also be able to offer
the student financial support if a stipend is
not available. Students whose interests do not
correspond to those of a particular faculty
mentor, and have not identified a faculty member
willing to serve as a mentor, will not be admitted
into the Ph.D. degree program in marine sciences. |
| Application
forms for admission to the program and for fellowships
(see below) are obtained by writing to: Chair,
Department of Marine Sciences, University of
South Alabama, Mobile, AL 36688-0002. |
| |
| FELLOWSHIPS
AND ASSISTANTSHIPS |
| The
Department of Marine Sciences offers at-large
fellowships to Ph.D. students annually on a
competitive basis. In addition, there are a
variable number of doctoral assistantships that
are sponsored by externally funded grants and
contracts to faculty. The current stipend for
Ph.D. fellowships is $18,000 per year plus a tuition fellowship and waiver
of out-of-state fees. Prospective
students must submit applications by February 1 to receive consideration for at-large fellowships. Information about assistantships is available
from the Office of the Dean of the Graduate
School, Mobile Townhouse 222, University of
South Alabama, Mobile, AL 36688-0002. |
| |
| DEGREE
REQUIREMENTS |
| The
Doctor of Philosophy degree is awarded in recognition
of the student's demonstrated ability to conduct
original, scholarly research at the highest
levels without extensive supervision. The degree
is not granted upon completion of a stated amount
of course work, but rather after demonstration
by the student of a comprehensive knowledge
and research capability in a specialized field
of study. The student must demonstrate this
ability in writing and by defending a dissertation
based upon the results of an original investigation. |
| |
| GENERAL |
| Required
Credit |
| A
minimum of 60 semester hours of approved graduate
credit is required. Details about the curriculum
are given below. |
| |
| Transfer
Credit |
| Graduate
courses taken at another accredited university,
such as for students with MS degrees in the
same (or a closely related) subject as that
of the Ph.D. program, may be considered in the
Ph.D. plan of study up to a maximum of 32 semester
hours. Only grades of "A" or "B"
may be accepted as transfer credit. The student's
mentor, in consultation with the Chair, and
if necessary, the advisory committee, will evaluate
transfer credit; the transfer credit is approved
by the Dean of the Graduate School only after
completion of a minimum of eight semester hours
of graduate course work in the doctoral program
at USA. |
| |
| Residence,
Full-time Study, and Continuous Registration |
| A
minimum of two consecutive semesters of full-time
study in residence is required. The residency
requirement may be met at USA or the Dauphin
Island Sea Lab. |
| Employment other than University activities directly associated with graduate study is not allowed during full-time study, unless specifically approved by the Chair. |
| |
| Time
Limit |
| All
requirements for the Ph.D. degree must be completed
within eight years from the date of matriculation.
A student who has not satisfactorily completed
a dissertation in an eight-year period must
apply for a defined extension to complete
the degree. This request must be recommended
by the major professor, the Chair of the Department,
the Director of Graduate Studies, and approved
by the Dean of the Graduate School. |
| If
the student does not complete the degree requirements
in the defined extension period, the Director
of the Graduate Program may recommend and the
Dean of the Graduate School may take whatever
action is necessary up to and including dismissal. |
| The
comprehensive examination must be passed within
five years of the beginning of doctoral study,
or within four years if the student entered
with a master's degree in the same or a closely
related field. |
| Failure
to complete the work within the periods specified
shall necessitate reevaluation of the student's
program and may result in a recommendation for
dismissal by the Director of Graduate Studies
to the Graduate Dean. |
| |
| COURSE
REQUIREMENTS |
| Core
Courses |
| A
field of specialization is required of all candidates
for the Ph.D. degree. All students must have
formal course work in all of the core marine
science subdisciplines. This requirement is
normally met by completion of four (4) core
courses (see below) and seminar, representing
fourteen (14) credit hours. |
| The
four (4) core courses consist of three (3) semester
hours each for a total of 12 semester hours
in physical (MAS 601), chemical (MAS 602), geological
(MAS 603), and biological oceanography (MAS
604), or equivalent transfer courses. |
| |
| Other
Required Courses |
| At
least 46 semester hours in courses beyond the
baccalaureate degree are required in addition
to the core courses, at least half of which
must be taken in formal courses exclusive of
directed studies or directed research. No more than 18 hours of dual-listed courses (400- and 500- level listing for the same course) may be counted toward meeting the minimum hours required for a degree. Graduate students will only receive graduate credit for the 500 level version of dual-listed courses. |
| At
least 12 semester hours of dissertation course
credit is required. Not more than 15 hours in
this category can be counted toward the minimum
requirement of 60 semester hours. |
| At
least two (2) semester hours of seminar (two,
one (1) semester hour enrollments) are required. |
| |
| Schematic
of Typical Program |
| Core
Courses |
| MAS
601 |
3 |
MAS
602 |
3 |
| MAS
603 |
3 |
MAS 604 |
3 |
| Seminar
(two enrollments) |
2 |
| Total
14 Hours |
|
| |
Marine Science Electives |
at least 23 |
| Directed
Studies |
8 (maximum) |
| Dissertation
(1-5 per semester) |
15
(maximum) |
| |
at least
60 |
|
| |
| COMPREHENSIVE
EXAMINATIONS |
| Written
and oral examinations in marine sciences are
required of all students seeking the Ph.D. degree
in marine sciences. These examinations are given
after at least two full years but before five
full years of graduate study are completed.
The written comprehensive examination is taken
first and normally is more general in scope
than the oral comprehensive examination. The
examinations may be taken no more than twice. |
| |
| CANDIDACY |
| A
doctoral student is admitted to candidacy upon
passing both the written and oral comprehensive
examinations and after completing all formal
course work requirements. The doctoral candidate
is a student who has fulfilled all preliminary
requirements for the Ph.D. and has only completion
of the dissertation research as the remaining
requirement. |
| |
DEFENSE OF DISSERTATION |
| The
final oral defense of the dissertation is scheduled
after the dissertation is completed except for
such revisions as may be necessary as a result
of the defense. The final oral defense will
not be given earlier than one semester after
admission to candidacy and not before all required
course work has been completed or is currently
in progress. |
| |
| *See
departmental section of this Bulletin for complete course information in subdisciplines
of Marine Sciences (Biology, Chemistry, Geology). |
| |
|
| |
|
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