Overview

Undergraduate Student Guidelines: Download as a .pdf file or a .doc file

MSCI Program Requirements

A total of 128 credits are required for graduation. In addition to the College general education requirements, the Marine Science Program has a set of program requirements that are not major credit hours and must be passed with a grade of C or better. These are:

• MSCI 101 & 102, with labs
• CHEM 111 & 112, with labs
• PHYS 201 & 202, with labs, or PHYS 211 & 212, with labs. Note: PHYS 212 can count to fulfill the program requirement and as amajor course credit
• CSCE 102 or higher (MSCI 305 w/ permission; does not count for major credit)
• MATH 141 & 142
• STAT 515

With certain limitations, students are eligible to graduate from the University of South Carolina under the requirements of any (one) University Bulletin in force during their undergraduate years. Students must remember that all requirements for graduation must be fulfulled from a single year's bulletin. Because of possible curricular changes, students are advised to obtain, read, and keep the appropirate annual USC Bulletins for Undergraduate Studies, as well as the various revisions of the Curriculum Guidelines issued by the Marine Science Program.

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Major Program of Study

All Marine Science undergraduate students, in consultation with their advisors, plan individualized major programs of study according to their special interests in marine science. The major program of study consists of 36 hours of interdisciplinary, major credit courses, which must include MSCI 311, 312, 460* and 505. A maximum of 10 semester hours of a combination of independent study (e.g., MSCI 399, SCCC 499, BIOL 399), seminar (e.g., SCCC 390-398, BIOL 599, 645) and undergraduate research (e.g., MSCI 496, 497, 498, 499) cources may count in the 36 hours of major credit required for the Marine Science major. Senior Seminar (MSCI 505) is included in these 10 hours. All courses for major credit must be passed with a grade of C or better. STAT 515 does not count towards major credit.

* Maymester only. Students unable to participate in MSCI 460 as part of their core requirements may opt to waive that course, with approval from their undergraduate Advisor and the Director of Undergraduate Studies by one of the three methods listed below.
--Participation in a Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU), Internship Program, or other field oriented course,
--Oceanographic research cruise exceeding 1 week, such as that associated with a faculty memnber, and, or, a DNR or NOAA monitoring cruise,
--Field experience exceeding 1 week, such as that assoicated with field work at Baruch, Pritchards Island, etc., supervised by a Faculty member or with approval by the Undergraduate Director.

The credit hours lost by not taking MSCI 460 must be replaced by an additional 4 major credit hours to obtain the 36 major credit hours needed for graduation.
Please read the appropriate section in the Undergraduate Guidelines (.doc)(.pdf) for more details.

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Areas of Emphasis

An Area of Emphasis can be specified directly on the student's transcript after graduation. To earn the certification, students must take the courses listed below, as well as an additional course that is decided by the student in consultation with their Faculty Advisor. These courses may also be included in the 36 major credit hours required for graduation.

Marine Biology/Biological Oceanography
--Ecology and Evolution (BIOL 301, 3 cr)
--Cell and Molecular Biology (BIOL 302, 3 cr)
--Fundamental Genetics (BIOL 303, 3 cr)
--either BIOL 301L or BIOL 302L (each 1 cr)
--1 more course at the 400+ level

Chemical Oceanography
--Quantitative Analysis w/ associated lab (CHEM 321 & 321L, 4 cr total)
--Organic Chemistry I & II (CHEM 333 & 334, 6 cr total)

Physical Oceanography
--Essentials of Physics II, w/ associated lab (PHYS 212 & 212L, 4 cr)
--Vector Calculus (MATH 241, 3 cr)
--either Coastal Processes (MSCI 557, 3 cr), Air-Sea Interactions (MSCI 579, 3 cr), Estuarine Oceanography (MSCI 581, 3 cr), or Marine Hydrodynamics (MSCI 582, 3 cr)
--1 more course at the 400+ level

Geological Oceanography
--Mineralogy (GEOL 202, 4 cr)
--either Global & Environmental Change (GEOL 335, 4 cr) or Earth Systems through Time (GEOL 305, 4 cr)
--either Surface and Near Surface Processes (GEOL 315, 4 cr) or Stratigraphy & Sedimentary Basins (GEOL 325, 4 cr)
--1 more course at the 400+ level

Coastal Resource Management & Marine Policy
--Science & Environmental Policy (MSCI 390, 3 cr)
--Coastal Zone Management (GEOG 516, 3 cr)
--Environmental Economics (ECON 548, 3 cr)
--1 more course at the 400+ level

Please read the appropriate section in the Undergraduate Guidelines (.doc)(.pdf) for more details.

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General Education Requirements

Including groups I through V, the total comes to 46-57 hrs.

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Frequently Asked Questions

1. I am a Freshman or transfer student. Where should I start?

The usual progression of science courses for a MSCI major with no deficiencies should be:

Freshman Year: MATH (through 142), CHEM 111 & 112, MSCI 101 & 102. English, Foreign Language, History.

Sophomore Year: MATH 142 (if not completed), PHYS 201 & 202 or 211 & 212, MSCI 311 & 312 (note the prereqs.), computer course or STAT 515, general education or group III or IV courses.

Junior Year: Major courses, general education or group III or IV courses.

Senior Year: Major courses, MSCI 505, general education or group III or IV courses.

2. What if I want to take a course at another University?

The undergraduate science dean should be contacted regarding courses taken at other universities (e.g., during the summer, field courses) before the student enrolls in such courses to ensure transferability. A syllabus or course description of the off-site course is usually required. Please note: once a student enrolls in a course or course sequence, he or she must complete the sequence at a USC campus. For instance, if a student withdraws from MATH 141, or receives a D or F, he or she must take both 141 and 142 at USC to complete the math requirement. Waivers of this policy must come from the undergraduate dean of science within the College of Arts and Sciences (CAS).

3. I would like to transfer courses that I already took at another university. What should I do?

Students will need to complete a transfer form available from the office of CAS's undergraduate dean of science. The undergraduate dean will make a decision as to whether or not the course will transfer. In some cases, the student must have a syllabus of the course they would like to transfer.

4. I would like to use an upper-division course that I took at another university to fulfill my MSCI major credit requirements. (Or, I sould like to use an upper-division class for MSCI major credit that is not listed in thei MSCI guidelines.) Is this possible?

To allow these credits to count for major credit, the student's MSCI undergraduate advisor must approve AND write a letter to both the MSCI undergraduate chair and the CAS undergraduate dean of science. Students must have passed upper-division courses with a C or better and they s hould be listed on the student's transcript as electives (transfer students should confirum that the credits were transferred wtih the undergraduate dean of CAS). USC students must obtain permission from their MSCI advisor if they want a course that is not pre-approved to count for major credit. They should do this prior to taking the course.

5. I have already taken BIOL 101 & 102 (or their equivalent). May I exempt from MSCI 102 & 311?

Students who have completed BIOL 101 & 102 (or equivalent) may exempt MSCI 311 with permission, but must also take MSCI 101, 102, and 312.

6. I took PHYS 211, but don't want to take PHYS 212. (or I failed PHYS 211, but want to retake PHYS 201 instead.)

Students MUST take either PHYS 201 w/ 201L and 202 w/ 202L, OR, PHYS 211 w/ 211L and 212 w/ 212L. They will receive major credit for PHYS 212 w/ 212L. Students who have taken PHYS 211 w/ 211L may complete the requirement with PHYS 202 w/ 202L. Students who failed or got a D in PHYS 211 w/ 211L or 212 w/ 212L may complete the physics requirement by switching to the PHYS 201 w/ 201L, and 202 w/ 202L courses. Students who passed PHYS 211L or 212L but not the lecture, can switch to PHYS 201 or 202 and do not need to take the accompanying labs.

7. I want to take SCUBA, Acting, or P.E. Can I apply the credits towards graduation?

Many courses in Art, Music, Theater, and P.E. (especially SCUBA) are considered "Performance Courses" and do not count toward the 128 semester hours needed for graduation.

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