USC Marine Science Undergraduate Program

Dr. Claudia Benitez-Nelson Undergraduate Director, Marine Science Program. 
Email: cbnelson@geol.sc.edu

The Marine Science Program in the College of Arts and Sciences at the University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC (USC-Columbia) is an interdisciplinary educational program offering curricula which lead to the Bachelor of Science, Master of Science and Doctor of Philosophy degrees. Ranked fifth of 115 such programs by The Gourman Report*, it is one of the premier educational programs in the nation, with prominent research affiliations, competitively awarded research grants and an interdisciplinary academic curriculum. Currently there are between 125-150 undergraduate majors in the Program. A printable flyer may be downloaded as msci_flyer.pdf.

The Marine Science Program is designed to be interdisciplinary; that is, to draw upon subject matter in many different fields of scientific endeavor. By being flexible, the Marine Science Program allows students, under the direction of a faculty advisor, to select courses from many areas in order to fulfill specific educational goals. Only in a program such as this, can courses be combined from Geology, Biology, Chemistry, Mathematics, Physics, Engineering, Environmental Health and Social Sciences into an individually-tailored curriculum. Students in Marine Science may choose to specialize in biological, chemical, geological or physical oceanography or coastal resource management/marine affairs.

• Marine Geologists study coastal features such as beaches and inlets, the nature and economic value of seafloor materials, and the history of the global ocean basins.
• Marine Biologists investigate all life forms in the seas and coastal areas.
• Physical Oceanographers examine the movement of air and water in the marine environment, using physical principles.
• Chemical Oceanographers study the chemical composition of marine waters and sediments and how these chemicals enter, cycle, and are removed from the ocean.
• Coastal Resource Managers examine the many factors related to human development of, and human interaction with, the natural settings of coastlines.

*The Gourman Report: A Rating of Undergraduate Programs in American and International Universities, Dr. Jack Gourman, National Education Standards, Tenth Edition Revised, 1998.