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Marine and Coastal Science — Coastal Environmental Processes or Marine Environmental Chemistry

College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences

  • Bachelor of Science

Do you want to explore science in an applied, hands-on way? Marine scientists apply scientific skills in the natural and physical sciences to protect ocean and coastal environments and solve modern, global problems. Our oceans account for more than 96 percent of the world’s water, and few of the world’s coastlines are beyond the influence of human pressures. The coastal environmental processes emphasis concentrates on environments and systems in the coastal zone, and the strong physical-biological connection that exists here; the marine environmental chemistry emphasis spotlights major themes in marine chemistry, geochemistry, the carbon cycle and contaminant fate and transport.

 

Major Requirements

Courses, fieldwork and research opportunities encourage students to think collaboratively and draw upon globally-recognized experts from a wide variety of disciplines as well as the resources of UC Davis'  and .

Coursework in mathematics, chemistry, physics, biology and earth sciences lays the foundation for core curriculum in marine science. The coastal environmental processes emphasis provides mastery through coursework highlighting the critical terrestrial-marine interface and fundamental physical processes in the coastal zone. The marine environmental chemistry emphasis includes advanced coursework in topics such as chemistry, environmental toxicology, civil and environmental engineering, hydrology or wildlife, fish and conservation biology. The major concludes with a capstone research course.

Contact Information

Degree Outcomes

Careers

  • Aquaculture Specialist
  • Aquarium Operations Management
  • Coastal Geologist
  • Ecotoxicologist
  • Environmental Chemist
  • Fisheries Biologist
  • Marine Biologist/Ecologist

Graduate Study

  • Marine biology
  • Environmental sciences
  • International studies
  • Marine biology and biological oceanography
  • Teaching
  • Law

Alumni Employers

  • California Department of Fish and Wildlife
  • Antea Group
  • Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute
  • UC San Diego Scripps Institution of Oceanography
  • ºÙºÙÊÓƵ Bodega Marine Lab
  • AmeriCorps
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Internship opportunities

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Your course roadmap

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The faculty you will work with

Our undergraduates work directly with our faculty through research projects and labs.

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Global learning programs

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Undergraduate research

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What can I do with my marine and coastal science major?

Learn how to connect your marine and coastal science major to career opportunities.

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