An Ocean View
A Career in Marine Sciences

Sharks! Dolphins! Killer Whales! These are the sorts of images that most often come to mind when people think about Marine Sciences. But while these organisms are fascinating and important to study, they represent just the tip of the iceberg in this diverse and dynamic field. Marine Sciences encompass a world of inquiry that extends from the ecology of salt marshes to the biology of deep sea bacteria, and from the physics of ocean currents to the geology of the seafloor. Marine Scientists consider not only the biology of marine environments, but also their chemistry, physics, and geology. They may make observations in the ocean, do experiments in a lab, process satellite data, or build mathematical models. They may be concerned with the status of local fish populations, the health of coastal environments, or the role that oceans play in global climate change.

Have you got what it takes to pursue a career in Marine Sciences? Remember that Marine Sciences are, above all, sciences. A love of dolphins or other things marine is a good reason to consider a career in Marine Sciences, but your success in such a career will very much depend upon the strength of your science and math skills. This means that in high school you should concentrate on getting a good foundation in the sciences, math, and computer science.

When considering colleges, you needn't restrict yourself to schools that offer majors specifically in Marine Sciences. In fact, the traditional route into a marine career is training in a basic science (like biology, chemistry, physics) at the undergraduate level, and this path is still perfectly reasonable, especially if you intend to get a graduate degree. On the other hand, if you're sure you want a career in marine sciences, you may want to seek out institutions that offer it as a major. The number of such institutions is large and growing. Majoring in Marine Sciences will generally allow you to take more courses specifically in this area.

Whatever your specific major is, you can expect your undergraduate program of study to be heavily weighted toward the biological and physical sciences. Like any other science major, you will need lower division courses in physics, chemistry, biology, and mathematics (probably through integral calculus), and upper division courses in the area of your specialty. Of particular value would be any opportunity you have to do research with a faculty member working in a marine science. Some programs formalize this experience as a required senior thesis or co-op project. Whether or not this is the case in the school you choose, there will almost certainly be professors who are willing to involve interested undergraduates in their research. The time you spend tracking down such opportunities will be well-spent: by working with a marine scientist you will learn first-hand whether you really are cut out for the field, you'll gain practical experience that you can use later on, and who knows, you may even help discover something!

Career opportunities in Marine Sciences include jobs in academia and basic research (at universities or independent marine labs), in the private sector (for example aquaculture, mineral exploration, environmental consulting), and in governmental agencies charged with managing and protecting the environment (such as National Marine Fisheries, NOAA, EPA, US Geological Survey). Keep in mind that these opportunities are by no means limited to marine biologists; there are a great many jobs that are open to marine chemists, physical oceanographers, ocean engineers, and marine geologists as well. Job possibilities range from research-related positions to education, environmental policy and management, engineering, and advocacy.

Many jobs exist for people with undergraduate degrees alone, but a graduate degree will greatly expand your opportunities. A master's degree will typically be sufficient for managerial positions in research and governmental agencies, while a Ph.D. will generally be required for lab directors, university faculty, and other upper level positions. Because so many students are interested in Marine Sciences, a wealth of is information available on the web about programs and careers in this and related fields. Search for "Marine Science Careers" and you'll be on your way.

If you have the right combination of fascination with the marine environment, scientific smarts, and personal motivation, a career in Marine Sciences can be an extremely rewarding one!

Provided by Brian Binder, Department of Marine Sciences, University of Georgia.