Earn your master's degreeMarine Science Graduate Programs
Program Options
Jacksonville University's four graduate marine science degree programs are designed to provide graduates with specific knowledge and skills necessary to be successful in a variety of marine-related positions in industry, government, and education, or for entry into doctoral marine science programs. We offer the following programs:
- Master of Arts in Marine Science
- Master of Science in Marine Science
- Master of Science in Marine Studies
- Dual Degree: MA in Marine Science and Master in Public Policy
Our programs prioritize flexibility and convenience so you can balance your studies with your work and home life. Many of our programs feature hybrid, fully-online, and low-residency options.We also maintain strong industry partnerships with organizations like OCEARCH and The St. John's Riverkeeper that allow our students real-world learning experiences that perfectly compliment our cutting-edge curriculum.
Virtual Information Session
Learn more about our graduate marine science programs by requesting a recording of
a virtul information session. Hear directly from Jacksonville University Marine Science
Research Institute (MSRI) faculty and admissions counselors as they detail the four
programs.
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Which track is right for me?
M.A. Marine Science
- 0-24 credit hours can be taken online or hybrid; Minimum 6 credit hours in person
- Comprehensive written exam required
- Completion requires either:
- 6 credit hours of lab/field-intensive coursework, or
- low-residency summer field/lab intensive sessions
- 2-year program (full time)
- Ideal for:
- Students who seek a graduate degree for increased employment opportunities or pay scales
- Working professionals, particularly those with flexible summer schedules
M.S. Marine Science
- Minimum 24 credit hours in person; Maximum 6 credit hours online
- No comprehensive written exam required
- Completion requires original research-based project with written thesis and oral defense
- 2-3 year program (full time)
- Ideal for:
- Students who seek research-based careers
- Students who plan to continue on to a Ph.D. program
M.S. Marine Studies
- Highest flexibility; program can be taken fully online, in person, or in hybrid format
- Comprehensive written exam required
- Completion requires 2-semester capstone project
- 2-year program (full time)
- Ideal for:
- Students who seek a graduate degree for increased employment opportunities or pay scales
- Flexible format for working professionals who require distance learning
Which track is right for me?
| Program Factor | M.A. Marine Science | M.S. Marine Science | M.S. Marine Studies |
|---|---|---|---|
| Learning Format (out of 30 credit hours) |
|
|
|
| Comprehensive Written Exam | Yes | No | Yes |
| Thesis or Project | Either:
|
Original research-based project with written thesis and oral defense | 2-semester capstone project |
| Length of Program | 2 years (full time) | 2-3 years (full time) | 2 years (full time) |
| Ideal For |
|
|
|
| Learn More | M.A. Marine Science | M.S. Marine Science | M.S. Marine Studies |
Our Partnership with OCEARCHExperiential Learning
Jacksonville University and OCEARCH have a cooperative partnership to foster and promote unique opportunities for student-centered learning and meaningful scientific research. This partnership is grounded in the shared values of both OCEARCH and JU, as well as a shared emphasis on scientific inquiry, collaborative research, experiential learning, innovation and sustainability.
At its very core, this partnership’s purpose is to offer JU students unprecedented opportunities and foster experiential learning. Not only do students benefit from this collaboration at a classroom level, but they are also be at the forefront of high-caliber research as together JU and OCEARCH educate tomorrow’s leaders. The one-of-a-kind learning experiences this partnership yields further expands the depth of JU’s already nationally recognized marine sciences program and MSRI. The partnership also allows the University to expand the number and variety of opportunities for students majoring in other disciplines, such as sustainability, environmental sciences, engineering, aviation, communications, and film.
Our Partnership with OCEARCH
I'm Christina LoBuglio, I'm a graduate assistant at Jacksonville University assisting in the OCEARCH JU partnership. We're currently in Nova Scotia fishing for some great white sharks. The OCEARCH JU partnership involves OCEARCH leveraging our professors and students for scientific research and allows JU to use OCEARCH as a platform for practical fieldwork.
We just got word that there's a shark hooked up so we're moving the lift over and we're getting ready to do our work up. I think it's a great partnership it allows students to have that practical real-world field experience and it allows our professors to come out and do the research that they want to do in order to help scientific community. I am super excited about the future of this partnership and what we can gain from it. We can continue doing scientific research so that we can help protect our oceans and the future of our planet, and allow other students to get the experience that they need.
Picture Yourself HereFollow us @msri_ju
Take a look at what a day in the life of a marine science student at Jacksonville University is like. The content for this account is created by our Master of Marine Science graduate assistants.
Request Information
Contact Information Graduate and Professional Studies
Phone: (904) 256-7000
Email: graduateadmissions@ju.edu