Marine biology is an exciting area of graduate study at Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi. The Marine Biology Program is designed for students with an interest in one or several sub-disciplines of marine biology who wish to pursue careers in higher education, government, or private industry. The principal strengths of this marine biology program lie in the international recognition, scholarly productivity, and extramural funding of its diverse faculty, as well as the strategic location of two campuses on the Gulf of Mexico.
The Marine Biology Program is designed for students with an interest in one or more of the subdisciplines of marine biology and who wish to pursue careers in higher education, government, or private industry. This unique, interdisciplinary degree program (IDP) combines the strengths of various departments at three universities within the Texas A&M University System: Life Sciences at Texas A&M-Corpus Christi, Marine Biology and Marine Sciences at Texas A&M University at Galveston (TAMU-G), and Wildlife and Fisheries Sciences, Oceanography and Biology at Texas A&M University (TAMU). Students can choose courses from any campus and form committees with any of the participating faculty. Advantages of the interdisciplinary degree format for Marine Biology students include a diverse, internationally recognized faculty with high scholarly productivity and extramural funding, as well as two campuses strategically located on the Gulf of Mexico. Students receive their degree from both Texas A&M University and Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi.
The Marine Biology program offers the Master of Science and the Doctor of Philosophy degrees in Marine Biology. A personalized graduate advisory committee guides each student through the conception, design, construction, and execution of a marine biology-based inquiry.
Application procedure
Admission Requirements
Those seeking admission to the Marine Biology Program should apply through the Office of Recruitment and Admissions. In addition to the documents required by that office, applicants must submit an essay of no more than 1,000 words describing their educational and career goals, and interests as they relate to the faculty in the Marine Biology Program; a list of names of faculty members contacted; three letters of recommendation from people familiar with their potential for graduate studies; transcripts of all previous undergraduate/ graduate work; Graduate Record Examination (GRE) scores that are not more than 5 years old; and a résumé. Additional requirements exist for international students, including TOEFL or IELTS scores from ETS taken within the last two years for students from countries where English is not the native language, and a course by course foreign transcript evaluation through an approved service (refer to the Admission section of this catalog). All relevant supplemental materials (such as publications or other documents that include information about relevant experiences) that are submitted with the application will be considered. Persons seeking admission to the Ph.D. Program in Marine Biology should first contact the program faculty and identify a faculty member will to serve as the graduate advisor. Applicants will not be admitted to the program without a graduate advisor.
Completed applications must be received by the CGS by the specified priority deadlines:
- Fall Semester - December 1
- Spring Semester - June 1
Incomplete applications are not considered. The applicant will be notified of acceptance or rejection by letter.
Grant opportunities
Teaching assistantships, graduate research assistantships, and fellowships may be available to admitted degree-seeking students who maintain full-time graduate student status (9 hours/fall and spring semester, and 3 hours/summer). The completed Teaching Assistant Application (https://sci.tamucc.edu/student-information/gradfunding.html) and all other materials requested for evaluation should be submitted to the office indicated on that form. For full consideration, the deadline for submitting applications is December 1 for the following academic year. A limited number of fellowships are available, and faculty members conducting funded research projects often hire qualified graduate students as Research Assistants. Students will need to contact faculty members in their field of interest for information on these opportunities.
Learning outcomes
Student Learning Outcomes
As part of their progression through the Marine Biology Program, Doctor of Philosophy students will:
- Gain an in-depth of knowledge of essential and emerging concepts in the field of marine biology.
- Perform scholarly hypothesis-driven research grounded in marine biological principles and concepts.
- Demonstrate advanced communication skills through either presentation of research results at professional scientific meetings and/or through peer-reviewed publication.
- Develop a skill set and research record such that they can secure employment in academia, state/federal agencies, private companies, or non-governmental organizations.
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