Dive into the Exciting Marine Sciences Degree at UNE

Launch your career with the sea at UNE, recognized as one of the best schools for marine biology in the nation. UNE provides the expert faculty, supportive community, and inspiring facilities to prepare you for a rewarding life working with — and for — the ocean. 

You’ll study ocean life on our coastal campus, located where the Saco River meets the Atlantic. Imagine walking just steps from our cutting-edge Marine Science Center to our campus dock, boarding a research vessel, and steaming to our private island or off into the Gulf of Maine. Through it all, you’ll be able to work hands-on with scientific and nautical equipment — gaining valuable career skills.

Accolades for UNE Marine Sciences

Top 10

Best Colleges for Marine Biology 

College Magazine, 2023

Top 15

Best Marine Biology Degrees

College Choice, 2023

Top 10

Best Marine Biology Colleges

 Biology Explorer, 2023

A sailboat and a small vessel move through the Atlantic Ocean off the coast of Maine

Why UNE for Your Degree in Marine Sciences

  • Live and learn on the coast of Maine — just steps from the ocean
  • Amazing facilities, from lab technology and aquariums in our Arthur P. Girard Marine Science Center, to our three research vessels and University-owned, private island
  • Join a community of students and faculty who share a passion for the sea
  • Participate in real research with faculty, on the water and in the lab
  • UNE’s regional and national partnerships create opportunities for exciting internships in every aspect of marine science
  • UNE is ranked nationally in the top 10 colleges for Marine Sciences

Flexible Foundation for Your Marine Career

The first-year curriculum of UNE’s B.S. in Marine Sciences degree program sets the foundation for other marine majors. You can launch your college career with this major, knowing that UNE faculty will mentor you in changing to another marine major in a way that keeps you on track. 

CHECK OUT THE UNE Marine ScienceS COMMUNITY

Headshot of U N E Marine Sciences student Elena Shipley

Elena Shippey ’22

Animal Behavior, Marine Sciences (Marine Biology Track)

Why UNE

The location is such a beautiful spot and, for what I'm doing specifically, there are some great opportunities. At other schools, it may be difficult to get into research and fieldwork experience during undergrad, but I was able to find myself in a lab my first semester.

UNE is such a great place to be for research opportunities. There are labs for just about any interest that you may have. There may be someone who that interest of yours is their primary specialty or maybe it’s just someone who is interested in getting into the same research as you.

The [professional] staff and faculty are excited to work with students. Having newer students working together in the same environment with more experienced students is incredible. I was able to get into Carrie Byron’s marine ecology lab during my first semester. I was working right alongside seniors, graduate students, and everyone in between. I really got the experience of what it’s like to be on a team. Being the younger one in that group, I had plenty of mentors while also doing a lot of my own self-teaching with different lab techniques.

Experiential Education

Career Services is awesome. They helped me from start to finish in terms of preparing for [internship] interviews and making sure that my resume looked good. They also helped me just reach out to people in the first place. Utilize the resources that you have because at UNE, we have some great ones. I can't imagine if I hadn’t reached out to Career Services. I definitely wouldn’t be where I am now. They've been so supportive, and I would say that they are the reason I was able to get my current position.

I’m interning at the Seacoast Science Center in Rye, New Hampshire. I am a naturalist educator for the environmental day camp that the science center runs in the summer. It’s been such a blast. The camp runs for children ages four to twelve. The kids are all broken down by age group, and the camp counselors will kind of bounce around, so we'll be working with the older students one week and then with the pre-K group the next. 

I can apply a lot of that knowledge [from my classes] to my lesson plans at camp. It comes up if we’re outside in the tide pools, and someone asks, “What’s this?” I can tell them more about a creature of why a rock looks a certain way. Sometimes kids ask why the rocks that are far away from the water are wet. Then I get to teach them about the tide cycles and how those play a role even in what we do throughout the day, like why we’re tide pooling at 1 p.m. and not 9 a.m. These things just surface naturally a lot of the time because the kids are so curious. I find tons of little teaching opportunities and lots of applications. It’s a lot of reworking the way I learned things to deliver them in a way that makes sense.

At other schools, it may be difficult to get into research and fieldwork experience during undergrad, but I was able to find myself in a lab my first semester.

Animal Behavior, Marine Sciences (Marine Biology Track)

What Will You Study? Marine Sciences Degree Curriculum Overview

Examples of Available Courses

The following are just some examples of the exciting courses that the Marine Sciences major offers:

  • Underwater Robotics
  • Experimental Animal Physiology
  • Biology of Sharks, Skates, and Rays
  • Marine Mammal Policy
  • The Scientific Basis for Global Climate Change
  • Polar Biology
  • Oceanography

Marine Sciences Degree Tracks

As a Marine Sciences degree seeker, you may choose one of two tracks:

  • The Marine Biology track focuses on marine organisms and the ecosystems upon which they depend.
  • The Oceanography track focuses on the physical, chemical, and geological basis of biological life in the ocean.

Double Major in Marine Sciences and Applied Mathematics

The Marine Sciences and Applied Mathematics double major program gives you the opportunity to earn two degrees in four years: a B.S. in Marine Sciences and a B.S. in Applied Mathematics. You’ll learn computer-based mathematical modeling and statistical analysis to address such problems as managing fish populations. The double major will position you for a variety of careers in fields like marine resource evaluation and sustainability, species population dynamics, and data systems management.

You'll spend the first two years completing fundamental math and marine science coursework, leading to an applied student research project in your senior year. 

Study Marine Sciences on the Coast of Maine

Career Paths for Marine Sciences Grads

With the knowledge you gain from coursework, the critical thinking skills you develop through research, and the life skills you acquire from internships, you’ll be well on your way to an exciting career in the marine sciences.

Our graduates have pursued many fascinating careers, including:

  • Laboratory Technician
  • Fisheries Observer
  • Marine Biology or Oceanography Researcher
  • Animal Caretaker at Zoos and Aquariums
  • Environmental Educator
  • Animal Trainer
  • Conservation Advocate
  • Natural Resource Manager
  • Veterinarian
  • Commercial Diver

Marine Biology Degree Career Advising

Whether you have a specific career goal in mind or a vague idea of the field that interests you, Career Advising is here to help you plan your next step.

Explore Our Marine Science facilities

Beyond our close-knit community of students and world-class faculty who share a passion for marine ecosystems, small class sizes, and student-centered research and education communities, our incredible facilities help us rank as one of the best schools for marine biology.

Experiential Learning in Marine Sciences

Marine Sciences offers constant hands-on interaction in a variety of marine ecosystems and environments from the watershed to the river, from the estuary to the ocean. Through internships, field research, and experiential learning, you don’t just learn marine science — you do marine science.

Internships in Marine Sciences

Students can pursue a wide array of enriching internship opportunities, enabling you to study ocean life at institutions including:

  • National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)
  • Gulf of Maine Research Institute
  • New England Aquarium
  • Bigelow Laboratory for Ocean Sciences
  • Various Aquaculture Farms and Fisheries
  • Wells National Estuarine Reserve

Marine Biology Research on the Maine Coast

Join Marine Sciences student Andrew Davidson for seine netting research on the Gulf of Maine.

Shark Detection Buoy Deployment in Maine

Join UNE Marine Science faculty and students as they deploy a real-time shark detection buoy in Saco Bay.

Research Opportunities in Marine Sciences

Undergraduate research is an essential part of our programs no matter which major you choose. All students conduct research in the field through their regular coursework beginning in their freshman year, with additional opportunities to gain experience through faculty labs and multi-institutional initiatives.

Research Fellowships in Marine Sciences

In addition to lab classes and faculty lab positions, UNE provides pathways for students to obtain research experience through fellowships from partners and programs including Pratt & Whitney, Bristol Seafood, SEANET, and the Summer Undergraduate Research Experience.

Marine Sciences Research Areas

The field of Marine Science is as broad and diverse as the vast oceans that cover most of our planet. At UNE, we touch upon all facets of marine science with special focuses in the following areas of research.

Applied Marine Technology

Applied marine technology is a crucial marine programs research area that cuts across all others. Robotics, research vessels, remote and autonomous underwater vehicles, environmental monitoring, and modeling are all vital tools that enable modern marine research to occur. Researchers in this area are interested in innovations in and novel applications for marine technology.

Food from the Ocean

With a global human population headed towards 10 billion by 2050, understanding the interactions between the ocean and what we eat is more important than ever. Our location on the coast of Maine has a deep heritage and connections to the people and communities who have harvested food from the sea, and the ecosystems that provide it. We have robust research and education programs in this focus area including fisheries science and management, ecological aquaculture, marine entrepreneurship, migration of highly migratory species, and food web ecology.

Biology of Marine Organisms

Our Marine Programs faculty and professional staff conduct a wide range of research in the areas of biology and ecology of marine organisms. This research area is very broad and ranges from marine genetics to the migration patterns of large animals like sharks, seals, and whales. From seaweed to sharks — plankton to pinnipeds (seals!) our team covers it all.

Human Impacts on the Ocean

Evidence of human impact on the ocean is everywhere, not just limited to our coastal oceans. Plastics and chemicals have been documented from the deepest depths of the global seas, while climate change affects all aspects of the ocean. More and more, we cannot separate studying the natural ocean environment apart from human influence. Fisheries, microplastics, policy, pollution, conservation, and restoration all fall into this category. UNE Marine Programs faculty, professional staff, and students are focused on research and solutions across the spectrum of human influence on our seas.

Global Education in Marine Sciences

In addition to opportunities to spend a semester abroad in Tangier, Morocco or Seville, Spain for the same cost as studying at UNE's Maine campuses, you may choose to enroll in one of our marine sciences-related travel courses. To enroll in these courses and learn more, visit the Global Education Program website.

Interested in studying abroad? Make a plan with your advisor.

Bachelor of Science in Marine Sciences FAQ