GRADUATE PROGRAMS
Master of Science in Marine Biology
Core Courses
Biological Oceanography (OCEA 211)
Physical Oceanograpy (OCEA 221)
Chemical Oceanograpy (OCEA 231)
Elements of Research (BIO 200)
Biostatistics (STAT 233 )
Doctor of Philosophy in Marine Biology
The program aims to produce graduates with advanced training in marine science who are capable of undertaking original and independent research in experimental or theoretical marine science; and assuming top-level marine scientist positions in academic and/or research institutions.
Core Courses
Biological Oceanography (OCEA 211)
Physical Oceanograpy (OCEA 221)
Chemical Oceanograpy (OCEA 231)
Elements of Research (BIO 200)
Biostatistics (STAT 233 )
Graduate Course Catalog
Core Courses
BIO 200 Elements of Research
Description: Theoretical and practical introduction to organized investigations, use of appropriate methods of data gathering and analysis and interpretation of results.
Credit: 3 units
OCEA 211 Biological Oceanography
Description: The relationship of biological systems to the marine physico-chemical environment.
Credit: 3 units
OCEA 221 Physical Oceanography
Description: Physical properties of sea water, general distribution of salinity, temperature and density, waves and currents, ocean atmosphere interactions.
Credit: 3 units
OCEA 231 Chemical Oceanography
Description: Chemical features and processes in marine waters and sediments, and their influence on organisms in the sea.
Credit: 3 units
STAT 233 Biostatistics
Description: Use of statistical methods in biological research, with emphasis on microcomputer statistical packages (e.g. Microstat; Statistix) in data analysis and interpretation.
Credit 3 units
SPECIALTY ELECTIVES
BIO 230 Principles of Systematics
Description: Systematics based entirely on the phylogenetic and phenotypic similarities, respectively, among living organisms
Credit 3 units
Prerequisites: Undergraduate course in Marine Plants and Animals.
MB 212 Marine Invertebrate Zoology
Description: Systematics of marine invertebrates, their relationship, life cycle, external and internal anatomy, and the application of more recent methods (e.g. use of cladistics) in invertebrate classification.
Credit: 3 units
Prerequisite: Undergraduate courses in Invertebrate zoology
MB 214 Marine Plankton**
Description: Structure and dynamics of marine plankton communities, productivity,adaptations, and distribution.
Credit: 3 units
Prerequisite: Undergraduate courses in invertebrate Zoology and Marine plankton
MB 216 Marine Vertebrate Zoology
Description: Biology of marine vertebrates other than fish, such as reptiles, birds and mammals with emphasis on classification, biogeography, anatomy , life cycle, eco-physiology and population dynamics; with special focus on endangered species and their conservation.
Credit: 3 units
Prerequisite: Undergraduate course in Marine Vertebrates
MB 222 Marine Ecosystems**
Description: Structure, function and dynamics of marine ecosystems; physical and chemical processes, their influence on productivity, distribution and dynamics of populations and communities; role of coastal upwelling and nutrient cycling on the plankton and fish dynamics; coastal fronts, estuarine systems and geomorphology; hydrodynamics and its effects on zonation and morphophysiological adaptations of marine organisms; global oceanic and atmospheric phenomena (e.g. El Nino) and their implications to biological processes. Includes the study of the physics and chemistry of specialized ecosystems and recent trends in ecosystem modeling.
Credit: 3 units
Prerequisite: Undergraduate course in Marine Ecology
MB 251 Marine Pollution**
Description: Types of marine pollutants, their sources, distribution and movement, measurements of pollution levels and methods of regulation and control. Classification of waters based on environmental standards.
Credit: 3 units
Prerequisite: Undergraduate courses in Chemistry and Marine Ecology.
MB 252 Marine Toxicology**
Description: Venomous and toxic marine organisms, chemical analysis of toxins and bioassay methods, their physiological effects and pharmacological importance.
Credit: 3 units
Prerequisite: Undergraduate courses in zoology and Organic and Biochemistry.
MB 262 Marine Reproductive Biology
Description: Current advances in the mechanisms , regulation and control of the reproduction of representative marine organisms.
Credit: 3 units
Prerequisite: Undergraduate courses in Invertebrate Zoology, Marine Vertebrates and Developmental Biology
MB 263 Mariculture
Description: Principles of aquaculture and their implication to culture of economically important marine organisms; prevention and control of pest, diseases and parasites, economic feasibility analysis of typical and new mariculture ventures.
Credit: 3 units
Prerequisite: Undergraduate courses in Zoology and Botany
MB 275 Morphology and Physiology of Marine Animals**
Description: Structure and function relationships of marine animals with emphasis on nutrition, respiration, osmoregulation, and excretion.
Credit: 3 units
Prerequisite Undergraduate courses in Zoology.
MB 276 Morphology and Physiology of Marine Plants**
Description: Structure and function relationships of marine plants with emphasis on nutrition, respiration, osmoregulation, and excretion.
Credit: 3units
Prerequisite: Undergraduate courses in Botany.
MB 282 Fisheries Biology
Description: Biology, population dynamics and stock assessment of the living resources of the sea and man’s interaction with them. Includes use of fisheries application software and principles pf fisheries management.
Credit: 3 units
Prerequisite: Undergraduate courses in Marine Ecology and Biostatistics.
MB 292 Integrated Natural Resources Management
Description: Principles of resource conservation, rational utilization, protection and management of the natural resources; conservation laws and resource policies.
Credit: 3 units
Prerequisite: Undergraduate courses in Marine resource Management, Ecology, Zoology and Botany.
MB 295 Computer-based Applications in Marine Biology
Description: Includes data base management such as HIS (hydrographic information system), GIS (geographic information system) and modeling.
Credit: 3 units
Prerequisite: Consent of Instructor
MB 296 Research Methods in Marine Biology
Description: Advanced and specialized techniques for the study of marine biology.
Credit: 3 units
Prerequisite: Consent of Instructor
MB 301 Advances in Marine Biology
Description: Deals with current issues and advances in marine biology.
Credit: 3 units
MB 303 Biology of Marine Mammals
Description: The course will examine the characteristics that mammals brought with them when they returned to the ocean, the evolution of the different groups of marine mammals, some of their special adaptations, the roles of marine mammals in oceanic ecosystems and general principles of the marine mammal population biology and how these influence attempts to manage and conserve them.
Credit: 3 units
MB 323 Intertidal Ecology
Description: An integrated, interdisciplinary an multisectoral approach in developing plans that provide a coarse of action usable for daily management of the coastal areas. Topics include principles of CRM, rational utilization, protection and management of the coastal zone; conservation laws.
Credit: 3 units
Prerequisite: Undergraduate course in Marine Ecology.
MB 392 Marine Fisheries Biology
Description: Biology, population dynamics and stock assessments of the living resources of the sea and man’s interaction with them.
Credit: 3 units