Degrees Offered
PhD, MS
Program Description
The specific objective of the systemwide University graduate program in Marine Estuarine Environmental Sciences (MEES) is the training of qualified graduate students, working toward an MS or PhD degree, who have research interests in fields of study that involve interactions between biological systems and physical or chemical systems in marine, estuarine, or terrestrial environments. The program comprises six areas of specialization: ecology, environmental chemistry, environmental molecular biology and biotechnology, environmental science, fisheries science, and oceanography. Students work with their advisory committee to develop a customized course of study based on research interests and previous experience.
Each student is required to complete a thesis or dissertation reporting the results of an original investigation. The research problem is selected and pursued under the guidance of the student’s advisor and advisory committee.
Students may conduct their research in the laboratories and facilities of the University of Maryland, College Park; University of Maryland, Baltimore; University of Maryland, Baltimore County; or University of Maryland, Eastern Shore;or in a laboratory of the University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science: Chesapeake Biological Laboratory in Solomons, Md.; the Horn Point Laboratory in Cambridge, Md.; and the Appalachian Laboratory in Frostburg, Md.; or at the Center of Marine Biotechnology in Baltimore. The Chesapeake and Horn Point laboratories are located on the Chesapeake Bay. They include excellent facilities for the culture of estuarine organisms. The laboratories are provided with running saltwater, which may be heated or cooled and may be filtered. At Horn Point, there are extensive marshes, intertidal areas, oyster reefs, tidal creeks, and rock jetties. The Appalachian Laboratory, located in the mountains of Western Maryland, specializes in terrestrial and freshwater ecology.
Program Admission
Applications for admission in the fall semester must be filed by Feb. 1; however, to be considered for financial support, it is better to apply by Dec. 1. Some students will be admitted for the semester starting in January, for which the deadline is Sept. 1. Applicants must submit an official application to the Graduate School at the University of Maryland, College Park along with official transcripts of all previous collegiate work, three letters of recommendation, and scores on the general test (aptitude) of the Graduate Record Examinations. It is particularly important that a student articulate clearly in the application a statement of goals and objectives pertaining to their future work in the field. Because of the interdisciplinary and interdepartmental nature of the program, only students for whom a specific advisor is identified in advance can be admitted. Prior communication with individual members of the faculty is encouraged.
Required Courses
Students plan their courses under the direction of their academic advisors and an advisory committee. Students must complete graduate course requirements as determined by the area of specialization through which they are enrolled. Students may take courses from departments of several University System of Maryland institutions approved by the MEES program committee. Students conducting research for a master’s or doctoral degree under the direction of a faculty member must enroll in one of the following:
| MEES 799 | MASTER?S THESIS RESEARCH | 1 TO 6 |
| MEES 899 | DOCTORAL DISSERTATION RESEARCH | 1 TO 12 |
Students enrolled in the MEES program at UMB are encouraged to avail themselves of the course offerings (GPLS) of the school’s Graduate Program in Life Sciences.