Marine Science Minor

SIO offers an undergraduate minor program in Marine Science. The minor curriculum is designed to complement the strong disciplinary training of UCSD basic science majors by providing a broad interdisciplinary perspective with an environmental focus. Ocean-related science is relevant to many contemporary environmental issues and problems and central to understanding earth-system evolution, dynamics, climate and sustainability. The minor consists of courses and research opportunities offered primarily by faculty and researchers at SIO. The mix of these components can be tailored to reflect students career interests through an all courses track or a research track. The all courses track offers a very flexible curriculum that serves students with a broad range of educational and career interests including environmental management and regulation, teaching, environmental law, economics and policy and a wide variety of graduate programs. The research track is designed for students interested in an undergraduate research experience at SIO and serves as excellent preparation for graduate research studies.

The Minor consists of twenty-eight units of course work, at least twenty of which must be upper-division. Courses required by a student s major may not be applied toward the minor. Up to 2 courses for the minor may be taken on a Pass/Not Pass basis (upper or lower division). Students must earn at least a letter grade of C- in the remaining 5 or more courses used for the minor. The Marine Science minor places a strong emphasis on a rigorous natural science foundation; thus, several of the upper division courses related to the minor have significant prerequisites. Students planning the minor should check catalog course descriptions carefully and should meet with advising staff in the Marine Science Program office.

Lower-Division Requirements

1. SIO 30 The Oceans

2. Any one (1) of the following lower-division courses may be applied to the minor requirements

STPA 35 Society and the Sea

SIO 10 The Earth

SIO 12 History of the Earth and Evolution

SIO 20 The Atmosphere

SIO 35 Water

SIO 40 Life and Climate on Earth

SIO 50 Introduction to Earth and Environmental Sciences

Additionally: any math, chemistry, physics or biology course that is a prerequisites for an upper division elective for the Marine Science minor (ex. MATH 20 series; CHEM 6A, 6B, 6C, PHYS 2 series; BILD 1, 2, 3) may be applied, by petition, as a lower-division requirement for the minor if NOT already used as a lower-division requirement for the student s major.

Upper-Division Requirements

Option 1 - All Courses Track:

At least 5 courses from the list (below) of upper-division electives

Option 2 - Research Track:

At least 5 courses from the list (below) of upper division electives, at least 3 of which must be courses satisfying Option #1 and at least 2 of which must be Independent Study (SIO 199; 8 units total) Note: The Independent Study must be designed in mutual agreement and arrangement with an SIO faculty member. Students interested in the Marine Science Minor Research Track must meet with an SIO Undergraduate Program adviser for information and policies.

Upper-Division Electives

SIO 101 California Coastal Oceanography

SIO 102 Introduction to Geochemistry

SIO 103 Introduction to Geophysics

SIO 104 Paleobiology and History of Life

SIO 105 Sedimentology and Stratigraphy

SIO 110 Introduction to GIS and GPS for Scientists

SIO 111 Introduction to Ocean Waves and Tides

SIO 117 The Physical Climate System

BIMM 126 Marine Microbiology

BIMM 127/SIO 288  Marine Microbiology Lab 

BIEB 132 Introduction to Marine Biology

BIBC 130/SIO 281  Marine Biochemistry 

BIEB 134 Introduction to Biological Oceanography

SIO 135/SIO 236  Satellite Remote Sensing

SIO 138. The Coral Reef Environment 

SIO 141 Chemical Principles of Marine Systems

SIO 148 Evolution of the Earth s Biosphere

SIO 154 Macroevolution

SIO 160 Introduction to Tectonics

SIO 199 Independent Study

SIO 238 Sensor Networks

SIO 201 Geologic Record of Climate Change

SIO 210 Physical Oceanography

SIO 260 Marine Chemistry

SIO 265 Chemical Ecology of Marine Organisms

Other SIO courses may be submitted by petition.