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Natural Resources (BS): Marine and Coastal Concentration

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The department offers curricula in each of the areas of marine, earth and atmospheric sciences. Each prepares students for employment at graduation or for further professional training. There is one Bachelor of Science (B.S.) curricula in atmospheric sciences: Meteorology.Ìý Students in that major can choose to concentrate in Marine Meteorology. Earth sciences house one curricula: the B.S. in Geology. In the marine sciences, students can choose between two degree programs: the B.S. in Marine Science or the B.S. in Natural Resources. Students in the marine science major choose one of five concentrations:

  1. Biological Oceanography
  2. Chemistry
  3. Geology
  4. Meteorology
  5. Physics

Students in the B.S. in Natural Resources concentrate in Marine and Coastal Resources.Ìý

Plan Requirements

Major Core Courses
²Ñ·¡´¡Ìý100Earth System Science: Exploring the Connections4
²Ñ·¡´¡Ìý101Geology I: Physical3
²Ñ·¡´¡Ìý110Geology I Laboratory1
²Ñ·¡´¡Ìý130Introduction to Weather and Climate3
²Ñ·¡´¡Ìý135Introduction to Weather and Climate Laboratory1
²Ñ·¡´¡Ìý200Introduction to Oceanography3
²Ñ·¡´¡Ìý210Oceanography Lab1
²Ñ·¡´¡Ìý220Marine Biology3
²Ñ·¡´¡Ìý250Introduction to Coastal Environments3
²Ñ·¡´¡Ìý251Introduction to Coastal Environments Laboratory1
²Ñ·¡´¡Ìý459Field Investigation of Coastal Processes5
²Ñ·¡´¡Ìý469Ecology of coastal Resources3
³Ò±õ³§Ìý280Introduction to GIS3
Advised Elective 13
Advised electives to be chosen with advisor and should be a science, math, engineering or GIS course at the 400 level or higher.
Select one of the following Chemistry options:3
Geochemistry of Natural Waters
Principles of Chemical Oceanography
Principles of Chemical Oceanography
±·¸éÌý400Natural Resource Management4
Math/Statistics/Orientation
²Ñ´¡Ìý131Calculus for Life and Management Sciences A 23
²Ñ´¡Ìý231Calculus for Life and Management Sciences B3
³§°ÕÌý311Introduction to Statistics3
°ä°¿³§Ìý100Science of Change2
Chemistry/Physics/Natural Sciences
µþ±õ°¿Ìý181Introductory Biology: Ecology, Evolution, and Biodiversity4
°ä±áÌý101Chemistry - A Molecular Science3
°ä±áÌý102General Chemistry Laboratory1
´Ü°¿Ìý350Animal Phylogeny and Diversity4
°ä±áÌý201Chemistry - A Quantitative Science3
°ä±áÌý202Quantitative Chemistry Laboratory1
´¡·¡°äÌý360Ecology4
´Ç°ùÌý±ÊµþÌý360 Ecology
Select one of the following Physics courses:4
College Physics I
Physics for Engineers and Scientists I
and Physics for Engineers and Scientists I Laboratory
Select one of the following Physics courses:4
College Physics II
Physics for Engineers and Scientists II
and Physics for Engineers and Scientists II Laboratory
³§³§°äÌý200
&²¹³¾±è;Ìý³§³§°äÌý201
Soil Science
and Soil Science Laboratory
4
´¡·¡°äÌý420Introduction to Fisheries Science3
English/Writing
·¡±·³ÒÌý101Academic Writing and Research 24
Select one of the following:3
Communication for Engineering and Technology
Communication for Business and Management
Communication for Science and Research
Humanities/Social Sciences
±Ê³§Ìý201American Politics and Government3
´Ç°ùÌý±Ê³§Ìý202 State and Local Government
Select one of the following Economics courses:3
Introduction to Agricultural & Resource Economics
Introduction to Agricultural & Resource Economics
Principles of Microeconomics
Fundamentals of Economics
´¡¸é·¡Ìý336Introduction to Resource and Environmental Economics3
´Ç°ùÌý·¡°äÌý336 Introduction to Resource and Environmental Economics
±Ê³§Ìý336Global Environmental Politics3
Health & Exercise Science
GEP Health and Exercise Studies1
±á·¡³§´¡Ìý226Skin and Scuba Diving I1
´Ç°ùÌý±á·¡³§°¿Ìý253 Orienteering
GEP Courses
GEP Humanities6
GEP Additional Breadth (Humanities/Social Sciences/Visual and Performing Arts)3
GEP U.S. Diversity (verify requirement)
GEP Global Knowledge (verify requirement)
Foreign Language Proficiency (verify requirement)
Total Hours120

Semester Sequence

Critical Path Courses -Identify using the code (CP) which courses are considered critical path courses which represent specific major requirements that are predictive of student success in a given program/plan. Place the (CP) next to the credit hours for the course.

This is a sample.

Plan of Study Grid
First Year
Fall SemesterHours
²Ñ´¡Ìý131 Calculus for Life and Management Sciences A (CP) 1 3
²Ñ·¡´¡Ìý100 Earth System Science: Exploring the Connections 2 4
²Ñ·¡´¡Ìý101 Geology I: Physical 2 3
²Ñ·¡´¡Ìý110 Geology I Laboratory 2 1
°ä°¿³§Ìý100 Science of Change 2
GEP Health and Exercise Studies 1
ÌýHours14
Spring Semester
µþ±õ°¿Ìý181 Introductory Biology: Ecology, Evolution, and Biodiversity (CP) 3 4
·¡±·³ÒÌý101 Academic Writing and Research 1 4
²Ñ´¡Ìý231 Calculus for Life and Management Sciences B (CP) 3 3
²Ñ·¡´¡Ìý130 Introduction to Weather and Climate 2 3
²Ñ·¡´¡Ìý135 Introduction to Weather and Climate Laboratory 2 1
ÌýHours15
Second Year
Fall Semester
°ä±áÌý101 Chemistry - A Molecular Science (CP) 1 3
°ä±áÌý102 General Chemistry Laboratory 3 1
²Ñ·¡´¡Ìý200 Introduction to Oceanography (CP) 2 3
²Ñ·¡´¡Ìý210 Oceanography Lab 2 1
±Ê³§Ìý336 Global Environmental Politics 3
²Ñ·¡´¡Ìý220 Marine Biology 2 3
ÌýHours14
Spring Semester
°ä±áÌý201 Chemistry - A Quantitative Science 3 3
°ä±áÌý202 Quantitative Chemistry Laboratory 3 1
Economics Elective 3
²Ñ·¡´¡Ìý250 Introduction to Coastal Environments 2 3
²Ñ·¡´¡Ìý251 Introduction to Coastal Environments Laboratory 2 1
±á·¡³§´¡Ìý226 Skin and Scuba Diving I 1
´Ü°¿Ìý350 Animal Phylogeny and Diversity 3 4
ÌýHours16
Third Year
Fall Semester
GEP Humanities 3
±ÊµþÌý360 Ecology 3 4
±Ê³ÛÌý211 College Physics I 1 4
³§°ÕÌý311 Introduction to Statistics 3 3
ÌýHours14
Spring Semester
Chemistry Option Elective 2 3
Advanced Writing Elective 3
ARE/EC 336 Introduction to Resource and Environmental Economics 3
²Ñ·¡´¡Ìý469 Ecology of coastal Resources 2 3
±Ê³ÛÌý212 College Physics II 3 4
ÌýHours16
Summer
²Ñ·¡´¡Ìý459 Field Investigation of Coastal Processes 2 5
ÌýHours5
Fourth Year
Fall Semester
GEP Humanities 3
GEP Additional Breadth 3
±Ê³§Ìý336 Global Environmental Politics 3
Advised Elective 2 3
ÌýHours12
Spring Semester
´¡·¡°äÌý420 Introduction to Fisheries Science 3 3
³Ò±õ³§Ìý280 Introduction to GIS 2 3
±·¸éÌý400 Natural Resource Management 2 4
³§³§°äÌý200 Soil Science 3 3
³§³§°äÌý201 Soil Science Laboratory 3 1
ÌýHours14
ÌýTotal Hours120

Career Opportunities

MEAS undergraduate degree programs provide talented students with the foundation of scientific knowledge required for careers in government, industry, or academia. Many students pursue graduate degrees and pursue careers in industry, at government agencies and in academia.

Marine Sciences graduates go on to become oceanographers, to manage our coastal resources, model air-sea interaction, and explore global climate change. They conduct basic and applied research, serving as environmental consultants for industry and governmental agencies, policy and management experts for governmental agencies, and environmental science educators. Graduates with a Natural Resources degree are versed in the fundamental processes and interdisciplinary nature of the coastal zone. As scientists, managers, administrators, and regulators, they make decisions regarding use and conservation of coastal and marine resources.

Geology graduates address society’s needs for dealing effectively with earth processes, such as water resources and the stability of land forms. They work for engineering firms, permit-issuing agencies, and industries that rely on geological resources. Historical geologists are familiar with the evolution of earth through time and provide a perspective on potential long-term reactions of the earth systems to change. Those who concentrate in Environmental Geology are trained to assess and monitor geological resources such as ground water. Marine geologists are experts in the complex issues facing industry, municipalities, and residents in the dynamic and ecologically vulnerable coastal zone.

Meteorology graduates enjoy careers in weather forecasting, air quality assessment, development of weather products and services, broadcast communications, and advanced research. Marine meteorologists study ocean-generated weather systems. Their research is yielding practical benefits such as refined prediction of storm surge, which has streamlined evacuation efforts during severe storms along the Carolina coast. Meteorology graduates with an air quality emphasis work for environmental firms, regulatory agencies, and in applied research. Study of air quality and how air pollution is transported and dispersed is a rapidly expanding field in the atmospheric sciences.

MEAS graduates play a key service role for the State of North Carolina, assisting in everything from forecasting severe storms and analyzing the impact of atmospheric pollutants on agriculture and our estuaries, to determining the effects of toxic waste disposal on quality of surface and ground water.