Natural Resources (BS): Marine and Coastal Concentration
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The degree of Bachelor of Science in Natural Resources is available with a concentration in Marine and Coastal Resources.
Marine scientists explore all aspects of the seas and coastal regions, seeking to understand how the oceans, their biological communities, the solid earth and the atmosphere interact. As professionals with interdisciplinary training, marine scientists are needed to advise business, industry and governments on the potential impact of human activities and the wise use of marine resources. Marine scientists work for consulting firms; regulatory agencies; the mass media; business and industry; federal, state and local governments; academic laboratories; research and education organizations; and nonprofit environmental watchdog groups.
Plan Requirements
| Code | Title | Hours | Counts towards |
|---|---|---|---|
| Major Core Courses | |||
| 惭贰础听100 | Earth System Science: Exploring the Connections | 4 | |
| 惭贰础听101 | Geology I: Physical | 3 | |
| 惭贰础听110 | Geology I Laboratory | 1 | |
| 惭贰础听130 | Introduction to Weather and Climate | 3 | |
| 惭贰础听135 | Introduction to Weather and Climate Laboratory | 1 | |
| 惭贰础听200 | Introduction to Oceanography | 3 | |
| 惭贰础听210 | Oceanography Lab | 1 | |
| 惭贰础听220 | Marine Biology | 3 | |
| 惭贰础听250 | Introduction to Coastal Environments | 3 | |
| 惭贰础听251 | Introduction to Coastal Environments Laboratory | 1 | |
| 惭贰础听459 | Field Investigation of Coastal Processes | 5 | |
| 惭贰础听469 | Ecology of coastal Resources | 3 | |
| 骋滨厂听280 | Introduction to GIS | 3 | |
| Advised Elective 1 | 3 | ||
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 | |||
| 狈搁听400 | Natural Resource Management | 4 | |
| Math/Statistics/Orientation | |||
| 惭础听131 | Calculus for Life and Management Sciences A 2 | 3 | |
| 惭础听231 | Calculus for Life and Management Sciences B | 3 | |
| 厂罢听311 | Introduction to Statistics | 3 | |
| 颁翱厂听100 | Science of Change | 2 | |
| Chemistry/Physics/Natural Sciences | |||
| 叠滨翱听181 | Introductory Biology: Ecology, Evolution, and Biodiversity | 4 | |
| 颁贬听101 | Chemistry - A Molecular Science | 3 | |
| 颁贬听102 | General Chemistry Laboratory | 1 | |
| 窜翱听350 | Animal Phylogeny and Diversity | 4 | |
| 颁贬听201 | Chemistry - A Quantitative Science | 3 | |
| 颁贬听202 | Quantitative Chemistry Laboratory | 1 | |
| 础贰颁听360 | Ecology | 4 | |
| 辞谤听笔叠听360 | 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 | |||
| 厂厂颁听200 &补尘辫;听厂厂颁听201 | Soil Science and Soil Science Laboratory | 4 | |
| 础贰颁听420 | Introduction to Fisheries Science | 3 | |
| English/Writing | |||
| 贰狈骋听101 | Academic Writing and Research 2 | 4 | |
| Select one of the following: | 3 | ||
| Communication for Engineering and Technology | |||
| Communication for Business and Management | |||
| Communication for Science and Research | |||
| Humanities/Social Sciences | |||
| 笔厂听201 | American Politics and Government | 3 | |
| 辞谤听笔厂听202 | 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 | |||
| 础搁贰听336 | Introduction to Resource and Environmental Economics | 3 | |
| 辞谤听贰颁听336 | Introduction to Resource and Environmental Economics | ||
| 笔厂听336 | Global Environmental Politics | 3 | |
| Health & Exercise Science | |||
| GEP Health and Exercise Studies | 1 | ||
| 贬贰厂础听226 | Skin and Scuba Diving I | 1 | |
| 辞谤听贬贰厂翱听253 | Orienteering | ||
| GEP Courses | |||
| GEP Humanities | 6 | ||
| GEP US Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion | 3 | ||
| GEP Global Knowledge (verify requirement) | |||
| Foreign Language Proficiency (verify requirement) | |||
| Total Hours | 120 | ||
- 1
Students should consult their academic advisors to determine which courses fill this requirement.
- 2
A grade of C- or higher is required.
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.
| First Year | ||
|---|---|---|
| Fall Semester | Hours | |
| 惭础听131 | Calculus for Life and Management Sciences A (CP) 1 | 3 |
| 惭贰础听100 | Earth System Science: Exploring the Connections 2 | 4 |
| 惭贰础听101 | Geology I: Physical 2 | 3 |
| 惭贰础听110 | Geology I Laboratory 2 | 1 |
| 颁翱厂听100 | Science of Change | 2 |
| GEP Health and Exercise Studies | 1 | |
| 听 | Hours | 14 |
| Spring Semester | ||
| 叠滨翱听181 | Introductory Biology: Ecology, Evolution, and Biodiversity (CP) 3 | 4 |
| 贰狈骋听101 | Academic Writing and Research 1 | 4 |
| 惭础听231 | Calculus for Life and Management Sciences B (CP) 3 | 3 |
| 惭贰础听130 | Introduction to Weather and Climate 2 | 3 |
| 惭贰础听135 | Introduction to Weather and Climate Laboratory 2 | 1 |
| 听 | Hours | 15 |
| Second Year | ||
| Fall Semester | ||
| 颁贬听101 | Chemistry - A Molecular Science (CP) 1 | 3 |
| 颁贬听102 | General Chemistry Laboratory 3 | 1 |
| 惭贰础听200 | Introduction to Oceanography (CP) 2 | 3 |
| 惭贰础听210 | Oceanography Lab 2 | 1 |
| 笔厂听336 | Global Environmental Politics | 3 |
| 惭贰础听220 | Marine Biology 2 | 3 |
| 听 | Hours | 14 |
| Spring Semester | ||
| 颁贬听201 | Chemistry - A Quantitative Science 3 | 3 |
| 颁贬听202 | Quantitative Chemistry Laboratory 3 | 1 |
| Economics Elective | 3 | |
| 惭贰础听250 | Introduction to Coastal Environments 2 | 3 |
| 惭贰础听251 | Introduction to Coastal Environments Laboratory 2 | 1 |
| 贬贰厂础听226 | Skin and Scuba Diving I | 1 |
| 窜翱听350 | Animal Phylogeny and Diversity 3 | 4 |
| 听 | Hours | 16 |
| Third Year | ||
| Fall Semester | ||
| GEP Humanities | 3 | |
| 笔叠听360 | Ecology 3 | 4 |
| 笔驰听211 | College Physics I 1 | 4 |
| 厂罢听311 | Introduction to Statistics 3 | 3 |
| 听 | Hours | 14 |
| Spring Semester | ||
| Chemistry Option Elective 2 | 3 | |
| Advanced Writing Elective | 3 | |
| ARE/EC 336 | Introduction to Resource and Environmental Economics | 3 |
| 惭贰础听469 | Ecology of coastal Resources 2 | 3 |
| 笔驰听212 | College Physics II 3 | 4 |
| 听 | Hours | 16 |
| Summer | ||
| 惭贰础听459 | Field Investigation of Coastal Processes 2 | 5 |
| 听 | Hours | 5 |
| Fourth Year | ||
| Fall Semester | ||
| GEP Humanities | 3 | |
| GEP US Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion | 3 | |
| 笔厂听336 | Global Environmental Politics | 3 |
| Advised Elective 2 | 3 | |
| 听 | Hours | 12 |
| Spring Semester | ||
| 础贰颁听420 | Introduction to Fisheries Science 3 | 3 |
| 骋滨厂听280 | Introduction to GIS 2 | 3 |
| 狈搁听400 | Natural Resource Management 2 | 4 |
| 厂厂颁听200 | Soil Science 3 | 3 |
| 厂厂颁听201 | Soil Science Laboratory 3 | 1 |
| 听 | Hours | 14 |
| 听 | Total Hours | 120 |
- 1
A grade of C- or higher is required.
- 2
No more than one D will be accepted in major core courses.
- 3
No more than one D will be accepted in other basic math or science courses.
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鈥檚 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.