The Marine Studies undergraduate degree will explore the dynamic relationship between people and the marine environment—how people affect the ocean and, in turn, how the ocean affects humans. The degree program is for students who seek a liberal arts education and are keenly aware of the importance of the human dimension, broadly defined, of the marine environment in understanding the growing challenges and opportunities for the sustainability of our oceans and coasts. Housed in the College of Liberal Arts and supported by a partnership between the College of Liberal Arts and the Marine Studies Initiative, the undergraduate Marine Studies degree will draw on OSU’s excellent natural and social science traditions, as well as exceptional arts and humanities programs, to provide students with conceptual foundations, immersive experiences, and professional skills in the liberal arts-based areas of importance to marine studies.
Students will gain expertise and understanding of the social, cultural and economic issues currently faced by coasts and oceans, at regional, national, and international levels, while grounded in foundational knowledge of the marine natural systems. Students will be uniquely prepared for employment in a range of public and private settings, and for continued education in graduate school, through the development of interdisciplinary and collaborative problem-solving skills, strong ocean literacy, and hands-on coastal experiences. Students may earn either a B.S. or B.A. in Marine Studies through the College of Liberal Arts.