Marine Biology

Marine Biology

Marine Biology is a very exciting, popular field of study. It is a branch of oceanography.

Oceanography consists of six areas of specialization:

1) marine biology,

2) marine fisheries,

3) marine chemistry,

4) marine geology,

5) geophysics, and

6) physical oceanography.

Marine biology is the study of life in the sea. It particularly emphasizes life in the shallower littoral and sublittoral regions of the ocean. In contrast, biological oceanography studies life of deeper waters. Physical oceanography deals with mechanisms of energy transfer through the sea and across its boundaries and involves physical interactions of the sea with its surroundings, waves, tides, currents, thermal relationships, sediment transport, and acoustical and optical factors.The other specialties of oceanography are self-explanatory.

At Brigham Young University, the marine biology program follows a common nationally suggested curriculum that prepares students for graduate study. Marine biology students declare a major in Biology, taking a required balanced core of Bio classes that provides a broad background in biology. Math, physics, and chemistry are also included in this core. Marine biology classes are taken as major electives.

At any university, undergraduate students will receive only introductory courses in marine biology. Students then go on to graduate school to receive further, more extensive training. Marine biology is similar to other preprofessional programs in that you take a broad background on the undergraduate level and then specialize in graduate school.

The Department of Biology at BYU provides a very good academic background for marine biology in both the biological and physical sciences. Students will take a marine biology course, Bio 352. A section of this class is available each winter semester. In addition, during a spring term, most students take three BYU Bio classes at a marine station on the west coast. At present, students are taken for seven weeks to a marine station through the University of Oregon in Charleston, Oregon. There, the students get first-hand knowledge of the marine environment. Participating students receive lectures about a variety of concepts and then go directly into the field for "hands on" experiences. At the marine station the following courses are taken: Bio 452 (Marine Ecology), Bio 453 (Development of Marine Animals), and Bio 494R (mentored research). The Spring experience is a very popular program that has been carried out continuously for over thirty years. Students with particular interest in marine invertebrates often elect to take Bio 442 (advanced invertebrate zoology).

At BYU we have several wet labs and numerous aquaria in which research on marine organisms may be conducted. Three 250- gallon marine aquaria open into the hallway on the first floor of the Widtsoe Building.

During the undergraduate period of time, students should read research articles in areas of interest. This will help prepare students for their chosen area of specialization. It will also keep interests high throughout the off-seasons away from the marine environment.

Because it is popular, the job market is tight in marine biology. As a result, it is very competitive. It is hard to get into graduate programs in marine biology as it is, for example, in medicine, and the curriculum that students are asked to take is just as difficult at that for premedical students. Students must remember A-grade students will find the opportunities and those that have less than that in performance will not. Students should maintain at least a 3.5 average in order to be able to go on to a graduate school program. A student should realize the competitive situation is based on the job market, and decide early whether he or she will want to go into marine biology enough to meet the rigorous competition. One can find employment in marine biology with B.S. or M.S. degrees, but high paying jobs require a Ph.D.

The disciplines and employment areas in marine biology are quite wide. The great majority of marine biologists are associated with universities, where they teach and carry out research.

The main job opportunities in the field of marine biology are as follows:

• Teaching (secondary, college, and university)
• Research (private, state, and national government agencies)
• Marine aquaculture
• Shellfish and fish fisheries
• Consulting (environmental impact)
• Free-lance writing
• Photography
• Movie and video production
• Museum work
• Aquarium curation
• Park services

A student interested in marine biology should, soon after enrolling at BYU, introduce her or himself to the resident marine biologist, Dr. Lee F. Braithwaite, (189 WIDB, 422-2462).

The curriculum requirements for marine biology undergraduate students are as follows: