Master of Science - Marine Science

Advance your career with a Master in Marine Science at CSUMB. Study near Monterey Bay with top faculty. Apply now for an exceptional education!

The M.S. in Marine Science program is a thesis-based master’s degree offered through the Moss Landing Marine Laboratories (MLML) consortium campus, which includes CSU Monterey Bay (CSUMB), San José State University (SJSU), and other CSU campuses. The MLML degree through CSUMB provides students with a hands-on, field-oriented learning experience that is respected worldwide and positions them at the forefront of marine science knowledge and research. The program offers a distinctive level of experiential preparation in marine science, featuring fully equipped marine operations at MLML, an active research diving program, state-of-the-art equipment and instrumentation, and exposure to a broad range of innovative research activities. The program’s emphasis on hands-on, project-based learning provides students with exceptional opportunities to apply core principles and theories in real-world settings using advanced scientific resources. Its unparalleled location allows coursework and fieldwork to take place throughout the Monterey Bay region, offering access to diverse environments such as kelp forests, rocky intertidal zones, the deep sea, and Elkhorn Slough. Through partnership with Moss Landing Marine Laboratories, students gain access to cutting-edge equipment, instrumentation, marine facilities, boats, and aquaria. Extensive research activities introduce students to a wide range of disciplines within marine science through coursework and thesis research. CSUMB faculty research specialties include fish ecology, ecophysiology, climate change biology, marine predator ecology, marine microbial ecology, population genetics, genomics, bioinformatics, biological oceanography, and applications to policy and management.