Ocean, Coastal and Earth Sciences (MS)
Ocean, Coastal and Earth Sciences (MS)
The School of Earth, Environmental, and Marine Sciences at The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley offers a Master of Science in Ocean, Coastal, and Earth Science (OCES). The goal of the OCES program is to provide students a unique integrative education and training experience that prepares them to meet the challenges and opportunities in the multiple dimensions of contemporary marine, coastal, and environmental science disciplines. Specifically, the OCES program targets students wishing to pursue a graduate degree with the intention of entering the work force to contribute their gained expertise and comprehensive understanding of complex ecological and resource systems made up of biotic and abiotic components coexisting and interacting with human communities and relevant socio-economic activities in ocean and coastal zone environments. This multidisciplinary degree program is designed to provide a rigorous applied and theoretical education in the marine and coastal sciences with emphasis on the environmental impacts of anthropogenic and natural forcings along the Texas coastline and beyond. Students graduating from the program will be prepared to take on decision-making positions in a wide range of governmental agencies and NGOs. They can expect a broad set of science careers, within and beyond academia, including private and public sector organizations concerned with marine and coastal systems, recognizing that rivers, estuaries, and the oceans are fundamentally important to our societies.
The educational objectives for students in the OCES program are: attaining a thorough understanding of marine and coastal zone dynamics at various levels of organization; 2) attaining quantitative and qualitative data-interpretation skills from raw experimental results as well as from interpretation of primary literature; 3) developing technical and intellectual skills to design, carry out and interpret results of experiments addressing marine and coastal problems employing a wide range of multidisciplinary, state-of-the-art approaches; 4) acquiring verbal and written communication skills to entertain professional discourse with experts within the discipline, exchange scientific ideas between researchers of diverse backgrounds and effectively communicate with a lay audience; and 5) developing and enhancing existing critical thinking skills through hands-on problem solving.
- Ranked #79 among 300+ national universities by Washington Monthly in 2018
- Ranked 4th best college in Texas 2018 by BestColleges.com
- Accredited, cutting edge degree program
- Experienced, dedicated faculty
- Affordable tuition (ranked #1 in net price among national universities by Washington Monthly in 2018 and #3 most affordable university in America 2018 by BestValueSchools.com)
- Demonstrated student success in research, professional certification and career advancement
Step #1: Submit a UTRGV Graduate Application at www.utrgv.edu/gradapply. There is no application fee.
Step #2: Request your official transcripts to be sent electronically to gradapps@utrgv.edu or mailed to:
The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley
The Graduate College
Marialice Shary Shivers Bldg. 1.158
1201 W. University Drive
Edinburg, TX 78539-2999
*Please Note: If you are a graduate of UTPA, UTB/TSC, or UTRGV you do not need to request an official transcript to be sent to the Graduate College.
Admission Requirements
To be admitted to the graduate program in OCES, prospective candidates must first meet all requirements for graduate admission to UT Rio Grande Valley, as well as the other requirements listed below:
- Bachelor's degree from a regionally accredited institution in the United States or a recognized international equivalent in a similar or related field.
- Undergraduate GPA of at least 3.0 in the last 60 semester credit hours.
- Statement of Research, including potential research advisor(s) in SEEMS or UTRGV with whom the applicant wants to work for thesis research.
- CV or Resume.
- Three letters of recommendation.
- GRE General Test with minimum scores with verbal 154 and quantitative 144. GRE test scores are valid for 5 years. A waiver of the GRE requirement will be granted to applicants who show proof of completing a graduate degree (master’s or doctoral).
Application for admission must be submitted prior to the published deadline.
Additional requirements for domestic applicants who attended foreign universities:
- For additional information, visit the Additional Documents for Domestic Applicants who Attend Foreign Universities section of our website.
Additional requirements for international applicants:
- For additional information, visit the International Admission page of our website.
To view a list of application deadlines and program contacts for our traditional programs, click here.
| Fall 2021-Summer 2022 Rates Tuition and Mandatory Fees | ||||
| Graduate | ||||
| Resident | Non-Resident* | |||
| Number of graduate course(s) (hours per course) |
Fall or Spring | Summer Session (each) | Fall or Spring | Summer Session (each) |
| One graduate course (3 hours a semester) |
$1,584.89 | $1,437.79 | $2,808.89 | $2,661.79 |
| Two graduate courses (6 hours a semester) |
$2,875.58 | $2,728.48 | $5,323.58 | $5,176.48 |
| Three graduate courses (9 hours a semester) |
$4,166.27 | $4,019.17 | $7,838.27 | $7,691.17 |
Fees included above:
- University Services Fee - $38.10 per hour ($457.20 maximum)
- Student Services Fee - $5.83 per hour ($69.96 maximum)
- Intercollegiate Athletics Fee - $15.00 per hour ($180.00 maximum)
- Recreation Fee ‐ $75 per Fall or Spring; $37.50 per summer term
- Medical Services Fee ‐ $30 per Fall or Spring; $15 per summer term
- Student Union Fee ‐ $30 per Fall or Spring; $15 per summer term
All resident tuition and mandatory fees shown above remain the same for hours over 20. Add $408 nonresident tuition for each hour over 20.
*Includes nonresident statutory tuition charges set by the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board and subject to annual change.
Total does not include Lab and Supplemental Instruction Fees which vary by course, or Differential Tuition. To view graduate tuition and fees rates, visit UTRGV’s U Central.
Click here to view the program's course requirements from the current catalog.
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