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.
- #1 in Texas for Lowest Net Price – Washington Monthly, 2022
- #2 Top Texas Public University -Washington Monthly, 2022
- #3 Among National Public Universities for Least Student Debt -U.S. News & World Report, 2022
- #4 for Awarding Master’s Degrees to Hispanic Latino Students -Hispanic Outlook on Education Magazine, 2022
- Top 10 Best Online Colleges in Texas -EDSMART.ORG 2021
For more information on UTRGV’s notable achievements and recognitions visit our Reputation site.
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
Graduate Admissions
Marialice Shary Shivers Bldg. 1.102
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.
Step #3: Admission Requirements
Click here to view the program’s admission requirements and courses from the current graduate catalog.
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.
For estimated costs visit Tuition and Fees.
About O*NET
The Occupational Information Network (O*NET) Database was developed under the sponsorship of the U.S. Department of Labor. The database contains information about almost 1,000 occupations covering the entire U.S. economy. The database is free and continually updated with detailed information about jobs in each state and industry.
Job Opportunities
