The Department of Marine Science of The University of Texas at Austin offers programs of study leading to the M.S. and Ph.D. degrees in marine science. Graduate students may begin their academic program with coursework in the Summer semester in Port Aransas or in the Fall semester on the Austin campus. Students typically complete two semesters on the Austin campus before moving to The University of Texas Marine Science Institute in Port Aransas for specialized advanced courses and thesis or dissertation research. Students are required to take the three core courses: Marine Ecosystem Dynamics, Marine Biogeochemistry, and Adaptations to the Marine Environment.
The research and teaching interests of the faculty and staff of the Department of Marine Science and the Marine Science Institute are describe in our directory profiles. These individuals are based at the Marine Science Institute in Port Aransas, which is on the Gulf coast near Corpus Christi. The Marine Science Institute provides opportunities to study living organisms in the laboratory and in their natural habitats. A wide variety of environments is readily accessible, such as the pass connecting Corpus Christi Bay with the Gulf of Mexico, the continental shelf, and many bays and estuaries, including brackish estuaries and the hypersaline Laguna Madre. Extensive wet laboratory facilities with running seawater are available for maintaining marine organisms. There are also specialized wet laboratories and environmental chambers for mariculture, physiology, behavior, and toxicology research.
Vessels include the R/V KATY, a 54-foot ship with dredge and trawl equipment for collection of specimens and a fleet of smaller boats for use in bays and estuaries.
Modern laboratories are equipped to study vertebrate and invertebrate biochemistry, physiology, behavior, and ecology; viral, bacterial, algal, and seagrass physiology and ecology; mariculture; and marine chemistry and biogeochemistry. The library has extensive holdings in marine science and related disciplines. Remote terminals provide direct access to the mainframe computers on the Austin campus.
Acceptance into the graduate program is determined by the quality of your application and the willingness of a faculty member to provide financial support. Research assistantships and scholarships are the major sources of financial aid for graduate students. Teaching assistantships are the principle means of support while in Austin and a few are available during the summer in Port Aransas. Currently 33 students are enrolled in the Department’s graduate program. University apartments are available for student’s use during their stay in Port Aransas.
Additional information on our graduate program can be obtained by writing to the address shown below, by calling (361) 749-6801, by sending an This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it., or on this website. Prospective students are encouraged contact individual faculty members for further details of their research programs.
Yours Sincerely,
Dr. Ken Dunton, Professor
Graduate Adviser
Department of Marine Science
The University of Texas at Austin
Marine Science Institute
750 Channel View Drive
Port Aransas, Texas 78373-5015
