Curriculum

Portfolio of course offerings for the master's degree program in Marine Biodiversity and Conservation:

Core Program Requirements

A Commentary on the MAS Program at the Center for Marine Biodiversity and Conservation (CMBC) at Scripps Institution of Oceanography (SIO) at the University of California San Diego (UCSD)

The twelve-month MAS program in the CMBC is an intensive, highly interdisciplinary program that co-mingles exceptional masters students with equally exceptional PhD students in several core courses. Each of these core courses, offered by senior faculty at UCSD, can be taken only for a Satisfactory/Unsatisfactory (S/U) rather than for a traditional letter grade. The faculty strongly believe that the S/U grading is pedagogically a very sound approach for the unique, intensive, and interdisciplinary courses offered. Similarly, students are encouraged to use the S/U option when available for other courses during the academic year as well. Thus, for the CMBC MAS students, “Satisfactory” grades do not in any way reflect a student’s avoidance of traditional letter grades. Additionally, the “Satisfactory” grade is equivalent to a traditional letter grade of either an “A” or “B,” anything less would garner an “Unsatisfactory” grade.

The CMBC MAS students are carefully selected to ensure that they can perform well in a very vigorous academic setting among PhD students at SIO – one of UCSD’s most competitive PhD program. MAS students who complete the 48 credit hour MAS program have clearly exhibited an outstanding academic performance in a unique, interdisciplinary program at an internationally renown institution.