Graduate Studies

Prospective Students

Graduate students at the Galveston Campus of Texas A&M University are not just part of the Aggie family, they are our future. Our graduate students are changing the world through their work of discovery, innovation, and entrepreneurship to become successful professionals in knowledge-based institutions, public office or private corporations.

Graduate Programs    

Texas A&M University at Galveston offers one graduate certificate, three master’s, and two doctoral programs.

Certificate Program

Graduate Certificate in Maritime Business Administration through the Department of Maritime Business Administration

Master's Programs
Doctoral Programs

Marine and Coastal Management and Science    

The Marine and Coastal Management and Science (MCMS) Ph.D. program is an interdisciplinary program firmly grounded in both the social and physical sciences. The program emphasizes the impacts and opportunities from the built environment and development, rigorous training in research methods and analytical procedures, and interdisciplinary approaches to research and learning—with a focus on the coastal and marine near-shore environments, where problems at the interface of the natural and built-environment are most pronounced.

MCMS Program Details    

Who Should Apply
Who Should Apply

Increasing coastal population growth and development continues to threaten ecological and environmental systems, while people face increasing risk from natural hazards in the 21st century.  Resilient development of coasts in the face of threats from storms, coastal flooding, sea-level rise, and human alteration of natural environments is an issue of paramount global importance.  These multifaceted problems demand specialists who are capable of bridging the silos between coastal science, policy development, and sustainable management. This program was developed to train leaders to fill this need. Through their interdisciplinary training, MCMS graduates will have a multitude of options for employment, ranging from academic and research institutions, government, industry, consulting, to non-governmental organizations.

Program Details
Program Details

The Marine and Coastal Management and Science Ph.D. curriculum requires 60 hours for students entering with a master’s degree, or 90 hours for those entering with an undergraduate degree. Core coursework includes a series of methodological, quantitative, and theoretical courses. A flexible selection of courses on coastal management, geospatial analysis, living and nonliving resources, natural and technological hazards, and legal/ethical issues (chosen in consultation with the student’s faculty advisory committee) contextualize and ground the student’s research topic. Following coursework, students complete original research and a dissertation at the direction of a faculty advisory committee. 

Prerequisites
Prerequisites

Applicants to the MCMS program should have a broad base of both social and physical sciences with coursework in the following areas:

  • Biology
  • Chemistry
  • Physics
  • Advanced mathematics
  • Geology
  • Oceanography

 

Identify a Graduate Mentor
Identify a Graduate Mentor

Applicants must identify a faculty member who has agreed to act as their graduate advisor or committee chair.

  • The graduate faculty recommend that students begin contacting potential mentors 9-12 months in advance of their entry term. This step allows the potential faculty mentor to determine if your research interests match their own and if proper funding and space are available.
  • Please visit Marine and Coastal Environment and Science Faculty to review faculty research interests and contact information.
Steps to Apply
Steps to Apply
  1. Complete a GraduateCAS application.
  2. Upload a Personal Statement. A personal statement presents a narrative explaining your reasons for applying to the graduate program in Marine and Coastal Management and Science as well as professional goals. There is no word limit for the statement of purpose.
  3. Upload a Resume or Curriculum Vitae (CV). A resume or CV demonstrates your involvement in academia and/or the workplace. It complements the statement of purpose.
  4. Provide Contact Information for 3 Recommenders. Letters of recommendation help the admissions committee learn more about you from the perspective of former professors. If it has been some time since you attended school, you may submit professional recommendations from employers instead. You can enter contact information about recommenders in the GraduateCAS application, and they will receive instructions on how to submit their letter.
  5. Submit Transcripts. Uploads of unofficial transcripts from all higher educational institutions attended are required to complete your application. 
    • If admitted, students will need to send official transcripts directly from all higher educational institutions attended to the Admissions Office. See Application Process for mailing address and/or electronic transmission instructions.
  6. Pay Application Fee. Applicants must pay the required application fee of $89 for domestic applicants or $114 for international applicants.
    • Only credit cards are accepted. Refunds will not be issued for any reason.

Marine Resources Management    

In 2002, the Master of Marine Resources Management (MMRM) degree became the first graduate level degree to be approved by the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board to be offered at the Texas A&M University at Galveston campus. The Marine Resources Management program provides students with a broad understanding of coastal and ocean policy and management. This degree program views marine natural resources management and policy development from both an ecological and policy perspective. The degree may be viewed as comparable to an MBA as an alternative degree for people working in marine, ocean, and coastal organizations. In addition, the degree program may address the needs of some public school science teachers seeking a degree outside the field of education.

MARM Program Details    

Who Should Apply
Who Should Apply

The Marine Resources Management program is designed for both continuing students and professionals engaged in management of our ocean and coastal resources. Both thesis and non-thesis options are available in this degree, with courses in economics, policy, law and management well as physical, biological, and information science - all focused on our coasts and oceans. The demand for graduates in industry, government, academia and non-governmental organizations has never been stronger. Federal agencies employing graduates include the U.S. Coast Guard, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, and the Environmental Protection Agency. State agencies include the Texas General Land Office and the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality. Industries employing graduates include oil and natural gas, environmental consulting companies, ports, and tourism. These organizations have identified the need for a degree which focuses on national and international ocean resource law and policy; coastal zone management; physical and geochemical marine resources management strategies; and fisheries management.

Program Details
Program Details

The Marine Resources Management Program is a 36-hour degree. The non-thesis/professional track consists of 24 hours of required core courses and 12 hours of electives. The thesis/research track consists of 22 hours of required core courses and 14 hours of electives, six of which may be used toward original research for the thesis.

Learn More about Master of Marine Resources Management Degree

Prerequisites
Prerequisites

Applicants to the MARM program should have a broad-based of science and economics. Prior coursework should include:

  • Introductory Biology I & II
  • Fundamentals of Chemistry I & II
  • Mechanics
  • Engineering Math I
  • Physical Geology
  • Oceanography
  • Microeconomics
Identify a Graduate Mentor (Thesis Track)
Identify a Graduate Mentor (Thesis Track)
  • Applicants who intend to pursue the thesis/research track must identify a faculty member who has agreed to act as their graduate advisor or committee chair.
  • The graduate faculty recommend that students begin contacting potential mentors 9-12 months in advance of their entry term. This step allows the potential faculty mentor to determine if your research interests match their own and if proper funding and space are available.
  • Please visit Marine and Coastal Environment and Science Faculty to review faculty research interests and contact information.
Steps to Apply
Steps to Apply
  1. Complete a GraduateCAS application.
  2. Upload a Personal Statement. A personal statement presents a narrative explaining your reasons for applying to the Master of Marine Resources Management program as well as professional goals. There is no word limit for the statement of purpose.
  3. Upload a Resume or Curriculum Vitae (CV). A resume or CV demonstrates your involvement in academia and/or the workplace. It complements the statement of purpose.
  4. Provide Contact Information for 3 Recommenders. Letters of recommendation help the admissions committee learn more about you from the perspective of former professors. If it has been some time since you attended school, you may submit professional recommendations from employers instead. You can enter contact information about recommenders in the GraduateCAS application, and they will receive instructions on how to submit their letter.
  5. Submit Transcripts. Uploads of unofficial transcripts from all higher educational institutions attended are required to complete your application. 
    • If admitted, students will need to send official transcripts directly from all higher educational institutions attended to the Admissions Office. See Application Process for mailing address and/or electronic transmission instructions.
  6. Pay Application Fee. Applicants must pay the required application fee of $89 for domestic applicants or $114 for international applicants.
    • Only credit cards are accepted. Refunds will not be issued for any reason.

Marine Biology Graduate Program    

Strengths of the Marine Biology program rely upon the international recognition and scholarly work of our faculty.  Students in the program are exposed to knowledge and research techniques related to marine ecology, coastal and oceanic habitats, marine vertebrates and invertebrates, marine fisheries, marine botany and wetlands, and coastal management and conservation. The program places an emphasis on molecular, organism, and ecosystems levels.

The program offers a doctoral degree, a master’s thesis degree, and a non-thesis master’s degree. With a sweeping scope of programs, disciplines, and departments constituting the curriculum, graduates of the Marine Biology program will be well prepared to enter higher education, private or public industry, and much more.

MARB Graduate Program Details    

Who Should Apply
Who Should Apply

The Marine Biology Graduate Program is designed for students who wish to pursue careers in education, government, or private industry. The principal strengths of the marine biology program lies in the international recognition, scholarly productivity, and sponsored research funding of its diverse faculty, as well as its strategic location on the Gulf of Mexico. Typical careers for marine biology graduates include postdoctoral or faculty positions in academia, research and development positions in the private and public sector, government professionals, and industrial professionals.

Program Details
Program Details

The Marine Biology Graduate Program offers a master’s thesis degree and master’s non-thesis degree and a doctoral degree.  The thesis option is intended for students planning to continue with their graduate education at the doctoral level and subsequently enter university-level teaching and research programs, or those seeking governmental service in a resource management capacity.

The Ph.D. degree is intended for students who are interested in teaching and conducting independent research in academia, government or industry, or overseeing such research. Students may enter the Ph.D. program directly after the completion of undergraduate B.S. degree if they have sufficient preparation, or may enter with a M.S. degree in biology or a related discipline.  For more information, on the Galveston program, please visit the Department of Marine Biology.

18 Characteristics of Texas Public Doctoral Programs Learn more about Marine Biology IDP program

Prerequisites
Prerequisites

In addition to a good grade point average in a related field of study, an applicant for the MARB Graduate program should have a solid biology, chemistry and math/statistics course background. This should include courses in general biology, vertebrates, cell biology, invertebrates, genetics, general chemistry, organic chemistry as well as calculus and statistics.

Steps to Apply
Steps to Apply
  1. Complete a GraduateCAS application.
  2. Upload a Personal Statement. A personal statement presents a narrative explaining your reasons for applying to the graduate program in Marine Biology as well as professional goals. There is no word limit for the statement of purpose.
  3. Upload a Resume or Curriculum Vitae (CV). A resume or CV demonstrates your involvement in academia and/or the workplace. It complements the statement of purpose.
  4. Provide Contact Information for 3 Recommenders. Letters of recommendation help the admissions committee learn more about you from the perspective of former professors. If it has been some time since you attended school, you may submit professional recommendations from employers instead. You can enter contact information about recommenders in the GraduateCAS application, and they will receive instructions on how to submit their letter.
  5. Identify Your Mentor and Request a Support Letter (thesis option M.S. and Ph.D. only). M.S. Thesis Option and Ph.D. applicants must enter their TAMUG faculty mentor’s name in the box indicated in the Program Materials Section of the GraduateCAS application to be considered for admission. Applicants must also request a support letter from their prospective faculty mentor by entering the mentor’s name and email address in the Recommendations tab. Requests will be automatically sent to the faculty mentor when this information is saved in GraduateCAS. Please do not request a letter from a faculty mentor with whom you do not already have an express agreement to be considered for admission. Applications without a support letter from a TAMUG faculty member will be denied.
  6. Submit Transcripts. Uploads of unofficial transcripts from all higher educational institutions attended are required to complete your application. 
    • If admitted, students will need to send official transcripts directly from all higher educational institutions attended to the Admissions Office. See Application Process for mailing address and/or electronic transmission instructions.
  7. Pay Application Fee. Applicants must pay the required application fee of $89 for domestic applicants or $114 for international applicants.

Only credit cards are accepted. Refunds will not be issued for any reason.

Maritime Business Administration and Logistics    

The curriculum of the master's degree in Maritime Business Administration and Logistics (MBAA) prepares professionals for leadership positions in maritime transport and logistics in both the public and private sectors. The program builds on the highly successful undergraduate program in Maritime Business Administration.

Recently Announced: Tuition Reduction for Non-Resident Merchant Mariner License Students

MBAA Program Details    

Who Should Apply
Who Should Apply

This Maritime Business Administration and Logistics program is designed for individual professionals in such fields as port management, supply chain management, public policy as it relates to marine transport and the coastal zone, inland waterways, coastal shipping, and international trade and financial transactions. The curriculum has significant components in economics, finance, business analysis and management.

Program Details
Program Details

The Maritime Business Administration and Logistics program is a 36 hour degree. Twenty-one required hours constitute the core of the program. Fifteen additional hours are taken by students as electives according to their particular professional interests, in a thesis or non-thesis format. The Maritime Policy and Law track is designed for those seeking to enter public service and focuses on environmental stewardship in the public and private sectors. The Shipping and Port Management track is intended for those more interested in the commercial side of the maritime industry. Students may also choose five electives that are not structurally part of either two tracks if they prefer. Students who opt to write a thesis will fulfill the requirement by using six of the fifteen elective credits toward original research for the thesis option degree. For more information, please consult the Texas A&M University at Galveston catalog at https://catalog.tamu.edu/.

Prerequisites
Prerequisites

Students are assumed to be familiar with the basic accounting, finance, intermediate statistics, microeconomics, and the essential elements of the management process. The concepts in these courses are central to the courses that compose the Maritime Business Administration and Logistics graduate program. These courses are common to many curricula and are found on most 4-year campuses. If students enrolling in the graduate program are not familiar with the contents of these courses, they can consult the undergraduate curricula in Maritime Business Administration at https://catalog.tamu.edu/.

Steps to Apply
Steps to Apply
  1. Complete a GraduateCAS application.
  2. Upload a Personal Statement. A personal statement presents a narrative explaining your reasons for applying to the Master of Maritime Business Administration and Logistics program as well as professional goals. There is no word limit for the statement of purpose.
  3. Upload a Professional Resume. A resume demonstrates your involvement in academia and/or the workplace. It complements the statement of purpose.
  4. Provide Contact Information for 2 Recommenders. Letters of recommendation help the admissions committee learn more about you from the perspective of former professors. If it has been some time since you attended school, you may submit professional recommendations from employers instead. You can enter contact information about recommenders in the GraduateCAS application, and they will receive instructions on how to submit their letter.
  5. Submit Transcripts. Uploads of unofficial transcripts from all higher educational institutions attended are required to complete your application. 
    • If admitted, students will need to send official transcripts directly from all higher educational institutions attended to the Admissions Office. See Application Process for mailing address and/or electronic transmission instructions.
  6. Pay Application Fee. Applicants must pay the required application fee of $89 for domestic applicants or $114 for international applicants.
    • Only credit cards are accepted. Refunds will not be issued for any reason.

Maritime Business Administration Certificate Details    

Program Details
Program Details

The Maritime Business Administration Certificate requires students to complete 12 hours.

MARA 610 Maritime Strategic Management
MARA 627 Marketing of Maritime Services
MARA 650 Supply Chain Management
MARA 678 Service Operations Management

These courses can be transferred into the Master of Maritime Business Administration and Logistics degree. However, students must apply and be accepted to the Master of Maritime Business Administration and Logistics program prior to taking classes beyond the 12 hours of required certificate courses.

Steps to Apply
Steps to Apply
  1. Complete a GraduateCAS application.
  2. Submit Transcripts. Upload of an unofficial transcript showing a bachelor’s or professional degree (or equivalent) awarded is required to complete your application. 
    • If admitted, students will need to send an official transcript showing a bachelor’s or professional degree (or equivalent) awarded directly from the degree-granting institution to the Admissions Office. See Application Process for mailing address and/or electronic transmission instructions.
  3. Pay Application Fee. Applicants must pay the required application fee of $89 for domestic applicants or $114 for international applicants.

Only credit cards are accepted. Refunds will not be issued for any reason.

College Station: Ocean Engineering    

Texas A&M University in College Station offers graduate work and a graduate program at the Galveston campus.  The Department of Ocean Engineering offers a 30 credit, non-thesis Master of Science in Ocean Engineering degree exclusively on the Galveston Campus, which can be completed within a year, and a 30 credit Master of Engineering in Ocean Engineering at both campuses. A Master of Science with thesis is also offered on both campuses. Graduate coursework is offered through the following departments: Oceanography, Civil Engineering and Ocean Engineering.  Students are admitted to these programs through the Admissions Office at the Texas A&M University main campus in College Station.