UMass Boston

Applicants must meet general graduate admission requirements in addition to the following program-specific requirements:

Test Scores: GRE
Letters of Recommendation: 2
Other: Faculty advisor commitment, 3.0 undergraduate GPA

Deadlines: February 1 for fall, October 1 for spring

Application Fee: The nonrefundable application fee is $75. UMass Boston alumni and current students that plan to complete degree requirements prior to graduate enrollment can submit the application without paying the application fee.

Estimate Your Program Cost: Get a feel for your expected program costs using the Graduate Program Cost Calculator.

Program Cost Information: For more detailed information on costs, please visit the Bursar's website.

Course Requirements

Core Courses (9 to 10 Credits): Complete three from below.

• ENVSCI 630 - Biological Oceanography 3 Credit(s)
• ENVSCI 640 - The Chemistry of Natural Waters 3 Credit(s)
  or
• ENVSCI 641 - The Geochemistry of a Habitable Planet 3 Credit(s)
• and ENVSCI 642 - Laboratory for the Geochemistry of a Habitable Planet 1 Credit(s)
• ENVSCI 650 - Physical Oceanography 3 Credit(s)

School for the Environment Seminar (2 Credits): All MS students must attend seminar each week throughout their enrollment in the program but will receive no more than 2 credits for seminar.

• ENVSCI 791 - Seminar in Environmental Sciences 1 Credit(s)

For more information on curriculum, including course descriptions and degree requirements, visit the Academic Catalog.

Program Requirements

Complete 30 credits from at least ten courses including three core courses, one School for the Environment seminar, one thesis course, and 12 to 13 credits of electives.

Capstone: Complete a master’s thesis.

Students may apply for transfer to the Marine Science and Technology (PhD) program upon completion of core course requirements.

Minimum grade: No courses with grade below B can be applied to the program. Students who earn B- in two courses will be considered no longer in good standing and may be dismissed from the program. Students who receive a grade below C in any graduate course will be dismissed from the program.
Grading basis: Courses must be taken graded unless the course is only offered on a satisfactory/unsatisfactory basis.
GPA: A minimum GPA of 3.0 is required from all courses applied toward the program.
Residency: Graduate course credits earned at another institution, as a non-degree student, or in another department may only be applied to the program with approval from the dissertation committee and graduate program director.
Course level: No more than one course taken at UMass Boston at the 300/400-level may be applied toward the program with approval of the thesis/project advisor and graduate program director.
Statute of limitations: Six years.

Graduate Program Director Michael Tlusty
michael.tlusty [at] umb.edu
(617) 287-5285