Are you interested in studying marine biology at UW?
Marine biology at UW spans the entire campus, connecting scientists from a diverse array of disciplines. Faculty, staff, and students studying marine biology come from award-winning departments such as Oceanography, Aquatic & Fishery Sciences, Biology, Psychology, International Studies, and others. All are dedicated to the study of life in the marine world, how organisms in marine environments interact with each other, their ecosystems, physical and chemical processes, human impacts, and conservation efforts.
Because the UW is intimately connected to the Puget Sound and Pacific coastal areas, all marine biology coursework emphasizes hands-on learning. Marine biology students collect data and design their own research projects, work in faculty labs, go on field-trips, live and study at the Friday Harbor Laboratories, UW's marine station in the San Juan Islands, study in Alaska, and participate in a variety of research trips.
Incoming undergraduate students interested in marine biology can declare the marine biology minor upon entering the UW and join a small community of researchers and peers. While pursuing the minor requirements, students can explore three possible majors that marine biology undergraduates often pursue: Oceanography, Aquatic & Fishery Sciences, and Biology. Undergraduates can also declare the marine biology minor at any time during their degrees as a companion to any major discipline.
Along with declaring the minor, incoming undergraduates can declare the Oceanography major or the Aquatic & Fishery Sciences major on their UW admissions application, if they already know where their interests lie. Prospective biology majors must complete a few prerequisite courses before declaring the biology major.
In addition to the marine biology minor and related majors, the UW has many opportunities for students and UW community members to explore the marine environment through courses and events offered through programs and departments in the environmental and biological sciences. For more information about marine biology at the UW, contact: