Marine Science Degrees and Research at HPU
The marine science program at Hawaii Pacific University gives students a rigorous scientific understanding of the world’s oceans and the life they contain, as well as a sense of appreciation for their beauty and fragility.
We offer two undergraduate degree programs and one graduate degree program:
BS Marine Biology
Academics
The Marine Biology curriculum features a strong science core. This includes one year of lecture and laboratory courses in general biology, one year of lecture and laboratory courses in general chemistry and one year of lecture and laboratory courses in physics. In addition, the core science program includes a two semester series of differential and integral calculus. Along with the core science program, all Marine Biology majors are introduced to oceanographic field-work during the first year of our program with a course in oceanographic field techniques conducted on our research vessel, the R/V Kaholo. Marine Biology majors then take sophomore level courses in both Oceanography and Marine Biology. These are in-depth survey courses in Marine Biology (life in the sea) and Oceanography (ocean chemistry, geology and physics). Following these general science and survey courses, Marine Biology majors take 40 to 43 credits of upper division courses with an emphasis on the marine environment including, Marine Ecology, Comparative Animal Physiology, Cell and Molecular Biology Statistics and a variety of other upper division courses.
Hands On
Almost every science lecture course in the major has a laboratory component, with hands on work pertinent to real-world science. Many of our laboratory courses use the R/V Kaholo for field-work in Kaneohe Bay or in the open ocean surrounding the Hawaiian Archipelago. Graduate teaching assistants are not used to teach HPU laboratory courses and HPU faculty provide instruction in all laboratory and lecture courses. Furthermore, all of the marine science laboratory courses are limited to 12 students, providing participants with the opportunity to work closely with HPU faculty. In addition to the hands-on opportunities in regular laboratory courses, upper division students are encouraged to do internships. These internships or practicum courses can be done at HPU or any other science research organization including our research affiliate the Oceanic Institute.
Outcomes
Graduates from the Marine Science Degree Program follow diverse career paths after graduation. Given that science and technology is the driving force for much of the economic activity in the developed nations, our graduate’s science background provides them with many opportunities. Our analysis of our students post graduate activities indicate that about one quarter of our Marine Biology graduates enter graduate school in the sciences. HPU graduates are currently earning in Master’s or Ph.D.’s in science at institutions throughout the continental United States and in several foreign countries, including Great Brittain, Germany, Australia and New Zealand. A larger percentage of our graduates use their training in science in the workplace following graduation. These employment activities include, working for consulting companies, research organizations or for government agencies. Examples include graduates working at the Oceanic Institute as research technicians, for the National Ocean and Atmospheric Administration as fisheries observers or the State organizations like the Department of Land and Natural Resources. In addition, some of our graduates enter medical school or law school. Others become educators helping to satisfy the huge demand for high school science teachers throughout the United States.
BS Oceanography
Academics
The Oceanography curriculum features a strong science core. This includes one year of lecture and laboratory courses in general biology, one year of lecture and laboratory courses in general chemistry and one year of lecture and laboratory courses in physics. In addition, the core science program includes a two semester series of differential and integral calculus. Along with the core science program, all Oceanography majors are introduced to oceanographic field-work during the first year of our program with a course in oceanographic field techniques conducted on our research vessel, the R/V Kaholo. Oceanography majors then take sophomore level courses in both Oceanography and Marine Biology. These are in-depth survey courses in Marine Biology (life in the sea) and Oceanography (ocean chemistry, geology and physics). Following these general science and survey courses, Oceanography majors take 21 credits of upper division ocean science courses. These courses include, Geological Oceanography and lab, Chemical Oceanography and lab, Physical Oceanography and lab and a course in Descriptive Oceanography. The Oceanography curriculum also provides for 15 upper division electives to allow Oceanography majors to focus in an area of interest in ocean science.
Hands On
Almost every science lecture course in the Oceanography major has a laboratory component, with hands on work pertinent to real world science. Several of our lower division laboratory courses use the R/V Kaholo for field-work in Kaneohe Bay or in the open-ocean surrounding the Hawaiian Archipelago. All of the upper division laboratory courses use the R/V Kaholo along with the university’s oceanographic sampling and analytical gear. These laboratory courses provide oceanography majors with hands-on experience in a real-world oceanographic research setting. Graduate teaching assistants are not used to teach HPU laboratory courses and HPU faculty provide instruction in all HPU laboratories and lecture courses. Furthermore, all of the oceanography laboratory courses are limited to 12 students, providing participants with the opportunity to work closely with HPU faculty. In addition to the hands-on opportunities in regular laboratory courses, upper division students are encouraged to do internships. These internships or practicum courses can be done at HPU or any other science research organization including our research affiliate the Oceanic Institute.
Outcomes
Graduates from HPU’s Marine Science Degree Program follow diverse career paths after graduation. Given that science and technology is the driving force for much of the economic activity in developed nations, our graduate’s science background provides them with many opportunities. Our analysis of our students post graduate activities indicate that about one quarter of our students enter graduate school in the sciences following graduation. HPU graduates are earning Master’s or Ph.D.’s in science at institutions throughout the continental United States and in several foreign countries, including Great Brittain, Germany, Australia and New Zealand. A larger percentage of our graduates use their training in science in the workplace following graduation. These employment activities include, working for consulting companies, research organizations or for government agencies. Examples include graduates working at the Oceanic Institute as research technicians, for the National Ocean and Atmospheric Administration as fisheries observers for State organizations like the Department of Land and Natural Resources or for technology firms specializing in ocean science. In addition, some of our graduates enter medical school or law school. Others become educators helping to satisfy the huge demand for high school science teachers throughout the United States.
MS Marine Science
Affiliation with Oceanic Institute opens door to hands-on learning
The two-year, thesis-based master’s degree program will emphasize laboratory research and fieldwork. Each graduate student will work on a research project of his or her own design with a mentor professor responsible for guiding the student through his or her coursework, research, and thesis.
“One of the key distinctions of our marine science program is our focus on science education and training, and less about the outcome of the research itself. For us, the student’s future is most important and comes first, before the publication or the next grant,” said Dr. Alissa Arp, dean of HPU’s College of Natural Sciences and vice president of research.
“We are filling a particular niche not previously offered on the island by building on HPU’s strengths – a rigorous, intimate setting between students and professors,” said Dr. Chris Winn, director of HPU’s marine and environmental science program.
Small class sizes will offer professors close contact with students. The faculty members involved in the program have diverse backgrounds and expertise and are “excited, driven, and want to share their experiences with students,” said Arp, herself a nationally renowned deep-sea research scientist and educator.
Students will learn to solve complex marine systems problems and demonstrate competence in scientific communications through hands-on field experiences, reports, publications, and oral presentations.
These learning experiences will better prepare graduates for positions in organizations such as the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Association, the U.S. Coast Guard, and other entities offering scientific research, consulting, and teaching opportunities.
“Their opportunities are wide open. With a degree in science you are qualified to do almost anything, since students will have had training in mathematics, writing, and analytical, critical, and creative thinking,” said Arp.
Students will be based at the University’s 56-acre aquaculture facility affiliate Oceanic Institute (OI), serving as an invaluable learning laboratory as students weave fieldwork, experiments, and lab analysis into their educational experiences and work alongside professional scientists.
“An integral part of the OI-HPU collaboration is that OI scientists and HPU faculty will team up to work with students and determine what kind of impact we can have locally on the coastal environment,” said Arp.
Students will work with HPU and OI scientists, exploring marine chemistry, finding potential medical applications from marine compounds, and conducting research on marine mammal issues, such as investigating the causes of animal strandings on local beaches.
“HPU and OI will work together to provide graduates the latest science and innovation in marine biology, aquaculture, and oceanography,” she said. “The MSMS program is a key to a strong science program which will contribute to distinguishing HPU as a leading comprehensive university.”
Hawai'i Pacific University
