Admissions

Masters (MS/MA) Admissions Requirements

The Oceanographic Center offers four MS degree (Biological Sciences, Coastal Zone Management, Marine Biology, and Marine Environmental Sciences) and one MA degree (Marine and Coastal Studies).

Qualified Applicants

The MS degrees in Biological Sciences and Marine Biology require a baccalaureate degree in biology or a closely related field. The MS degrees in Coastal Zone Management and Marine Environmental Sciences require a bachelor’s degree or strong background in a natural sciences field. The Master of Arts in Marine and Coastal Studies does not require a science background.

Students are accepted into one of two classifications: Full Acceptance or Acceptance with Academic Requirements. Full Acceptance is awarded to those satisfying all acceptance criteria. Acceptance with Academic Requirements may be awarded to students who have not satisfied all of the criteria, but who have given evidence that they may succeed in the degree program. A ‘B’ grade or better in the first four courses is required before a student can be converted to Full Acceptance status.

To qualify for Full Acceptance, applicants must submit a transcript for a bachelor's degree with a major GPA of at least 3.0 and a cumulative GPA of 2.9.

The Graduate Record Examination (GRE) requirements are scores of 55% on the verbal portion, 55% on the quantitative portion, and 4.0 on the analytical writing portion for Full Acceptance, and scores of 40% on the verbal portion, 40% on the quantitative portion, and 3.5 on the analytical writing portion for Acceptance with Academic Requirements.

Admission Requirements for all Master's Applicants
Online application form and application fee

A completed application along with a $50 application fee is required. Payment can be made by check or money order made payable to "Nova Southeastern University". Visa, American Express, and MasterCard payments are accepted.

Graduate Record Examination

The Oceanographic Center requires all applicants to take the general GRE. Advanced aptitude test scores from the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) must be sent to us directly from Educational Testing Service, PO Box 995, Princeton, NJ 07540. Our Institution Code for Nova Southeastern University is 5514, and the Department Code for Marine Biology is 0211. The Institution code for the Oceanographic Center is 3236. The GRE requirement is waived only under extreme special circumstances. More information about the GRE may be found at www.gre.org.

Official transcripts of all undergraduate education

You need to request official transcripts from any educational institution attended since high school graduation. Request the certifying institution send transcripts directly to the Graduate Program Office at:

Nova Southeastern University
Oceanographic Center
8000 North Ocean Drive
Dania Beach, FL 33004

(954) 262-3600

Letters of Recommendation

The Oceanographic Center requires a minimum of three letters of recommendation. These signed documents are to be written on the appropriate letterhead, and are to be sent directly to the Oceanographic Center Graduate Program Office. If recommendation is sent by the student, the recommender must sign the seal of the envelope. Letters must come from professors or class instructors. An exception can be made if the applicant has been out of school for a long period of time, in which case, an employment supervisor's letter will be adequate.

Statement of Career Goals

A statement of career goals is required and is a part of the online application. Be as specific as you can concerning the types of positions and responsibility levels to which you aspire. Include long-term as well as short-term goals. Describe your expectations concerning the role of the Oceanographic Center graduate program in achieving your goals.