he Marine Science Consortium offers intensive graduate and undergraduate courses during four 3-week long summer sessions. Courses are field oriented and provide substantial experience in applications within disciplines. Classes are small, averaging 12 students per course, allowing a great deal of student-teacher interaction. Because the Marine Science Consortium draws its faculty from throughout its Membership, professors with expertise in diverse specific subject areas are available to teach at the Marine Science Center. All courses are taught by specialists with direct professional experience in the content areas of the courses. The combination of faculty expertise, a unique geological and biological environment for fieldwork, ready access to specialized equipment, and an opportunity for focused study create an unparalleled learning environment.

To create an intensive learning experience, and to allow the flexibility for substantial fieldwork, students take only a single course during each three weeklong session. No courses may be taken concurrently during a single 3-week session. There are four 3-week long sessions each summer. Students may register for 1, 2, 3, or 4 three-week long courses during a given summer. Session I begins in mid-May and Session IV ends in mid-August. Each course generates 3 semester hours of academic credits. In the courses listed on the Sessions & Courses page, stated prerequisites are general and minimal to accommodate differences in programs between participating institutions. Most students participating in courses at the Marine Science Center have a solid foundation in fundamental biology or geology. Students unfamiliar with courses offered at the Marine Science Center should inquire to see if their background prepares them to succeed in a course.