Students are encouraged to take advantage of the two study abroad programs described below. Students must apply for these programs through the Office of International Education and URI financial aid may be applied to their cost. For information about how to start the application process, contact Dr. Webb or watch for announcements from the Marine Biology Program. Any student who wants to do a Study Abroad program is strongly encouraged to consult with their academic advisor prior to starting the application process to understand how the program will fit into their course of study and if it might affect his/her graduation date.
URI in Bermuda (at the Bermuda Institute of Ocean Sciences [BIOS]). Spend a Fall Semester studying tropical marine biology in the lab and in the field (16-19 URI credits). Over the past five years between 3 and 18 students have completed this program each year. Students must have junior or senior standing, a cumulative GPA of at least 2.7, and must have completed pre-requisite courses (BIO 262, 360), each with a grade of C+ or higher. In addition, each student needs to schedule a short interview with the URI Faculty Coordinator (Dr. Webb) prior to starting the application process through the Office of International Education.
Prior to the start of the program, students are also required to provide the URI Diving Safety Officer with verification of SCUBA certification, medical exam, medical insurance and proof that they have had their SCUBA equipment inspected. Application DEADLINE is March 30 for the following Fall. Students from other universities who are interested in this program should contact BIOS directly.
URI courses for which students will get credit:
- BIO 469 Tropical Marine Invertebrates (5 cr.; MB elective)
- BIO 475 Coral Reef Ecology (5 cr.; MB elective) - Prerequisite: Bio 262
- BIO 495 Tropical Marine Biology Research (6 cr.; only 3 cr. may count as MB elective)
- AFS 433 Research Diving Methods (3 cr.; free elective)
Woods Hole SEA Semester (Sea Education Association, Woods Hole, MA) - Spend a semester (fall or spring, 12 weeks) or a summer (8 weeks) studying oceanography, maritime studies and boat operations in Woods Hole (Cape Cod) and learning to sail and carry out oceanographic research on a working cruise aboard a tall ship in the Atlantic (SSV Corwith Cramer) or Pacific Ocean (SSV Robert C. Seamans). Academic credit (17 cr. in fall or spring; 12 cr. in summer) will be directly applied to a student's URI transcript. SEA representatives are on campus periodically to speak to prospective students. All students must arrange a short interview with Dr. Webb prior to starting the application process through the Office of International Education.
URI courses for Ocean Exploration Semester:
- AFS 290 Small Boats (3 cr.; free elective)
- MAF 312 Politics of the Ocean (3 cr.; free elective)
- OCG 401 General Oceanography (3 cr.; required for MB major)
- OCG 493 & 494 Special Problems and Independent Study in Oceanography (4 cr. each, in Fall/Sp.) or OCG 493 Special Problems and Independent Study in Oceanography (3 cr., in summer), [in either case, a max. of 3 cr. may be applied to the MB major as MB elective).
In addition to the Ocean Exploration Semester program, additional programs are now available. They include "Documenting Change in the Caribbean" (a social science and humanities-intensive semester), and "Oceans and Climate" (for advanced science students). Consult the SEA website or contact Dr. Webb if you are interested in these new programs.
NOTE: Enrollment in SEA Semester is open to students over 18 years of age who are judged capable by SEA and benefiting from the SEA Semester experience regardless of major. Course work assumes sophomore level competence and academic credit (as described above). may be applied towards any program of study (including majors in Arts and Sciences and in Engineering).
Other Study Abroad Opportunities
The Office of International Education can direct students to dozens of other study abroad programs. In additional to traditional study abroad programs in Europe and elsewhere, Marine Biology majors have studied at James Cook University (Australia) and the University of Hawaii, and have participated in the National Student Exchange. |
