Summer Field Courses in Marine Science
The best way to learn about marine biology is to get your feet wet, literally. Or, in the memorable words of 19th C. naturalist, Louis Agassiz, "Study Nature Not Books". Summer field courses offered by marine laboratories provide invaluable opportunities for learning about marine organisms in their natural environment.
Shoals Marine Laboratory (SML; Cornell U. and Univ. New Hampshire; on Appledore Island, in the Gulf of Maine, 6 miles off Portsmouth, NH). Spend several weeks during the summer taking one or more courses in marine biology and ecology. Only one course may be taken at a time (full-time, courses are between one week and one month in length) , and wide range of courses in marine science is offered each summer. Academic credit (from Cornell) is transferable; students should get transfer credit pre-approved. Financial aid (scholarships and employment on Appledore Is.) is available from SML via application. Apply early during spring semester (rolling admissions). SML also offers research opportunities for undergraduates through its NSF-REU program (see Research Opportunities page).
Friday Harbor Laboratories (FHL; University of Washington Marine Laboratory, San Juan Island in Puget Sound). Several courses are offered in the spring and summer and financial aid is available. Research apprenticeships (for academic credit) are also available.
Marine Biological Laboratory (MBL; Woods Hole, MA). Summer courses have been offered at the MBL for over 120 years! Today, these courses are for advanced graduate students and post-doctoral fellows. However, undergraduates may participate in the MBL's Fall Semester in Environmental Science (via transfer credit from Brown University).
For information about other courses at Marine Laboratories in the US, see links on the website of the National Association of Marine Laboratories. (Click on "About Us" and then "Educational Programs" in the left column for a remarkable list of courses offered by all members of the Association).
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