<p>I have a friend interested in ocean Marine Biology. He's open to schools in California, Oregon, Washington, Alaska, Hawaii, and Florida. And he's a Californian, so suggestions for UCs as will as CSUs are welcome.</p>
<p>UMiami is from what i no, the #1 school</p>
<p>Take a look at: Chronicle</a> Facts & Figures: Faculty Scholarly Productivity Index</p>
<p>SUNY Stony Brook is well up there, but it's not in the West Coast, naturally...</p>
<p>U Washington would probably be the top choice, merely from those rankings. UAKs tend to have meh locations. Eckerd College comes to mind in terms of Florida schools.</p>
<p>Miami is one of the best, hands down. The program is top-tier, and everyone I know who goes there loves it. </p>
<p>Faculty productivity is interesting to look at to help generate a list of potential schools, but I wouldn't say that it's a good way to determine which schools are actually the best (the bragging rights of the professors is the only factor covered).</p>
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<p>It isn't wise to major in marine biology (unless you're a double major). Marine biology is mostly a graduate school field. An undergraduate degree in marine biology is not required, nor is it recommended. It is difficult to branch out from marine biology into other fields for grad school. What is far, far more important is getting the necessary biology (cellular biology, molecular biology, comparative physiology, genetics, developmental biology, ecology, evolutionary biology, vertebrate and invertebrate zoology, microbiology, and botany), biochemistry, organic chem, physical chem, physics, calculus, statistics, computer science and possibly geology and differential equations that you need to succeed in the field. There are many summer programs that one can and should participate in to gain some background in marine biology, which will be far more helpful than marine biology courses. Independent research is often strongly recommended, if not required, for marine biology grad programs, so seek out schools that actively support undergraduate research. Marine biology is a subset of oceanography (often called biological oceanography) and is by far the most popular branch (chemical, geological, and physical oceanography being the other three), so the availability of jobs is not high. Many, many schools can provide you with the proper undergraduate background for a career in marine biology. Many of these schools aren't even located on the coast. I strongly suggest picking a school strong in the basic sciences and math. Specializing at this point is a very bad idea.
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<p>If he's just interested in marine bio for undergrad, he has plenty of options. UCLA, UCSB, UCSD, Occidental, Stanford, Humboldt State, Oregon State, U Oregon, UW, Hawaii-Manoa, Alaska-Fairbanks, U Miami, Eckerd, and U Florida are probably the best.</p>
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UMiami is from what i no, the #1 school
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I can think of several better programs (UCSD, MIT, URI, UW, Columbia, etc.). It's a good program, though (top 15 or so).</p>
<p>Wow, thanks for all the inputs. I will pass them on.</p>
<p>In light of the post two up, your friend may want to consider CSU Monterey Bay's BS in Earth Systems Science and Policy. With the Monterey Bay and the Aquarium in their back yard it's a great science major that utilizes the unique rewources of CA's central coast.</p>
<p>Humboldt State University in Northern California. They have a top-rated program, their own research vessel dedicated to undergrate work, a marine laboratory, and a beautiful environment. Check them out at humboldt.edu.</p>
<p>Are we talking undergrad or graduate schools? As noted above, if you want marine biology as a career, don't get an undergrad major in it. And second - most graduate schools don't want their own undergraduates! They prefer to get students from other schools. Univ of Miami would only take a couple of undergraduates each year from Miami into their graduate program.</p>
<p>USC and Stanford</p>
<p>Stanford has the Hopkins Marine Station in Monterrey Bay which could serve as a sort of "study abroad." They also offer a biology major with several choices for an emphasis, one of which is marine biology.</p>
<p>USC has a marine station on Catalina Island which I believe would be similar.</p>
<p>If the person is looking for more of a liberal-arts school, he or she may want to look at Whitman. They offer a couple of classes on Marine Biology, and I believe they offer a study abroad program (along with several other colleges, I'm sure, but I don't know which ones) in Belize which is focused on marine biology.</p>
<p>With all of these options, especially Whitman, it is more of an introduction to the field which could be expanded upon in graduate school.</p>
<p>Does Scripps have undergrad Marine Bio?</p>
<p>See this additional list of programs College</a> Marine Biology Programs</p>
<p>Cornell has programs in marine biology (through Shoals Marine Lab) and offers college courses to high school students and college undergraduates. My daughter took one of them as a rising high school senior last summer.</p>