Since its inception, College of the Atlantic has been committed to being the college in the Atlantic. Our shorefront campus and two offshore field stations provide an excellent gateway for students and faculty pursuing Marine Studies. From here, students go on to do internships, research, and graduate work from the Arctic to the Antarctic, on every continent, and in the oceans and seas around the globe.

Students focusing in Marine Studies choose a set of foundational courses, affording them a solid base for advanced studies and research. In keeping with COA's interdisciplinary approach, students interested in Marine Studies include courses from other areas-such as photography, history, creative writing, or international law-in their curriculum. The college also provides a wide variety of classes and research experience to prepare students interested in graduate or professional work in marine biology or related fields. Students interested in other areas are able to design a course of study appropriate to their goals. Those interested in entering the work force directly after COA will have the intellectual tools and field experience to ensure success.

While the academic program is built around a suite of core classes, COA is committed to getting students in the field: virtually every course offered at COA has a significant field component. In some cases, the "field trip” is as close as our own pier; in other cases, it can be as far as the coast of the Yucatán or the Virgin Islands. There are opportunities to work with faculty during breaks, as well as during the academic term, assisting in ongoing studies and developing independent programs of research. Students also may get involved in marine policy and environmental politics. With faculty mentors, students come up with their own research questions, write grant proposals, and present their results at meetings of national and international scientific societies.