Environmental Science, BS

The Biology and Environmental Science Department should be contacted for a current listing of courses required to complete a specific concentration and for additional concentrations that may become available.

 Environmental Science students enrolled at AUM may take marine biology courses at the Dauphin Island Sea Lab in Mobile, Ala. For further details, consult the section that follows entitled Marine Biology Environmental Sciences Consortium.

Alabama Marine Environmental Sciences Consortium

The Marine Environmental Sciences Consortium (MESC) is Alabama’s unique approach to marine education and research. The MESC is charged with supporting the marine environmental science programs of member colleges and universities within the state by combining financial, academic and intellectual resources in one place. The MESC is housed at the Dauphin Island Sea Lab, an internationally renowned facility where courses and research in marine science can be pursued.

The Dauphin Island Sea Lab is located on the east end of Dauphin Island, 35 miles south of Mobile, AL. The facilities can accommodate approximately 200 people in residence. Support facilities include an apartment building, dormitories, a cafeteria, several three-bedroom family houses, a swimming pool and other amenities. Specific facilities available to consortium members include the Dauphin Island Sea Lab, Point aux Pins Marsh Lab, Hydrolab, Bayou La Batre Vessel Facility, teaching classrooms, library, research laboratory space, and state-of-the-art instrumentation and equipment.

Course offerings will vary between sessions and between years. In addition to many summer courses being undergraduate and graduate level, other graduate courses are offered throughout the year for resident students. Classes are taught by MESC faculty as well as faculty from member schools and institutions outside the state. Courses have a lecture element, but laboratory exercises are predominantly field experiences.

Students are expected to attend a series of weekly seminars where internationally known scientists are invited to speak.

Marine Environmental Sciences

AUM is a member of the Alabama Marine Environmental Science Consortium. Students enrolled at AUM may take select courses at the Dauphin Island Sea lab in Mobile. For a current listing of marine biology courses, students are urged to consult the Sea Lab website, www.disl.org.

Students who are interested in taking marine biology courses should contact email biology@aum.edu . Students are urged to sign up for marine biology courses at the beginning of the spring semester. The following is a partial listing of courses that have been previously offered.

MESC 2000 Level                                                                                                                            Semester Hours

• Coastal Climatology................................................................................................................................... 2

• Coastal Zone Management..................................................................................................................... 3

• Coastal Geomorphology........................................................................................................................... 2

• Dolphins and Whales................................................................................................................................. 2

MESC 3000 Level                                                                                                                             Semester Hours

• Marine Biology............................................................................................................................................ 4

• Marine Technical Methods..................................................................................................................... 2

• Marine Protozoology................................................................................................................................ 2

• Introduction to Oceanography............................................................................................................. 4

MESC 4000 Level                                                                                                                            Semester Hours

• Marine Invertebrate Zoology................................................................................................................ 4

• Marsh Geology............................................................................................................................................ 4

• Marsh Ecology............................................................................................................................................. 4

• Marine Fish Diseases............................................................................................................................... 3

• Geographic Information Systems & Marine Research............................................................... 3

• Marine Conservation Biology............................................................................................................... 3

• Marine Botany............................................................................................................................................ 4

• Marine Vertebrate Zoology................................................................................................................... 4

• Marine Ecology........................................................................................................................................... 4