Master's Programs

The Department of Scripps Institution of Oceanography offers instruction leading to Master of Science (M.S.) degrees in oceanography, marine biology, and earth sciences.

The M.S. degree is for those who have an interest in studying a specific area of marine science. The M.S. program consists of at least 36 units, culminating in a master's thesis. The 36 total units includes 24 units of coursework and 12 units of independent research. Students typically complete the program in one-and-a-half to two years and should expect to fund themselves for the duration of their program  Information on UCSD Graduate Student Fees can be found on the Graduate Division website.

Students interested in the M.S. degree should identify potential research topics and potential advisors prior to submitting the application.  Not all Scripps faculty members are available to advise M.S. students, so make sure to discuss the options with a potential advisor before applying.  We have compiled a list of previous research projects here  to illustrate the types of projects completed in previous years.  Please note that potential research projects and advisors are not limited to those on the list; any Scripps faculty member can advise an M.S. student.

Program Areas

The Scripps M.S. program is organized into three separate academic programs: the Climate-Ocean-Atmosphere Program; Geosciences of the Earth, Oceans, and Planets; and the Ocean Biosciences Program.  Each  program is responsible for all graduate educational activities in its area, including teaching, advising, and examining. 

• Climate-Ocean-Atmosphere Program

• Geosciences of the Earth, Oceans, and Planets

• Ocean Biosciences Program

A graduate student's work normally will be concentrated in one of several curricular groups under one of the academic programs:

Climate-Ocean-Atmosphere Curricular Groups

• Applied Ocean Science
• Climate Sciences
• Physical Oceanography

Geosciences of the Earth, Oceans, and Planets Curricular Groups

• Geophysics
• Geosciences
• Marine Chemistry and Geochemistry

Ocean Biosciences Curricular Groups

• Biological Oceanography
• Marine Biology

Admission requirements for the M.S. program are the same as those for the Ph.D. program.