Fall semester courses provide students with a strong foundation for subsequent portions of the program. The curriculum provides a broad understanding of important biological, ecological, and experimental principles, illustrated with the marine plants, animals, and ecosystems found in New England. Field trips to Cape Cod and the Maine coast provide students with the opportunity to observe the variation in New England marine habitats along a latitudinal gradient. The Marine Science Center's proximity to Boston-area universities and Woods Hole allows students to take advantage of some of the East Coast's leading research centers.

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Diving Research Methods, BIO U589 or G289, 2 credits
A field oriented course designed to introduce students, who are certified SCUBA divers, to current underwater research techniques used in the study of the biology, ecology, and physiology of subtidal marine organisms.
Faculty: Ted Maney
TA: Tim Dwyer

Oceanography, BIO U517/518 or G217/218, 3 credit
Introduction to oceanographic processes of coastal environments. Basic principles of biological, chemical, and physical oceanography, production, and biogeochemical cycling are covered. Field trips to local coastal waters will utilize oceanographic sampling equipment.
Faculty: Dr. Christopher Collumb
TA: Tim Dwyer

Marine Invertebrate Zoology, BIO U503/504 or G203/204, 5 credits
Introduction to the morphology, systematics, life history, ecology, and physiology of marine invertebrates. Includes lectures, field trips to a variety of habitats, and local dredging trips to obtain invertebrates. In lab, functional morphology and identification will be emphasized.
Faculty: Dr. Andrew Altieri
TA: Genevieve Bernatchez

Experimental Marine Ecology, BIO U521/522 or G221/222, 5 credits
Provides the tools necessary for the proper design of ecological experiments and their analysis. Focuses on experimental design tailored for analysis of variance (ANOVA). Topics include hypothesis testing, creating and identifying proper levels of replications, various data transformations and multiple comparison procedures. Principles of design and analysis will be illustrated with several short and long term class experiments conducted in the rocky intertidal zone.
Faculty: Dr. Geoffrey Trussell & Dr. Patrick Ewanchuk
TA: Catherine Matassa

Marine Botany, BIO U501/502 or G201/202, 5 credits
Structure, evolution, and ecology of marine algae and plants. Lectures include unique features of the major taxonomic groups and their ecological roles, relationships to other plants, and economic importance of marine algae and plants. Field trips are habitat oriented (e.g. exposed and protected intertidal, subtidal, coastal, salt marsh). In lab, structure and identification will be emphasized.
Faculty: Dr. Donald Cheney
TA: Tim Hogan