Marine Vertebrate Biology, BS

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Marine Vertebrate Biology, BS

Bachelor of Science in Marine Vertebrate Biology · 68 credits

Catalog page

Typical path

+ First Year Seminar

+ SBC ×2

+ First Year Seminar

+ SBC ×2

+ SBC

+ SBC ×2

+ MAR Biology Elective

+ SBC

+ Elective

+ MAR Vertebrate Core Elective

+ MAR Biology Elective

+ SBC

+ Elective

+ MAR Vertebrate Core Elective

+ SBC

+ Upper-division SBC

+ Elective

+ MAR Biology Elective

+ SBC

+ Upper-division SBC

+ Upper-division elective

All options

Hide courses not offered in

Zoology and Marine Vertebrate Core (13 credits)

Pick 2 courses · 5 courses to choose from

100s

None

200s

None

300s

400s

None

Marine Biology (12-16 credits)

Pick 3 courses · 18 courses to choose from

100s

None

200s

None

300s

400s

Foundation Courses (43-46 credits)

BIO 201Fundamentals of Biology: Organisms to Ecosystems3 cr
BIO 202Fundamentals of Biology: Molecular and Cellular Biology3 cr
BIO 203Fundamentals of Biology: Cellular and Organ Physiology3 cr
BIO 204Fundamentals of Scientific Inquiry in the Biological Sciences I2 cr
BIO 205Fundamentals of Scientific Inquiry in the Biological Sciences IIA2 cr
All of
- CHE 131General Chemistry IB4 cr
- CHE 133General Chemistry Laboratory I1 cr
All of
- CHE 132General Chemistry II4 cr
- CHE 134General Chemistry Laboratory II1 cr
CHE 321Organic Chemistry I4 cr
All of
- MAT 125Calculus A3 cr
- MAT 130Trigonometry and Logarithms1 cr
- MAT 126Calculus B3 cr
One of
- ENS 119Physics for Environmental Studies4 cr
- or
  All of
  - PHY 119Physics for Environmental Studies4 cr
  - MAR 352Introduction to Physical Oceanography3 cr
- or
  All of
  - PHY 121Physics for the Life Sciences I4 cr
  - PHY 122Physics for the Life Sciences II4 cr
- or
  All of
  - PHY 121Physics for the Life Sciences I4 cr
  - MAR 352Introduction to Physical Oceanography3 cr
- AMS 102Elements of Statistics3 cr
- or
  AMS 110Probability and Statistics in the Life Sciences3 cr

Alternative path: replaces BIO 205

BIO 207Fundamentals of Scientific Inquiry in the Biological Sciences IIB2 cr

Catalog text

BIO 207 may be substituted for BIO 205.

Alternative path: replaces CHE 131, CHE 132

CHE 152Molecular Science I4 cr

Catalog text

CHE 152 may be substituted for CHE 131 +CHE 132.

Alternative path: replaces CHE 321

CHE 331Molecular Science II4 cr

Catalog text

CHE 331 may be substituted for CHE 321.

Substitution

MAT 131, MAT 132 or MAT 141, MAT 142 or MAT 171 or AMS 151, AMS 161 may be substituted for MAT 125, MAT 126.

Catalog text

Foundation Courses (43-46 credits): BIO 201 - Fundamentals of Biology: Organisms to Ecosystems 3 credits; BIO 202 - Fundamentals of Biology: Molecular and Cellular Biology 3 credits; BIO 203 - Fundamentals of Biology: Cellular and Organ Physiology 3 credits; BIO 204 - Fundamentals of Scientific Inquiry in the Biological Sciences I 2 credits; BIO 205 - Fundamentals of Scientific Inquiry in the Biological Sciences IIA 2 credits (see Note 3); CHE 131 - General Chemistry IB 4 credits (see Note 4 and Note 6); CHE 133 - General Chemistry Laboratory I 1 credit (see Note 4 and Note 6); CHE 132 - General Chemistry II 4 credits (see Note 4 and Note 6); CHE 134 - General Chemistry Laboratory II 1 credit (see Note 4 and Note 6); CHE 321 - Organic Chemistry I 4 credits (see Note 5 and Note 6); MAT 125 - Calculus A 3 credits OR MAT 125 - Calculus A Credits: 3 credits MAT 130 - Trigonometry and Logarithms 1 credit, MAT 126 - Calculus B 3 credits; ENS 119 - Physics for Environmental Studies 4 credits PHY 119 - Physics for Environmental Studies 4 credits AND MAR 352 - Introduction to Physical Oceanography 3 credits OR PHY 121 - Physics for the Life Sciences I 4 credits PHY 122 - Physics for the Life Sciences II 4 credits OR PHY 121 - Physics for the Life Sciences I Credits: 4 credits MAR 352 - Introduction to Physical Oceanography Credits: 3 credits; AMS 102 - Elements of Statistics 3 credits; AMS 110 - Probability and Statistics in the Life Sciences 3 credits

Zoology and Marine Vertebrate Core (13 credits)

- MAR 362Marine Vertebrate Biology4 cr
- or
  BIO 344Chordate Zoology4 cr
- BIO 354Evolution3 cr
- or
  BIO 320General Genetics3 cr
- or
  BIO 321Ecological Genetics3 cr
Choose 2 courses
- MAR 370Marine Mammals3 cr
- MAR 373Marine Apex Predators: Ecology and Conservation3 cr
- MAR 376Biology and Conservation of Sea Turtles3 cr
- MAR 377Biology and Conservation of Seabirds3 cr
- MAR 380Ichthyology3 cr

Substitution

ANT 300 (formerly ANP 300) Human Anatomy or HAN 200 Human Anatomy and Physiology for Health Science I may be substituted for MAR 362 or BIO 344.

Catalog text

Zoology and Marine Vertebrate Core (13 credits): MAR 362 - Marine Vertebrate Biology 4 credits OR BIO 344 - Chordate Zoology 4 credits; BIO 354 - Evolution 3 credits OR BIO 320 - General Genetics 3 credits OR BIO 321 - Ecological Genetics 3 credits; Two of the following: MAR 370 - Marine Mammals 3 credits; MAR 373 - Marine Apex Predators: Ecology and Conservation 3 credits; MAR 376 - Biology and Conservation of Sea Turtles 3 credits; MAR 377 - Biology and Conservation of Seabirds 3 credits; MAR 380 - Ichthyology 3 credits

Marine Biology (12-16 credits)

- MAR 349Introduction to Biological Oceanography4 cr
- or
  MAR 303Long Island Marine Habitats4 cr
- or
  MAR 388Tropical Marine Ecology4 cr
Choose 3 courses
- BIO 328Mammalian Physiology3 cr
- BIO 342Invertebrate Zoology3 cr
- BIO 351Ecology3 cr
- BIO 353Marine Ecology3 cr
- EBH 359Behavioral Ecology3 cr
- MAR 301Environmental Microbiology4 cr
- MAR 302Marine Microbiology and Microbial Ecology3 cr
- MAR 303Long Island Marine Habitats4 cr
- MAR 305Experimental Marine Biology3 cr
- MAR 315Marine Conservation3 cr
- MAR 375Marine Mammal and Sea Turtle Rehabilitation3 cr
- MAR 384Diseases of Aquatic Organisms3 cr
- MAR 385Principles of Fishery Biology and Management3 cr
- MAR 386Ecosystem Science for Fisheries Management3 cr
- MAR 388Tropical Marine Ecology4 cr
- MAR 394Environmental Toxicology and Public Health3 cr
- MAR 487Research in Marine Sciences0–6 cr
- MAR 488Internship0–6 cr
Excluding courses already counted toward “Marine Biology (12-16 credits)”.

Catalog text

Marine Biology (12-16 credits): MAR 349 - Introduction to Biological Oceanography 4 credits OR MAR 303 - Long Island Marine Habitats 4 credits OR MAR 388 - Tropical Marine Ecology 4 credits; Three electives from below: BIO 328 - Mammalian Physiology 3 credits; BIO 342 - Invertebrate Zoology 3 credits; BIO 351 - Ecology 3 credits; BIO 353 - Marine Ecology 3 credits; EBH 359 - Behavioral Ecology 3 credits; MAR 301 - Environmental Microbiology 4 credits; MAR 302 - Marine Microbiology and Microbial Ecology 3 credits; MAR 303 - Long Island Marine Habitats 4 credits; MAR 305 - Experimental Marine Biology 3 credits; MAR 315 - Marine Conservation 3 credits; MAR 375 - Marine Mammal and Sea Turtle Rehabilitation 3 credits; MAR 384 - Diseases of Aquatic Organisms 3 credits; MAR 385 - Principles of Fishery Biology and Management 3 credits; MAR 386 - Ecosystem Science for Fisheries Management 3 credits; MAR 388 - Tropical Marine Ecology 4 credits; MAR 394 - Environmental Toxicology and Public Health 3 credits; MAR 487 - Research in Marine Sciences 0-6 credits; MAR 488 - Internship 0-6 credits. Notes: These courses can be used as electives if not used as an alternative to MAR 349. Other classes may be substituted with permission of undergraduate director

Upper-Division Writing Requirement

- MAR 459Write Effectively in ATM, ENS, MAR and MVB0 cr
- or
  SUS 459Write Effectively in Sustainability0 cr
- or
  BIO 459Write Effectively in Biology0 cr
Enrollment in an approved advanced course that entails writing of either a term paper or a laboratory report, alongside the 0-credit MAR 459 or SUS 459

Catalog text

The advanced writing component of the major in MVB requires registration in, and satisfactory completion of, the 0-credit MAR 459 or SUS 459 (S/U grading) along with enrollment in an approved advanced course that entails writing of either a term paper or a laboratory report. Completion of MAR 459 or SUS 459 with a grade of S will also result in fulfillment of the WRTD requirement. A list of preapproved courses can be found at http://www.somas.stonybrook.edu/education/undergraduate/. Successful completion of BIO 459 will also be accepted for MVB majors.

Limit on sub-C courses

Of these no more than one course (4 credits) with a passing grade lower than C can be credited to the major.

Catalog text

Of these no more than one course (4 credits) with a passing grade lower than C can be credited to the major.

Sample schedule

Year 1 · Fall18 cr

First Year Seminar 1011
WRT 101Introductory Writing Workshop3
CHE 131General Chemistry IB4
CHE 133General Chemistry Laboratory I1
MAT 125Calculus A3
SBC3
SBC3

Year 1 · Spring18 cr

First Year Seminar 1021
WRT 102Intermediate Writing Workshop3
CHE 132General Chemistry II4
CHE 134General Chemistry Laboratory II1
MAT 126Calculus B3
SBC3
SBC3

Year 2 · Fall15 cr

BIO 201Fundamentals of Biology: Organisms to Ecosystems3
BIO 204Fundamentals of Scientific Inquiry in the Biological Sciences I2
AMS 110Probability and Statistics in the Life Sciences3
CHE 321Organic Chemistry I4
SBC3

Year 2 · Spring15 cr

BIO 202Fundamentals of Biology: Molecular and Cellular Biology3
BIO 205Fundamentals of Scientific Inquiry in the Biological Sciences IIA2
ENS 119 / PHY 119Physics for Environmental Studies4
SBC3
SBC3

Year 3 · Fall15 cr

BIO 203Fundamentals of Biology: Cellular and Organ Physiology3
BIO 354Evolution3
MAR Biology Elective3
SBC3
Elective3

Year 3 · Spring16 cr

ANT 321Archaeological Field Methods4
MAR Vertebrate Core Elective3
MAR Biology Elective3
SBC3
Elective3

Year 4 · Fall15 cr

MAR 352Introduction to Physical Oceanography3
MAR Vertebrate Core Elective3
SBC3
Upper-division SBC3
Elective3

Year 4 · Spring16 cr

BIO 344Chordate Zoology4
MAR Biology Elective3
SBC3
Upper-division SBC3
Upper-division elective3

Notes

Admission: All students should consult with the director of undergraduate studies to design and approve an acceptable course of study before declaring the major.
Note: Unparsed or unmodeled alternatives in the source: (1) CHE 129/CHE 130 may be substituted for CHE 131. (2) CHE 152, CHE 154 and CHE 331 may be substituted for CHE 131/CHE 132/CHE 133/CHE 134/CHE 321. (3) Several two-semester physics sequences (PHY 125/PHY 126 with PHY 133, PHY 127/PHY 134, PHY 131/PHY 133, PHY 132/PHY 134, PHY 141/PHY 133, PHY 142/PHY 134) may substitute for the physics sequences in the Foundation Courses, and MAR 352 may substitute for PHY 127/PHY 134, PHY 132/PHY 134 or PHY 142/PHY 134. (4) Other classes may be substituted with permission of the undergraduate director.
Note: The Marine Vertebrate Biology Honors Program requires a 3.50 GPA in all courses for the major by the end of the junior year, application to the SoMAS undergraduate director, an honors thesis, and a 3.5 GPA through senior year with a recommendation from the undergraduate research committee. This optional program is not modeled.
Note: The BS/MS program in Marine Vertebrate Biology is temporarily suspended effective Spring 2026. Accelerated programs are not modeled.
SBC: The SBC table lists major courses that may also satisfy SBC categories (for example QPS: MAT 125, MAT 126; SNW: BIO 201, CHE 131, CHE 132; STEM+: BIO 202, BIO 203, CHE 321). Course-level SBC tags are stored on course records.