Marine Science

This course is design to explore specifically the ecology, morphology and taxonomy of marine organisms with emphasis on species that inhabit the shallow water and coral reef ecosystems of the Bahamas.

Students will gain knowledge of behavior, habitat use, population dynamics, and trophic relationships relevant to understanding issues surrounding fisheries exploitation and management. This course will introduce students to the techniques used in fisheries science and will examine human impacts on, and management of marine populations. Students will be introduced to industrial and artisanal fishing methods and the techniques used by fisheries biologists and ecologists in the study of population biology and ecology. They will be made aware of the issues around the impact of fishing on society and the environment. Finally, they will learn about local and international laws and management techniques for sustainable fisheries including marine protected areas, rights-based fishing and traditional management methods.

The ocean is a complex environment made up of many subsystems all of which interact with the atmosphere and the biosphere. This course will introduce students to each of those systems and how all work together to drive ocean currents, weather patterns and life cycles on earth. Topics include physics and chemistry of seawater, plate tectonics, major ocean basins and features, major ocean circulation patterns and currents, characteristics of deep and shallow water waves and the tides along with interactions of atmosphere with the oceans.

This course is designed to familiarize students with the most numerous and diverse group of vertebrates - fishes. Topics to be covered include taxonomy and classification, species diversity, morphology, distribution, behaviour and management, particularly in relation to fish found in The Bahamas and the Western Central Atlantic Ocean.

This course will introduce students to marine conservation and governance, and how science can influence management decisions at the national and international levels to maintain marine environmental health.

Study of the comparative morphology, evolution, systematic and natural history of the invertebrates. Unlike most other biology courses (which are based on specific sub-disciplines of biology), invertebrate zoology is a broad view across the fields of ecology, physiology, cell biology, embryology, behavior, evolutionary biology and others. The tremendous diversity in form and function of the invertebrates provides unique and important insights into these fields.

This course introduces students to the basic biology of corals and coral reefs, including a discussion of ecological principles such as: competition, diversity, symbiosis, disturbance, adaptation, reproduction, and recruitment. Also examines the major taxa living in coral reef ecosystems of The Bahamas, Caribbean and Florida, including seagrasses and mangroves. Latter portions of the course introduce current polices and best practice for coral reef conservation and management. The in-field laboratory portion will illustrate concepts from the lectures, and give students practical experience in basic coral reef monitoring techniques.

This is a multi-disciplinary course designed to provide students with intensive training in preparation for continued marine science education. This course will include a review of the theory and practical application of diving through the use of scuba diving skills and research methodology as applied to the fields of marine biology, physical oceanography and marine archaeology.

This course is an introduction to the world of aquaculture. Students will learn the origins, purpose and implementation of aquaculture as it relates to different areas in the world and economies. The scale of aquaculture will be discussed and the general information in building an aquaculture system will be provided.

Marine biodiversity is one of the Bahamas'92 richest resources. To fully understand and prepare for a career path in the marine sciences, students will gain hands-on experience and understand how to properly research, measure and evaluate the marine ecosystems in order to understand how to harness and protect these resources. This course will introduce students to the ecology and research methods appropriate for three marine environments: mangrove habitats, seagrass beds, and coral reefs. Students will become familiar with the most prevalent techniques in the field and the lab to evaluate the status of these ecosystems. Topics include basic life cycles of these environments, introduction to major flora and fauna included in each and hands-on research techniques to evaluate and understand these ecosystems.