Department of Coastal Sciences
Course Descriptions
Source: USM Graduate Bulletin 2011-2012
Office of the Registrar, Current and Archived Graduate Bulletins
Coastal Sciences (COA)
Note: Only a subset of this course list is offered during any semester. A recent course offering list is available here. (on box.com file storage system) Contact Kalin Lloyd for the latest version.
| 505 | Marine Chemistry. 3 hrs. Prerequisites: Biology, chemistry, calculus, and analytic geometry, or permission of instructor. Corequisite: COA 505L. Sea water chemistry and cycles and their impact on the marine environment. May be taken as MAR 541. |
| 505L | Marine Chemistry Laboratory. 1 hr. Corequisite for COA 505. A laboratory designed to accompany COA 505. May be taken as MAR 541L. |
| 506 | Environmental Estuarine Chemistry. 3 hrs. Prerequisites: Biology, organic chemistry, calculus, and analytic geometry, or permission of instructor. Corequisite: COA 506L. Sources, reactions, transport, fate, and effects of environmental chemical species in aquatic environments with special emphasis on estuaries. May be taken as MAR 543. |
| 506L | Environmental Estuarine Chemistry Laboratory. 1 hr. Corequisite: COA 506. A laboratory designed to accompany COA 506. May be taken as MAR 543L. |
| 509 | Coastal Marine Geology. 3 hrs. Prerequisite: 12 hours in geology. A study of inshore and nearshore geological processes, sedimentation patterns, and landform development. May be taken as MAR 582. |
| 516 | Marine Fisheries Management. 2 hrs. Prerequisite: Statistics recommended. Corequisite: COA 516L. A statistical review of the world fisheries. May be taken as MAR 510. |
| 516L | Marine Fisheries Management Laboratory. 2 hrs. Corequisite: COA 516. May be taken as MAR 510L. |
| 517 | Field and Laboratory Techniques in Marine Fisheries Science. 3 hrs. Prerequisite: Consent of instructor. Fishery survey design, field techniques, and lab procedures for graduate students. Includes research cruises in offshore and inshore waters. |
| 521 | Marine Ichthyology. 3 hrs. Corequisite: COA 521L. Marine fishes, including fish biology, ecology, evolution, and classification of marine and estuarine fishes. May be taken as MAR 508. |
| 521L | Marine Ichthyology Laboratory. 3 hrs. Corequisite: COA 521. May be taken as MAR 508L. |
| 522 | Elasmobranch Biology. 3 hrs. Prerequisite: COA 301 and COA 521. Corequisite: COA 522L. This course will provide an overview of the biology of sharks, skates, and rays. |
| 522L | Elasmobranch Biology Laboratory. 2 hrs. Prerequisite: COA 301L and COA 521L. Corequisite: COA 522. This course will provide an overview of the biology of sharks, skates, and rays. |
| 524 | Marine Aquaculture. 3 hrs. Corequisite: COA 524L. An introduction to principles and technologies applied to the culture of commercially important marine organisms. May be taken as MAR 507. |
| 524L | Marine Aquaculture Laboratory. 3 hrs. Corequisite: COA 524. May be taken as MAR 507L. |
| 528 | Marine Invertebrate Zoology. 3 hrs. Corequisite: COA 528L. Morphology, distribution, and ecology of the phyla from Protozoa through Protochordates. May be taken as MAR 503. |
| 528L | Marine Invertebrate Zoology Laboratory. 3 hrs. Corequisite for COA 528. May be taken as MAR 503L. |
| 533 | Marine Phycology. 2 hrs. Prerequisites: General botany and plant taxonomy. Corequisite: COA 533L. A survey of the principal groups of marine algae. May be taken as MAR 520. |
| 533L | Marine Phycology Laboratory. 2 hrs. Corequisite for COA 533. May be taken as MAR 520L. |
| 534 | Coastal Vegetation. 2 hrs. Corequisite: COA 534L. A study of general and specific aspects of coastal vegetation, with emphasis on local examples. May be taken as MAR 521. |
| 534L | Coastal Vegetation Laboratory. 2 hrs. Corequisite for COA 534. May be taken as MAR 521L. |
| 535 | Salt Marsh Plant Ecology. 2 hrs. Corequisite: COA 535L. The botanical aspects of local marshes; includes plant identification, composition, and structure. May be taken as MAR 522. |
| 535L | Salt Marsh Plant Ecology Laboratory. 2 hrs. Corequisite for COA 535. May be taken as MAR 522L. |
| 536 | Marine Botany. 2 hrs. Prerequisite: General biology (BSC 110 and BSC 111), general botany (BSC 226); consent of instructor. An overview, including local examples, of the principal groups of marine microalgae, macroalgae and submerged aquatic and emergent marine flowering plants, with a primary focus on their identification and ecology. The lecture and laboratory work for this course are interlaced so that, following the lecture material, laboratory examination of the algae are made. On three occasions, once per week, all-day field trips in the vicinity of the Mississippi Sound and to the barrier islands are made to observe algae and aquatic/emergent vegetations, the ecological relationships of these flora, and for collecting material for study in the laboratory. |
| 536L | Marine Botany Lab. 1 hr. Corequisite: COA 536. A laboratory for Marine Botany. |
| 543 | Marine Mammals. 3 hrs. Prerequisites: 16 hours biological sciences or permission of instructor. Corequisite: COA 543L. Course will emphasize natural history and population ecology of cetaceans. Will include life history, distribution, population dynamics, diet and feeding, social behavior, evolution, and zoogeography. May be taken as MAR 523. |
| 543L | Marine Mammals Laboratory. 2 hrs. Corequisite for COA 543. May be taken as MAR 523L. |
| 544 | Cetecean Behavior. 3 hrs. Review of the literature on the behavior, communication, and cognitive abilities of whales and dolphins as well as field trips and real time observations of marine mammals. |
| 546 | Marine Ecology. 3 hrs. Corequisite: COA 546L. The relationship of marine organisms to their environment. May be taken as MAR 505. |
| 546L | Marine Ecology Laboratory. 2 hrs. Corequisite for COA 546. May be taken as MAR 505L. |
| 547 | Fauna and Faunistic Ecology of Tidal Marshes. 2 hrs. Prerequisite: Consent of instructor. Corequisite: COA 547L. Taxonomy, distribution, trophic relationships, reproductive strategies, and adaptations of tidal marsh animals. May be taken as MAR 506. |
| 547L | Fauna and Faunistic Ecology of Tidal Marshes Laboratory. 3 hrs. Corequisite for COA 547. May be taken as MAR 506L. |
| 553 | Parasites of Marine Animals. 3 hrs. Corequisite: COA 553L. Prerequisite: Permission of instructor. Emphasis on morphology, taxonomy, life histories, and host-parasite relationships. May be taken as MAR 504. |
| 553L | Parasites of Marine Animals Laboratory. 3 hrs. Corequisite for COA 553. May be taken as MAR 504L. |
| 556 | Comparative Histology of Marine Organisms. 3 hrs. Corequisite: COA 556L. Histology of marine organisms, including tissue processing techniques. May be taken as MAR 530. |
| 556L | Comparative Histology of Marine Organisms Laboratory. 3 hrs. Corequisite for COA 556. May be taken as MAR 530L. |
| 562 | Statistical Methods in Environmental Coastal Zone Management. 3 hrs. Emphasizes relationship among probability and hypothesis testing. |
| 565 | Applications of Biotechnology in Marine Biology. 3 hrs. Prerequisites: 8 hrs. of zoology, general and organic chemistry; biochemistry recommended or permission of instructor. Corequisite: COA 565L. Basic biochemical and molecular techniques used to conduct research in marine biology. |
| 565L | Applications of Biotechnology in Marine Biology Laboratory. 3 hrs. Corequisite for COA 565. |
| 571 | Marine Microbiology. 3 hrs. Prerequisites: general microbiology. Corequisite: COA 571L. An introduction to the role of microorganisms in the overall ecology of the oceans and estuaries. May be taken as MAR 509. |
| 571L | Marine Microbiology Laboratory. 2 hrs. Corequisite for COA 571. May be taken as MAR 509L. |
| 585 | Marine Science for Elementary Teachers. 3 hrs. Prerequisite: Consent of instructor. Designed to acquaint teachers with marine science concepts. May be taken as MAR 558 or SME 535. |
| 586 | Coastal Ecology for Teachers. 3 hrs. Prerequisite: Consent of instructor. Corequisite: COA 586L. Designed to provide teachers with a background in basic coastal ecology. May be taken as MAR 559 or SME 559. |
| 586L | Coastal Ecology for Teachers Laboratory. 1 hr. Corequisite for COA 586. May be taken as MAR 559L or SME 559L. |
| 587 | Techniques in Marine Science Education. 3 hrs. Designed to acquaint teachers with the marine resources of the Mississippi coastal zone. May be taken as MAR 556 or SME 556. |
| 588 | Marine Science for Teachers. 3 hrs. Prerequisites: Permission of instructor. Advanced topics in marine science. May be taken as MAR 557 or SME 557. |
| 590 | Special Topics in Coastal Sciences. 1-6 hrs. Prerequisite: Permission of instructor. An informal study of current topics in coastal sciences designed for nondegree graduate students. May be repeated. |
| 601 | Coastal Processes I. 3 hrs. Abiotic processes, including physical, chemical, and geological factors that influence coastal environments. |
| 602 | Coastal Processes II. 3 hrs. Biotic processes and interactions among pelagic, benthic, and land margin subsystems. |
| 603 | Professional Skills in Coastal Sciences. 3 hrs. Course will include lectures and workshops designed to improve scientific writing, grantsmanship, and platform/poster presentation skills. |
| 604 | Research Tools in Coastal Sciences. 2-3 hrs. Research techniques will be discussed in instructive lectures and discussion sessions by faculty and outside investigators. Attendance at all sessions is required. Course may be repeated for credit. |
| 605 | Data Analysis in Coastal Sciences. 3 hrs. Principles of data analysis and research, including study development, data handling, experimental design, and advanced statistical methods. |
| 606 | Biometry for the Coastal Sciences. 3 hrs. Course covers basic statistical concepts; data presentation, properties of statistical distributions, testing assupmtions, ANOVA ANCOVA, regression, and analysis of contingency table. |
| 607 | Chemical Toxicology. 3 hrs. Course covers general principles and concepts of toxicology, test procedures, data evaluation and interpretation of specific effect measurements used by environmental scientists. |
| 608 | Coastal Water Quality. 3 hrs. Prerequisite: CHE 107 or equivalent. Course covers water quality measures in estuarine waters. Major topics are lab methods, field measurements, analysis problems, quality control, and interpretation. |
| 610 | Coastal and Marine Pollution. 3 hrs. Prerequisites: Organic chemistry or consent of instructor. An exploration of marine, estuarine and watershed pollution emphasizing the sources, ttransport, and fates of pollutants. |
611 |
Sediments and Biota. 3 hrs. Course covers the vital influence of geology and sedimentation on marine habitats and environments. |
| 645 | Benthic Ecology. 3 hrs. Corequisite: COA 645L. Benthic processes, adaptations, recruitment, spacial patterns, trophic dynamics, and diversity. |
| 645L | Benthic Ecology Lab. 2 hrs. Corequisite: COA 645. Hypothesis development, experimental designs, data collection, and interpretation in benthic ecology. |
| 651 | Marine Symbiosis I. 4 hrs. Examines a variety of symbiotic relationships ranging from phoretic to parasitic found in the local area by using lectures, demonstrations, and individual research projects. |
| 652 | Marine Symbiosis II. 4 hrs. Examines a variety of symbiotic relationships ranging from phoretic to parasitic found in the local area by using lectures, demonstrations, and individual research projects. |
| 653 | Parasite Ecology. 3 hrs. Population biology, evolutionary ecology, and epidemiology of parasites and pathogens. |
| 654 | Describe Species I. 3 hrs. Prerequisite: Consent of instructor. Explores necessary aspects of describing a parasitic species for publication. |
| 655 | Describe Species II. 3 hrs. Prerequisite: Consent of instructor. Explores necessary aspects of describing a parasitic species for publication. |
| 690 | Special Topics in Coastal Sciences. 1-6 hrs. May include lecture material, student presentations, and discussions moderated by instructor. May be repeated. |
| 691. | Research in Coastal Sciences. 1-16 hrs. Prerequisite: Permission of instructor. |
692 |
Special Problems in Coastal Sciences. 2-6 hrs. Prerequisite: Permission of instructor. |
| 697 | Independent Study. 1-9 hrs. arranged. Not to be counted as credit towards a degree. Students actively working on a thesis, consulting with the major professor, or using other resources of the university may enroll in this course. Students who are not in residence and are not enrolled in at least 3 hours of thesis but who are actively working on a thesis, consulting with the major professor, or using other resources of the university must enroll in this course for at least 3 hours each semester. |
| 698 | Thesis. 1-6 hrs for a total of 6 hours. Prerequisite: Permission of instructor. |
| 701 | Introduction to Cladistics, Systematics, and Taxonomy. 3 hrs. A lecture and lab course on the theory of phylogenetics and its uses in classification, taxonomy, and specification. Emphasis is placed on using current software to analyze data. |
| 728 | Crustacean Taxonomy. 2 hrs. Corequisite: COA 728L. Morphology, taxonomy, and sytematics of higher Crustacea emphasizing the major orders of the three Malacostracan subclasses. |
| 728L | Crustacean Taxonomy Lab. 2 hrs. Corequisite: COA 728. Examination and comparison of homologous characters in representatives of the subclasses Phyllocarida, Hoplocarida, and Eumalacostraca. |
| 742 | Topics in Fisheries Ecology. 1-6 hrs. Prerequisite: Permission of the instructor. Review of primary literature in fisheries ecology as defined by the topic chosen each semester. |
| 746 | Ecology of Fishes. 3 hrs. Prerequisite: Permission of instructor. Topics range from reproduction to aspects of population and community ecology. Students complete six pre-proposals and lead discussions on topics in fish ecology. |
| 757 | Application of Environmental and Coastal Zone Management. 6 hrs. This class is designed to teach students environmental and coastal zone management. |
| 763 | Grantsmanship in Environmental Coastal Zone Management. 3 hrs. Designed to teach grants writing skill specific to environmental and coastal science proposals. Will allow students to experience issues in identifying/submitting funding opportunities. |
| 790 | Special Topics in Coastal Sciences. 1-6 hrs. Special topics in coastal sciences. May include lecture material; student presentations and discussions moderated by instructor. May be repeated. |
| 791 | Research in Coastal Sciences. 1-16 hrs. Prerequisite: Permission of instructor. |
| 792 | Special Problems in Coastal Sciences. 2-6 hrs. Prerequisite: Permission of instructor. |
| 797 | Independent Study. 1-9 hrs. arranged. Not to be counted as credit towards a degree. Students actively working on a thesis, consulting with the major professor, or using other resources of the university may enroll in this course. Students who are not in residence and are not enrolled in at least 3 hours of thesis but who are actively working on a thesis, consulting with the major professor, or using other resources of the university must enroll in this course for at least 3 hours each semester. |
| 898 | Dissertation.12 hours. Prerequisite: Permission of instructor. |