Department of Coastal Sciences

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Course Descriptions

Coastal Sciences (COA)

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 BSC 549 or MAR 510.
516L Marine Fisheries Management Laboratory. 2 hrs. Corequisite: COA 516. May be taken as BSC 549L or 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 BSC 558 or MAR 508.
521L Marine Ichthyology Laboratory. 3 hrs. Corequisite: COA 521. May be taken as BSC 558L or MAR 508L.
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 BSC 547 or MAR 507.
524L Marine Aquaculture Laboratory. 3 hrs. Corequisite: COA 524. May be taken as BSC 547L or 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 BSC 521 or MAR 503.
528L Marine Invertebrate Zoology Laboratory. 3 hrs. Corequisite for COA 528. May be taken as BSC 521L or 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 BSC 525 or MAR 520.
533L Marine Phycology Laboratory. 2 hrs. Corequisite for COA 533. May be taken as BSC 525L or 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 BSC 537 or MAR 521.
534L Coastal Vegetation Laboratory. 1 hr. Corequisite for COA 534. May be taken as BSC 537L or 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 BSC 538 or MAR 522.
535L Salt Marsh Plant Ecology Laboratory. 2 hrs. Corequisite for COA 535. May be taken as BSC 538L or MAR 522L.
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 BSC 559 or MAR 523.
543L Marine Mammals Laboratory. 2 hrs. Corequisite for COA 543. May be taken as BSC 559L or MAR 523L.
546 Marine Ecology. 3 hrs. Corequisite: COA 546L. The relationship of marine organisms to their environment. May be taken as BSC 539 or MAR 505.
546L Marine Ecology Laboratory. 2 hrs. Corequisite for COA 546. May be taken as BSC 539L or MAR 505L.
547 Fauna and Faunistic Ecology of Tidal Marshes. 2 hrs. Corequisite: COA 547L. Taxonomy, distribution, trophic relationships, reproductive strategies, and adaptations of tidal marsh animals. Prerequisite: Consent of instructor. May be taken as BSC 548 or MAR 506.
547L Fauna and Faunistic Ecology of Tidal Marshes Laboratory. 3 hrs. Corequisite for COA 547. May be taken as BSC 548L or MAR 506L.
553 Parasites of Marine Animals. 3 hrs. Corequisite: COA 553L. Prerequisites: permission of instructor. Emphasis on morphology, taxonomy, life histories, and host-parasite relationships. May be taken as BSC 524 or MAR 504.
553L Parasites of Marine Animals Laboratory. 3 hrs. Corequisite for COA 553. May be taken as BSC 524L or 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 BSC 568 or MAR 530.
556L Comparative Histology of Marine Organisms Laboratory. 3 hrs. Corequisite for COA 556. May be taken as BSC 568L or MAR 530L.
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 in to conduct research in marine biology. May be taken as BSC 579.
565L Applications of Biotechnology in Marine Biology Laboratory. 3 hrs. Corequisite for COA 565. May be taken as BSC 579L.
571 Marine Microbiology. 3 hrs. Corequisite: COA 571L. An introduction to the role of microorganisms in the overall ecology of the oceans and estuaries. Prerequisites: general microbiology. May be taken as BSC 590 or MAR 509.
571L Marine Microbiology Laboratory. 2 hrs. Corequisite for COA 571. May be taken as BSC 590L or 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. Advanced topics in marine science. Prerequisites: permission of instructor. 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 non-degree 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. 2 hrs. Course will include lectures and workshops designed to improve scientific writing, grantsmanship, and platform/poster presentation skills.
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. 3hrs. Course covers water quality measures in estuarine waters. Major topics are: lab methods, field measurements, analysis problems, quality control and interpretation. Prerequisites: CHE 107/107 or equivalent.
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. Benthic processes, adaptations, recruitment, spacial patterns, trophic dynamics and diversity. Corequisite: COA 645L.
645L Benthic Ecology Lab. 2 hrs. Hypothesis development, experimental design, data collection and interpretation in benthic ecology. Corequisite: COA 645.
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. Explores necessary aspects of describing a parasitic species for publication. Prerequisite: Consent of instructor.
655 Describe Species II. 3 hrs. Explores necessary aspects of describing a parasitic species for publication. Prerequisite: Consent of instructor.
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 and Research. 1-9 hrs. Hours arranged. Not to be counted as credit towards a degree. Students actively working on a thesis, consulting with the major professor and/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, and/or using other resources of the University must enroll in this course for at least 3 hours each semester.
698 Thesis. 1-6 hours for a total of 6 hours. Prerequisite: Permission of instructor.
728 Crustacean Taxonomy. 2 hrs. Morphology, taxonomy, and systematics of higher Crustacea emphasizing the major orders of the three Malacostracan subclasses. Corequisite: COA 728L.
728L Crustacean Taxonomy Lab. 2 hrs. Examination and comparison of homologous characters in representatives of the subclasses Phyllocarida, Hoplocarida, and Eumalacostraca. Corequisite: COA 728.
746 Ecology of Fishes. 3 hrs. Prerequisites: 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.
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 and Research. 1-9 hrs. Hours arranged. Not to be counted as credit towards a degree. Students actively working on a thesis, consulting with the major professor and/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, and/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.