Summer Field Program

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Summer Field Program

USM’s Gulf Coast Research Laboratory was established in Ocean Springs, Mississippi in 1947 and is home to the Summer Field Program. The Summer Field Program has held classes each year since the summer of 1947 despite two major hurricanes making landfall in Mississippi (1969 & 2005) and a global pandemic (2020) in its over 75 year history.

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Attend the Summer Field Program at the Gulf Coast Research Laboratory and gain the education experience of a lifetime!

The Summer Field Program is offered through the School of Ocean Science and Engineering and provides undergraduate and graduate students an opportunity to learn about coastal environments in an intensive field-based setting. Located at the Gulf Coast Research Laboratory (GCRL), student have access to on-site amenities including dormitory, dining hall, research vessels, research labs, library, and specimen museum. Classes immerse students in the subject matter over a five-week term, with most class sessions occurring in a focused laboratory or field setting. Courses that include heavy field work utilize the GCRL fleet of research vessels to explore the Mississippi Sound and Mississippi’s unique barrier islands. In addition to local boat and field trips, some classes venture on overnight trips to rich coastal areas in neighboring states of Louisiana and Florida. The program allows students to fully embrace the beauty of Mississippi’s coastal habitats, local wildlife species, and unique ecosystems along the Northern Gulf of Mexico.

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2025 Dates

Session I: May 27 – June 25
Session II: June 26 – July 30

Summer Session I:

Barrier Island Ecology
Cetacean Behavior
Elasmobranch Biology
Marine Science I: Oceanography
Marine Invertebrate Zoology
Marine Mammals (online)
Research Study Program

Summer Session II :

Marine Conservation
Marine Ichthyology
Marine Science II: Marine Biology
Marine Toxicology (online)
Research Study Program

Course descriptions

Undergraduate Students

4 things are needed to complete your application to SFP:

Apply Here
Pay Application Fee
Send Immunization Record to sfpFREEMississippi
Send Official Transcript to USM Undergraduate Admissions or sfpFREEMississippi
1. Current USM students submit application only.
2. Graduate Students – To apply, email sfpFREEMississippi or call 228.818.8812

Housing at GCRL

Students live in air-conditioned dormitories at the Gulf Coast Research Laboratory (GCRL):

Each room houses two students
Dorm suites consist of four rooms sharing a common bathroom
WiFi Internet access is available in all rooms
Housing requests are filled as received
Married couples must make their own arrangements for off-site housing

For more housing information, please contact sfpFREEMississippi.

Dining & Facilities

The dining hall serves three meals daily
Laundry facilities are available on-site

What to Bring

Here’s a list of recommended items to pack:

Linens and towels
Clothing suitable for field work, such as: shorts, bathing suits, long-sleeved shirts, lightweight pants, and washable athletic shoes.
Sun protection essentials: hat, polarized sunglasses and good sunblock
Reusable water bottle

Download Checklist

Dorm Life & Recreation

Dormitory living provides excellent opportunities to:

Meet fellow students
Participate in study groups
Take part in recreational activities such as: water sports, fishing ,golf, tennis, biking, weight lifting, aerobics, and hiking.

Local Attractions

The GCRL is located in Ocean Springs, with easy access to several nearby cities: Biloxi, Gulfport, Gautier, and Pascagoula.

These areas offer plenty of options for shopping, banking, dining, and recreation. New Orleans is less than two hours away by car and Mobile, Alabama is about a one-hour drive.

Health & Safety

Mississippi Gulf Coast summers are hot and sunny. Students should be prepared to protect themselves from intense sunshine. Be sure to bring: sunblock, hat, sunglasses, and reusable water bottle.

Accessibility

If a student has a disability that qualifies under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and requires accommodations, they should contact the Office for Disability Accommodations (ODA) to learn more about appropriate policies and procedures.

Campus Policy

POSSESSION OF ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES ON LABORATORY GROUNDS IS STRICTLY PROHIBITED.

MISSISSIPPI – Mississippi College, Clinton
ARKANSAS – Arkansas Tech University, Russellville; Southern Arkansas University, Magnolia; University of Arkansas at Little Rock; University of Arkansas at Monticello; University of the Ozarks, Clarksville
FLORIDA – University of Tampa, Tampa
GEORGIA – Berry College, Rome
ILLINOIS – Southern Illinois University, Carbondale
IOWA – Drake University, Des Moines
KENTUCKY – Morehead State University, Morehead
LOUISIANA – Southeastern Louisiana University, Hammond
MISSOURI – Northwest Missouri State University, Maryville; Southeast Missouri State University, Cape Girardeau
NEW YORK – State University of New York, Potsdam
OHIO – Bowling Green State University, Bowling Green
OKLAHOMA – Southwestern Oklahoma State University, Weatherford
SOUTH CAROLINA – Presbyterian College, Clinton
TENNESSEE – Belmont University, Nashville; Carson-Newman College, Jefferson City; Christian Brothers University, Memphis; Rhodes College, Memphis; Tennessee Technological University, Cookeville; Tennessee Wesleyan College, Athens; University of Tennessee at Chattanooga; University of Tennessee at Martin
WISCONSIN – University of Wisconsin at Eau Claire