OCEAN SCIENCES & BLUE HUMANITIES
UNDERGRADUATE PROGRAMS
OCEAN-FOCUSED undergraduate programs
on shore and at sea
10,000+
SEA alumni since 1971
Largest ocean plastics data set in the world
CAMPUS IN THE OCEANOGRAPHIC RESEARCH
COMMUNITY OF WOODS HOLE, MASSACHUSETTS
Institutional and faculty funding from NSF, NOAA, and NASA
SSV Corwith Cramer, Atlantic Ocean 134-foot brigantines
US flagged
US Coast Guard certified and inspected
Complement: 38-40 persons
Scientific lab on board
LOCAL PARTNERSHIPS IN COASTAL COMMUNITIES IN THE PACIFIC AND ATLANTIC
MORE THAN $1 MILLION IN FINANCIAL AID AVAILABLE ANNUALLY TRANSFERABLE CREDIT FROM
Semester and summer programs open to all majors
SSV Robert C. Seamans, Pacific Ocean
Coral reef protection ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE
COASTAL COMMUNITIES AND RESILIENCE
BIODIVERSITY AND CONSERVATION SCIENCE communication
Ocean plastics | Maritime history
CHECK OUT OUR UPCOMING PROGRAMS
WWW.SEA.EDU/PROGRAMS/UNDERGRADUATE-PROGRAMS
ON SHORE
WOODS HOLE, MASSACHUSETTS
CAMPUS
Gain access to some of the world’s foremost scientists and policymakers in the scientific and oceanographic research community on Cape Cod, home to SEA’s sevenacre residential campus.
YUYANG (PIKE) LI
SIX INSTITUTIONS COMPRISE THE WOODS HOLE SCIENTIFIC COMMUNITY:
• Marine Biological Laboratory
• NOAA National Marine Fisheries Service
• United States Geological Survey
• Sea Education Association
• Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution
• Woodwell Climate Research Center
While living in one of SEA’s residential cottages, you can immerse yourself in life on Cape Cod. Whether you are strolling along the scenic coastline or exploring downtown Falmouth, you will find life outside the classroom can be just as enriching as your formal academic pursuits.
SENIOR THESIS Benthic Community Variation of Shallow Coral Reefs and the Effect of Herbivory on Different Algae in US Virgin Islands
“On and off the ship, SEA offered me incredible scientific experiences and lifelong community-building skills that I will never forget. I used my SEA data in my senior thesis and am now working with an SEA faculty member to submit it for publication.”
COASTAL COMMUNITIES AND PORT STOPS
CAROLINE CATON GRADUATE PROGRAM MS in Biological and Environmental Sciences, University of Rhode Island
“I gained immeasurably more during my time at SEA than just a knowledge of marine science and sailing. SEA also introduced me to some of my best friends, kick-started my personal growth journey, and marked the first time that I felt comfortable stepping outside my comfort zone. Even years later, I continue to feel these impacts from SEA every day.”
KEY LOCATIONS:
ANGUILLA
AOTEAROA NEW ZEALAND
BARBADOS
DOMINICA
FIJI
FRENCH POLYNESIA
GULF OF MAINE
HAWAI’I
JAMAICA
TONGA
US VIRGIN ISLANDS
SAMPLE COLLABORATORS:
• Atlantic Black Box
• Bigelow Laboratory for Ocean Sciences
• Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe
• McGuinness Institute, Aotearoa New Zealand
• The Nature Conservancy
• University of California, Berkeley Gump Station
• Vava’u Environmental Protection Association
Engage with local SEA partners and collaborators to better understand their relationship to the ocean, the realities of climate change, and the impact of environmental policy. Through discussions with experts and community stakeholders, you learn the importance of collaboration for driving positive change and sustainability in various locations.
AT SEA
AS YOU SET SAIL, YOU TAKE ON THREE ROLES
STUDENT
RESEARCHER
CREW MEMBER
LIFE ON A TALL SHIP
The sea component immediately immerses you in the field, where you apply the skills and knowledge you gained during the shore component.
A DAY AT SEA:
• Attend class and all hands meetings
• Deploy equipment to collect samples and take measurements
• Work in the science lab to analyze data
• Stand watch as part of an around-the-clock schedule
• Assist with navigation, engineering, meal preparation, and ship maintenance
BETHANIE EDWARDS, P h D CURRENT POSITION Assistant Professor of Earth & Planetary Science, University of California, Berkeley
“SEA was the perfect supplement to my undergraduate degree and helped me sort out what I wanted to study in graduate school. The experience also prepared me for working on research vessels and collaborating across large teams. I use the skills that I learned through SEA daily.”
ACADEMICS & RESEARCH
SEA’S APPROACH TO OCEAN STUDIES:
• Interdisciplinary
• Experiential
• Classroom learning and fieldwork
• Community engagement
COURSEWORK IN:
• Oceanography
• Marine environmental history
• Science communication
• Social sciences and public policy
GEORGE H. LEONARD, P h D
CURRENT POSITION Chief Scientist, Ocean Conservancy
“Being under an evening sky on the bow of the RV Westward helped me appreciate the vastness of the ocean, comprehend the impact that humans were having on its well-being, and clarify the role I wanted to play to connect ocean science to public policy to help secure a healthy ocean for the future.”
SEA FACULTY:
• Full-time faculty in oceanography, social sciences, and humanities
• Visiting faculty with specialized knowledge of program locations
• Experienced ocean researchers with their own ongoing projects
• Committed to small group teaching and individual mentoring
UNDERGRADUATE FIELD RESEARCH:
• Collect and analyze samples for ongoing SEA ocean research
• Work with real-time and archival data from SEA’s longitudinal data sets
• Develop an individual or small group research project of your own
• Take a course in practical, directed, or advanced oceanographic, policy, or social science research
OTHER SEA PROGRAMS
• High school: on shore, at sea, and virtual
• Pre-college: on the SEA campus in Woods Hole, MA
• Gap year: credit and non-credit options
• Collaborative/custom programs specially designed with partners
THE SEA VISION
SEA educates and inspires ocean scholars, stewards, leaders and the public. SEA fosters and enhances knowledge about the oceans, coastal communities, and the global environment. SEA also helps shape public dialogue and policy through long-term environmental research, global partnerships and the continued impact of our students, faculty and alumni worldwide.
Sea Education Association www.sea.edu | admissions@sea.edu
P.O. Box 6 Woods Hole, MA 02543
800-552-3633
Design: Fyfe Design
Photo credits: SEA alumni, faculty, staff, and friends
Sea Education Association admits students of any race, color, gender, orientation, and national or ethnic origin to all programs and activities made available to students at SEA. SEA does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, gender, orientation, or national or ethnic origin in administration of its educational programs, admissions policies, or financial aid.
