Master of Ocean Science and Technology

The Master of Ocean Science and Technology (MOST) is a non-thesis professional degree. It provides students with education and training from scientists who are active researchers and educators working at the cutting edge of ocean sciences throughout the global ocean, from the Gulf of Mexico to the waters around Antarctica.

The curriculum is designed to 1) Provide students with a basic understanding of the major concepts in oceanography that can be applied in their Ocean Sciences careers, 2) Provide students with the skills and tools to evaluate and analyze data, particularly large datasets of the type generated by ocean observing systems, 3) Facilitate critical thinking and problem solving.

A unique feature of this program is that the curriculum has been designed to interface with existing Bachelor of Science degrees taught in the Department of Oceanography. This integration will enable the most capable undergraduate students to obtain both Bachelor’s and MOST degree in 5 years in an accelerated degree program.

Foundational Master of Ocean Science and Technology Course requirements

All Master of Ocean Science and Technology (M.O.S.T) Students are required to complete the following foundational oceanography courses:

• OCNG 603 Communicating Ocean Science
• OCNG 604 Ocean Observing
• OCNG 608 Physical Oceanography
• OCNG 655 Experimental Design and Analysis in Oceanography
• OCNG 657 Data Methods and Graphical Representation in Oceanography
• OCNG 661 Advanced Oceanographic Data Analysis and Communication
• Choose at least 1 of the following:
  • OCNG 620 Biological Oceanography
  • OCNG 630 Geological Oceanography
  • OCNG 640 Chemical Oceanography

• Choose at least 1 of the following:
  • OCNG 656 Matlab Programming for Ocean Sciences
  • OCNG 669 Python for Geosciences

The department of Oceanography offers several advanced elective courses to complement our foundational courses. A full listing can be found in the Texas A&M Graduate Catalog.

Admission and Application Requirements for Master of Ocean Science and Technology (MOST)

Students can enter the MOST program via two avenues: Fast-Track or traditional.

Fast-Track

Undergraduates currently pursuing one of the numerous Geosciences Bachelor’s degree programs can apply for the Fast Track (3+2) program in which they complete their Bachelor's and Master's degrees in a 5-year concurrent program. The fast track degree program will enable these students to coordinate the required Bachelors coursework, elective coursework, and the graduate coursework to reduce the number of credit hours required for completing each degree independently, without diminishing the scope or quality of the training.

Bachelor's degree program eligible for the Fast-track program:

• B.S. in Environmental Geosciences
• B.S. in Geology
• B.S. in Meteorology
• B.S. in Oceanography

MOST Required Application Materials: Fast-track applicants

• Internal Application at end of Junior Year

• Unofficial transcripts 

Traditional

Students not eligible for the fast-track program can apply via the traditional route through the TAMU GraduateCAS webpage. We readily admit students into the program for both Fall and Spring semesters. 

MOST Application Materials: Traditional applicants

• TAMU GraduateCAS application
• Statement of purpose
• TOEFL and IELTS scores (International applicants only)
• 2 letters of Recommendation
• Undergraduate and Graduate (if applicable) transcripts

Deadline

Typically, students wishing to pursue the MOST degree apply by June 15 (Fall start) and Nov. 15 (Spring start). However, we do not have an official deadline. 

Acceptance Criteria

We encourage applications from students with a strong academic record towards a B.S. degree. Students accepted to the MOST program usually have a minimum GPA of 3.25 and C or better in CHEM 119/120 (freshman chemistry), MATH 151/152 or 171/172 (Calculus I and II), and PHYS 206/226/207/227 (calculus-based physics). Applicants not meeting these criteria are reviewed on a case-by-case basis.

GRE scores are not required for the MOST program.