The Master of Science in Marine Sciences degree program provides a curriculum designed to meet the needs of individuals who desire a graduate degree to prepare them for a career to address marine resource and coastal environmental issues through research, education, and outreach. The program takes advantage of its campus location adjacent to a salt marsh and is the only instructional unit in the University System of Georgia with direct ocean access and on-campus marine laboratory facilities. A collaborative agreement with the Skidaway Institute of Oceanography, the National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and on-going collaborative programs and contracts with universities, state agencies and federal agencies also contributes to a framework of quality and excellence.