Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences

Online Master of Fisheries & Aquatic Sciences (MFAS, non-thesis)

Aquatic resources harbor a large share of the earth’s biodiversity and provide crucial ecosystem services including production of food, maintenance of water and environmental quality, and provision of recreational opportunities. Yet these resources and the services they provide face unprecedented threats from overfishing, habitat loss degradation and global environmental change. The Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences Program in the School of Forest Resources and Conservation (SFRC) conducts cutting-edge research, training, and extension for the sustainable development and conservation of aquatic biological resources in Florida, the Nation, and worldwide. Among our educational programs, the Master of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences (MFAS) specifically addresses the need for high-quality professional training in the field.

The online Master of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences is offered by the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences (CALS) in the School of Forest Resources and Conservation. This program is designed for working professionals in environmental sciences, fisheries, aquatic sciences, and natural resources, and marine biology fields who are interested in advancing their careers by earning a graduate degree. The ability to take this program entirely online means that students will not have to sacrifice their commitments to career and family in order to earn the degree.

Courses include:

• FAS 5255, Diseases of Warmwater Fishes
• FAS 5335C, Applied Fisheries Statistics
• FAS 5901, Scientific Thinking in Ecology
• FAS 6154, Aquatic Invertebrate Ecology & Physiology
• FAS 6171, Applied Phycology
• FAS 6272, Marine Ecological Processes
• FAS 6337C, Fish Population Dynamics
• FAS 6339C, Advanced Fisheries Stock Assessment
• FAS 6355C, Fisheries Management
• FAS 6905, Individual Study
• FAS 6932, Introduction to Aquaculture
• FAS 6932, Algal Biology & Ecology
• FAS 6932, Fish/Shellfish Histological Interpretation
• FAS 6932, Biology of Fishes
• FAS 6932, Invasion Ecology of Aquatic Animals
• FAS 6932, Conservation Genetics

Admission to the SFRC graduate programs is conditional on securing a faculty advisor for your studies; the best methodfor contacting potential advisors via email with an attachment of your CV/resume.Once you have identified an advisor, visit the University of Florida Office of Admissions website to begin the formal application process. You will need to provide the following in addition to the online application:$30 application fee, paid to the Office of Admissions.Official transcripts of all previous academic work. Cumulative GPA of 3.0 is expected.GRE scores – general test only, taken within five years. Typical combined scores range from approximately 295-305.Three letters of recommendation from relevant academic or employment colleagues.Letter of intent/statement of purpose detailing the areas you wish to study and/or your background.Curriculum Vitae or Resume. English Language Requirements IELTS band: 6 TOEFL paper-based test score : 550 TOEFL iBT® test: 80

Funding Opportunities for Current or Prospective Students

• Funded PhD in harbour seal ecology
• Student Trainee Biological Science
• WSG Science Communications Fellowship
• New York Tree Trust Municipal Forestry Internship
• Assistantships, Ph.D or M.S. in Forest Health
• Urban Forestry Internship Program
• Sea Delight Ocean Fund Intenship for Graduate Students
• Ph.D. Graduate Research Assistantship in Water Rights, Land Use, and Climate Change
• Senior Associate, U.S Oceans, Southeast

Accreditation

The University of Florida is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools and thus all UF degree programs carry this accreditation (and are held to very high peer-review and administrative/bureaucratic approval processes during the development of courses and programs).

The SFRC

Since 1937, the School of Forest Resources & Conservation has been developing new knowledge and educating students and citizens about the sustainable management and conservation of natural resources. We emphasize integrative, interdisciplinary approaches spanning three main programs: (1) Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences emphasizing sustainable fisheries, aquaculture and aquatic ecology and health; (2) Forest Resources and Conservation including the biology, ecology, economics, policy and human dimensions associated with sustainable management and conservation of forests; and (3) Geomatics specializing in modern geospatial sciences such as surveying, mapping, remote sensing, satellite imagery, GIS and GPS.

Missions

The SFRC is part of the University of Florida’s Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences with four missions: undergraduate education, graduate education, research and extension. Our programs provide: (1) a rich personal educational experience for students; (2) new discoveries and applications that enrich lives, communities and natural resources; and (3) lifelong learning opportunities for professionals, policy makers, landowners, youth and the general public.