Texas A&M-Galveston Marine Biology Ph. D. Program Now Fully Run by Galveston Campus     

Previously known as the Marine Biology Interdisciplinary Program (MARB-IDP), a cooperative graduate and doctoral program shared between Texas A&M University at Galveston, Texas A&M University and Texas A&M-Corpus Christi, Texas A&M-Galveston will now operate its own independent marine biology Ph. D. program.

“The difference is that now all students are fully Texas A&M-Galveston graduate students, all student credit hours are generated and counted at Texas A&M-Galveston, and the faculty are now fully recognized as intellectual leaders that have the expertise to manage and direct their own graduate programs,” explained Regents Professor, Executive Associate Vice President for Academic Affairs and Chief Academic Officer Dr. Patrick Louchouarn.

This change means that while Texas A&M-Galveston will continue to collaborate with our colleagues across campuses that were involved in the MARB-IDP, we will now be able to focus on more in-house research and draw more from our own campus experts. 

“Having our own graduate program will truly enable us to grow the student and faculty body, increase our national and international recognition and provide a talented workforce to support the needs of future generations, particularly in areas of marine biological sciences and related disciplines,” said Dr. Antoinetta Quigg, Regents Professor and Senior Associate Vice President for Research and Graduate Studies in the Department of Marine Biology. “This change will provide broad graduate education in the marine biological sciences, drawing on the expertise from faculty members in multiple marine and coastal-related fields here at Texas A&M-Galveston.”

Texas A&M-Galveston Department of Marine Biology Head and Professor Dr. Daniel Roelke echoed Quigg’s sentiments. 
“This is excellent recognition of our marine biology faculty’s world-class research expertise and commitment to the training of the next generation of marine biologists,” he stated. 

With the quick approval of the proposal for an independent program, Texas A&M-Galveston will now have two full Ph. D. and four master’s programs, including the marine biology program, the Doctor of Philosophy in Marine and Coastal Management and Science, Masters of Marine Resources Management, Master of Science in Marine Biology, Masters of Maritime Business Administration and Logistics, and the Department of Ocean Engineering offers a 30-credit Master of Science in Ocean Engineering degree exclusively on the Galveston Campus.