Metadata
Title
Marine and Environmental Sciences, PhD (Boston)
Category
graduate
UUID
d17b0af32f8f4b89abe8100c33159de0
Source URL
https://catalog.northeastern.edu/graduate/science/marine-environmental-sciences/...
Parent URL
https://catalog.northeastern.edu/graduate/phdprograms/
Crawl Time
2026-03-23T19:22:37+00:00
Rendered Raw Markdown
# Marine and Environmental Sciences, PhD (Boston)

**Source**: https://catalog.northeastern.edu/graduate/science/marine-environmental-sciences/marine-environmental-sciences-phd/
**Parent**: https://catalog.northeastern.edu/graduate/phdprograms/

## Bachelor's Degree Entrance

Complete all courses and requirements listed below unless otherwise indicated.

## Milestones

Annual review\
 Dissertation committee\
 Qualifying examination\
 Dissertation proposal\
 Candidacy\
 First-author publication\
 Dissertation defense

## Core Requirements

Course List

     | Code | Title | Hours |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Statistics | |  |
| Complete one of the following: | | 4-5 |
| [EEMB 5522](https://catalog.northeastern.edu/search/?P=EEMB%205522 "EEMB 5522") | Experimental Design Marine Ecology |  |
| [ENVR 6500](https://catalog.northeastern.edu/search/?P=ENVR%206500 "ENVR 6500") and [ENVR 6501](https://catalog.northeastern.edu/search/?P=ENVR%206501 "ENVR 6501") | Biostatistics and Lab for ENVR 6500 |  |
| Alternative statistics course as approved by graduate committee | |  |
| Research | |  |
| Complete the following (repeatable) course twice: | | 8 |
| [EEMB 8984](https://catalog.northeastern.edu/search/?P=EEMB%208984 "EEMB 8984") | Research |  |

## Concentration

Complete one of the following concentrations:

- [Ecology and Evolutionary Biology](#eco)
- [Sustainability Sciences](#sustainability)
- [Geosciences](#Geosciences)
- [Marine Sciences](#Marine)

### Ecology and Evolutionary Biology

Course List

     | Code | Title | Hours |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Seminars | |  |
| [EEMB 7102](https://catalog.northeastern.edu/search/?P=EEMB%207102 "EEMB 7102") | Seminar in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology | 2 |
| Complete one of the following: | | 2 |
| [EEMB 7101](https://catalog.northeastern.edu/search/?P=EEMB%207101 "EEMB 7101") | Seminar in Marine Sciences |  |
| [EEMB 7103](https://catalog.northeastern.edu/search/?P=EEMB%207103 "EEMB 7103") | Seminar in Sustainability Sciences |  |
| [EEMB 7104](https://catalog.northeastern.edu/search/?P=EEMB%207104 "EEMB 7104") | Seminar in Geosciences |  |
| Readings | |  |
| [EEMB 8102](https://catalog.northeastern.edu/search/?P=EEMB%208102 "EEMB 8102") | Readings in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology | 2 |
| Concentration-Specific Electives | |  |
| Complete 12 semester hours from the following: | | 12 |
| [EEMB 5130](https://catalog.northeastern.edu/search/?P=EEMB%205130 "EEMB 5130") | Population Dynamics |  |
| [EEMB 5504](https://catalog.northeastern.edu/search/?P=EEMB%205504 "EEMB 5504") | Biology of Corals |  |
| [EEMB 5506](https://catalog.northeastern.edu/search/?P=EEMB%205506 "EEMB 5506") | Biology and Ecology of Fishes |  |
| [EEMB 5508](https://catalog.northeastern.edu/search/?P=EEMB%205508 "EEMB 5508") | Marine Birds and Mammals |  |
| [EEMB 5518](https://catalog.northeastern.edu/search/?P=EEMB%205518 "EEMB 5518") | Ocean and Coastal Processes |  |
| [EEMB 5520](https://catalog.northeastern.edu/search/?P=EEMB%205520 "EEMB 5520") | Tropical Marine Ecology |  |
| [ENVR 5210](https://catalog.northeastern.edu/search/?P=ENVR%205210 "ENVR 5210") | Environmental Planning |  |
| [ENVR 5260](https://catalog.northeastern.edu/search/?P=ENVR%205260 "ENVR 5260") | Geographical Information Systems |  |
| Substitutions may be made with approval of graduate committee. | |  |

### Sustainability Sciences

Course List

     | Code | Title | Hours |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Seminars | |  |
| [EEMB 7103](https://catalog.northeastern.edu/search/?P=EEMB%207103 "EEMB 7103") | Seminar in Sustainability Sciences | 2 |
| Complete one of the following: | | 2 |
| [EEMB 7101](https://catalog.northeastern.edu/search/?P=EEMB%207101 "EEMB 7101") | Seminar in Marine Sciences |  |
| [EEMB 7102](https://catalog.northeastern.edu/search/?P=EEMB%207102 "EEMB 7102") | Seminar in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology |  |
| [EEMB 7104](https://catalog.northeastern.edu/search/?P=EEMB%207104 "EEMB 7104") | Seminar in Geosciences |  |
| Readings | |  |
| [EEMB 8103](https://catalog.northeastern.edu/search/?P=EEMB%208103 "EEMB 8103") | Readings in Sustainability Sciences | 2 |
| Concentration-Specific Electives | |  |
| Complete 12 semester hours from the following: | | 12 |
| [EEMB 5130](https://catalog.northeastern.edu/search/?P=EEMB%205130 "EEMB 5130") | Population Dynamics |  |
| [EEMB 5506](https://catalog.northeastern.edu/search/?P=EEMB%205506 "EEMB 5506") | Biology and Ecology of Fishes |  |
| [EEMB 5518](https://catalog.northeastern.edu/search/?P=EEMB%205518 "EEMB 5518") | Ocean and Coastal Processes |  |
| [ENVR 5115](https://catalog.northeastern.edu/search/?P=ENVR%205115 "ENVR 5115") | Advanced Topics in Environmental Geology |  |
| [ENVR 5260](https://catalog.northeastern.edu/search/?P=ENVR%205260 "ENVR 5260") | Geographical Information Systems |  |
| [INSH 5301](https://catalog.northeastern.edu/search/?P=INSH%205301 "INSH 5301") | Introduction to Computational Statistics |  |
| [INSH 5302](https://catalog.northeastern.edu/search/?P=INSH%205302 "INSH 5302") | Information Design and Visual Analytics |  |
| [INSH 6406](https://catalog.northeastern.edu/search/?P=INSH%206406 "INSH 6406") | Analyzing Complex Digitized Data |  |
| [POLS 7334](https://catalog.northeastern.edu/search/?P=POLS%207334 "POLS 7334") | Social Networks |  |
| [PPUA 5261](https://catalog.northeastern.edu/search/?P=PPUA%205261 "PPUA 5261") | Dynamic Modeling for Environmental Decision Making |  |
| [PPUA 7346](https://catalog.northeastern.edu/search/?P=PPUA%207346 "PPUA 7346") | Resilient Cities |  |
| Substitutions may be made with approval of graduate committee. | |  |

### Geosciences

Course List

     | Code | Title | Hours |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Seminars | |  |
| [EEMB 7104](https://catalog.northeastern.edu/search/?P=EEMB%207104 "EEMB 7104") | Seminar in Geosciences | 2 |
| Complete one of the following: | | 2 |
| [EEMB 7101](https://catalog.northeastern.edu/search/?P=EEMB%207101 "EEMB 7101") | Seminar in Marine Sciences |  |
| [EEMB 7102](https://catalog.northeastern.edu/search/?P=EEMB%207102 "EEMB 7102") | Seminar in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology |  |
| [EEMB 7103](https://catalog.northeastern.edu/search/?P=EEMB%207103 "EEMB 7103") | Seminar in Sustainability Sciences |  |
| Readings | |  |
| [EEMB 8104](https://catalog.northeastern.edu/search/?P=EEMB%208104 "EEMB 8104") | Readings in Geosciences | 2 |
| Concentration-Specific Electives | |  |
| Complete 12 semester hours from the following: | | 12 |
| [EEMB 5518](https://catalog.northeastern.edu/search/?P=EEMB%205518 "EEMB 5518") | Ocean and Coastal Processes |  |
| [ENVR 5115](https://catalog.northeastern.edu/search/?P=ENVR%205115 "ENVR 5115") | Advanced Topics in Environmental Geology |  |
| [ENVR 5190](https://catalog.northeastern.edu/search/?P=ENVR%205190 "ENVR 5190") | Soil Science |  |
| [ENVR 5210](https://catalog.northeastern.edu/search/?P=ENVR%205210 "ENVR 5210") | Environmental Planning |  |
| [ENVR 5260](https://catalog.northeastern.edu/search/?P=ENVR%205260 "ENVR 5260") | Geographical Information Systems |  |
| Substitutions may be made with approval of graduate committee. | |  |

### Marine Sciences

Course List

     | Code | Title | Hours |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Seminars | |  |
| [EEMB 7101](https://catalog.northeastern.edu/search/?P=EEMB%207101 "EEMB 7101") | Seminar in Marine Sciences | 2 |
| Complete one of the following: | | 2 |
| [EEMB 7102](https://catalog.northeastern.edu/search/?P=EEMB%207102 "EEMB 7102") | Seminar in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology |  |
| [EEMB 7103](https://catalog.northeastern.edu/search/?P=EEMB%207103 "EEMB 7103") | Seminar in Sustainability Sciences |  |
| [EEMB 7104](https://catalog.northeastern.edu/search/?P=EEMB%207104 "EEMB 7104") | Seminar in Geosciences |  |
| Readings | |  |
| [EEMB 8101](https://catalog.northeastern.edu/search/?P=EEMB%208101 "EEMB 8101") | Readings in Marine Sciences | 2 |
| Concentration-Specific Electives | |  |
| Complete 12 semester hours from the following: | | 12 |
| [EEMB 5130](https://catalog.northeastern.edu/search/?P=EEMB%205130 "EEMB 5130") | Population Dynamics |  |
| [EEMB 5504](https://catalog.northeastern.edu/search/?P=EEMB%205504 "EEMB 5504") | Biology of Corals |  |
| [EEMB 5506](https://catalog.northeastern.edu/search/?P=EEMB%205506 "EEMB 5506") | Biology and Ecology of Fishes |  |
| [EEMB 5508](https://catalog.northeastern.edu/search/?P=EEMB%205508 "EEMB 5508") | Marine Birds and Mammals |  |
| [EEMB 5518](https://catalog.northeastern.edu/search/?P=EEMB%205518 "EEMB 5518") | Ocean and Coastal Processes |  |
| [EEMB 5520](https://catalog.northeastern.edu/search/?P=EEMB%205520 "EEMB 5520") | Tropical Marine Ecology |  |
| [ENVR 5260](https://catalog.northeastern.edu/search/?P=ENVR%205260 "ENVR 5260") | Geographical Information Systems |  |
| Substitutions may be made with approval of graduate committee. | |  |

## Dissertation

Course List

     | Code | Title | Hours |
| --- | --- | --- |
| [EEMB 9990](https://catalog.northeastern.edu/search/?P=EEMB%209990 "EEMB 9990") | Dissertation Term 1 |  |
| [EEMB 9991](https://catalog.northeastern.edu/search/?P=EEMB%209991 "EEMB 9991") | Dissertation Term 2 |  |

## Program Credit/GPA Requirements

30 total semester hours required\
 Minimum 3.000 GPA required

Complete all courses and requirements listed below unless otherwise indicated.

## Milestones

Annual review\
 Dissertation committee\
 Qualifying examination\
 Dissertation proposal\
 Candidacy\
 First-author publication\
 Dissertation defense

## Core Requirements

Course List

     | Code | Title | Hours |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Statistics | |  |
| Complete one of the following: | | 4-5 |
| [ENVR 6500](https://catalog.northeastern.edu/search/?P=ENVR%206500 "ENVR 6500") and [ENVR 6501](https://catalog.northeastern.edu/search/?P=ENVR%206501 "ENVR 6501") | Biostatistics and Lab for ENVR 6500 |  |
| [EEMB 5522](https://catalog.northeastern.edu/search/?P=EEMB%205522 "EEMB 5522") | Experimental Design Marine Ecology |  |
| Alternative statistics course as approved by graduate committee | |  |

## Concentration

Complete one of the following concentrations:

- [Ecology and Evolutionary Biology](#eco)
- [Sustainability Sciences](#sustainability)
- [Geosciences](#Geosciences)
- [Marine Sciences](#Marine)

### Ecology and Evolutionary Biology

Course List

     | Code | Title | Hours |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Seminars | |  |
| [EEMB 7102](https://catalog.northeastern.edu/search/?P=EEMB%207102 "EEMB 7102") | Seminar in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology | 2 |
| Complete one of the following: | | 2 |
| [EEMB 7101](https://catalog.northeastern.edu/search/?P=EEMB%207101 "EEMB 7101") | Seminar in Marine Sciences |  |
| [EEMB 7103](https://catalog.northeastern.edu/search/?P=EEMB%207103 "EEMB 7103") | Seminar in Sustainability Sciences |  |
| [EEMB 7104](https://catalog.northeastern.edu/search/?P=EEMB%207104 "EEMB 7104") | Seminar in Geosciences |  |
| Readings | |  |
| [EEMB 8102](https://catalog.northeastern.edu/search/?P=EEMB%208102 "EEMB 8102") | Readings in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology | 2 |

### Sustainability Sciences

Course List

     | Code | Title | Hours |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Seminars | |  |
| [EEMB 7103](https://catalog.northeastern.edu/search/?P=EEMB%207103 "EEMB 7103") | Seminar in Sustainability Sciences | 2 |
| Complete one of the following: | | 2 |
| [EEMB 7101](https://catalog.northeastern.edu/search/?P=EEMB%207101 "EEMB 7101") | Seminar in Marine Sciences |  |
| [EEMB 7102](https://catalog.northeastern.edu/search/?P=EEMB%207102 "EEMB 7102") | Seminar in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology |  |
| [EEMB 7104](https://catalog.northeastern.edu/search/?P=EEMB%207104 "EEMB 7104") | Seminar in Geosciences |  |
| Readings | |  |
| [EEMB 8103](https://catalog.northeastern.edu/search/?P=EEMB%208103 "EEMB 8103") | Readings in Sustainability Sciences | 2 |

### Geosciences

Course List

     | Code | Title | Hours |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Seminars | |  |
| [EEMB 7104](https://catalog.northeastern.edu/search/?P=EEMB%207104 "EEMB 7104") | Seminar in Geosciences | 2 |
| Complete one of the following: | | 2 |
| [EEMB 7101](https://catalog.northeastern.edu/search/?P=EEMB%207101 "EEMB 7101") | Seminar in Marine Sciences |  |
| [EEMB 7102](https://catalog.northeastern.edu/search/?P=EEMB%207102 "EEMB 7102") | Seminar in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology |  |
| [EEMB 7103](https://catalog.northeastern.edu/search/?P=EEMB%207103 "EEMB 7103") | Seminar in Sustainability Sciences |  |
| Readings | |  |
| [EEMB 8104](https://catalog.northeastern.edu/search/?P=EEMB%208104 "EEMB 8104") | Readings in Geosciences | 2 |

### Marine Sciences

Course List

     | Code | Title | Hours |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Seminars | |  |
| [EEMB 7101](https://catalog.northeastern.edu/search/?P=EEMB%207101 "EEMB 7101") | Seminar in Marine Sciences | 2 |
| Complete one of the following: | | 2 |
| [EEMB 7102](https://catalog.northeastern.edu/search/?P=EEMB%207102 "EEMB 7102") | Seminar in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology |  |
| [EEMB 7103](https://catalog.northeastern.edu/search/?P=EEMB%207103 "EEMB 7103") | Seminar in Sustainability Sciences |  |
| [EEMB 7104](https://catalog.northeastern.edu/search/?P=EEMB%207104 "EEMB 7104") | Seminar in Geosciences |  |
| Readings | |  |
| [EEMB 8101](https://catalog.northeastern.edu/search/?P=EEMB%208101 "EEMB 8101") | Readings in Marine Sciences | 2 |

## Dissertation

Course List

     | Code | Title | Hours |
| --- | --- | --- |
| [EEMB 9990](https://catalog.northeastern.edu/search/?P=EEMB%209990 "EEMB 9990") | Dissertation Term 1 |  |
| [EEMB 9991](https://catalog.northeastern.edu/search/?P=EEMB%209991 "EEMB 9991") | Dissertation Term 2 |  |

## Program Credit/GPA Requirements

10 total semester hours required\
 Minimum 3.000 GPA required