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PhD student, Lu Wang, conducting research in Professor Changsheng Chen's lab

Marine Science and Technology
PhD

The School for Marine Sciences & Technology’s (SMAST) PhD program in Marine Science and Technology champions research that meets both local and global societal needs. It fosters an interdisciplinary approach by integrating observations, modeling, experimentation, and theory across ocean sciences, ocean technology, and marine policy.

While pursuing a PhD in marine science and tech, our students work independently as well as collaboratively with our faculty. They may also work with colleagues from other highly regarded institutions to pursue a range of leading-edge research projects. Research areas include, but are not limited to the following:

  • Biochemical cycling
  • Coastal Ecosystem Dynamics and Restoration
  • Computational Modeling
  • Fisheries Science
  • Marine Renewable Energy
  • Ocean Physics

View the complete list of faculty and their areas of expertise.

Highlights

  • Program requires four core courses (12 credits) and an additional 24 credit hours of courses (which includes both elective and seminar courses), which help prepare the student for the written and oral candidacy examinations
  • Upon completing the comprehensive exams, students are required to take a minimum of 18 credit hours toward their dissertation research
  • PhD students may be accepted as part-time students
  • Courses may be selected from those offered by UMass Dartmouth,  other UMass campuses, and other academic institutions subject to approval by the SMAST Dean

At a glance

SMAST student achievements

  • Fulbright Fellowships
  • Knauss Marine Policy Fellowships
  • NOAA Sea Grant Fellowship in Population Dynamics
  • Nancy Sayles Day Foundation Research Award

Awards for presentations at various organizations

  • International Council for the Exploration of the Sea
  • American Meteorological Society
  • National Shellfisheries Association
  • International Pectinid Workshop
  • American Institute of Fishery Research Biologists
  • American Fisheries Society

Funding

The University of Massachusetts Dartmouth has several financial programs to assist graduate students with the cost of advanced studies. These programs apply to degree-seeking, matriculated students only.

Applicants should take an active role in contacting faculty member(s) who could potentially advise them, as well as make an effort to seek funding before applying.

Student placement

SMAST alums succeed at becoming involved in research, teaching, and project management in academia, private industry, and governmental agencies.

Student success

SMAST PhD Research Assistant

Student spotlight

Drake Ssempijja, PhD '28

Drake Ssempijja PhD '28 focuses on plastic pollution from discarded fishing gear in inland fisheries, particularly in the developing world. He said, "My best experience so far has been learning how SMAST operates, especially given its strategic location in New Bedford. The work we do with fishermen and our collaborative approach to research has been incredibly eye-opening for me. We don't operate in the dark; instead, we emphasize cooperative research."

Research

SMAST PhD student Megan Winton on a boat conducting research on Cape Cod

Research spotlight

Megan Winton PhD '23 publishes groundbreaking white shark research

As a PhD candidate at SMAST, Megan Winton published a groundbreaking study on the population dynamics and predatory behavior of white sharks off the coast of Cape Cod. Winton, alongside SMAST alumnus Tobey Curtis and adjunct faculty and Senior Marine Fisheries Biologist at the Massachusetts Division of Marine Fisheries Greg Skomal, has been featured in multiple Nat Geo SharkFest programs. 

University requirements for graduate admissions

  • Submit an application via the online portal. Be sure to provide your full legal name and to capitalize the first letter of all proper nouns.
  • Pay non-refundable $60 application fee (American Express, Discover, MasterCard or Visa) via the online portal. For Nursing applicants, the non-refundable application fee is $75.
  • Statement of Purpose, minimum 300 words. Unless otherwise indicated in the program requirement details, indicate your graduate study objectives, research interests and experience, and business or industry experience if applicable. If you are applying for a teaching or research assistantship, include any special skills or experience that would assist us in making assistantship decisions.
  • Resume
  • Transcripts for all post-secondary institutions attended (regardless of whether a credential is earned or not). Unofficial transcripts are accepted for admissions application review, once enrolled a final official transcript is required. International students applying with an transcript evaluation, please submit that document with your unofficial transcripts. International applicants for Data Science must submit semester-by-semester transcripts as well as consolidated transcripts. 
  • Many programs have specific recommendations/requirements, please see the additional program-specific requirements for more information.
  • English Proficiency Requirement: If you are a Domestic student and English is not your native language or you are an International student, you must provide the university with verification of your proficiency in English. This is required of any applicant who did not earn a bachelor’s degree or higher degree from an accredited academic institution in the U.S. or accepted English-speaking country, see exemptions for more details. MOI (Medium of Instruction) does not meet our exemption requirements. The official TOEFL iBT, IELTS Academic, Pearson PTE or Duolingo (if accepted by program) score meets this requirement. Unofficial scores are accepted for admissions application review, once enrolled official scores are required and must be sent by the testing agency (copies/scans not accepted). We require an overall/total minimum score of 72 on the TOEFL iBT (New TOEFL 2026 score of 4) or BAND 6.0 on the IELTS Academic or a 52 on the Pearsons PTE Academic for entrance to any program and a minimum score of 79 on the TOEFL iBT (New TOEFL 2026 score of 4) or BAND 6.5 on the IELTS Academic for consideration for a teaching assistantship. Some programs require higher minimum scores (see program-specific requirements). Most programs also accept the Duolingo with a minimum score of 95. The following programs do not accept the Duolingo: Art Education, Biology/Marine Biology, Nursing (MS, DNP, PhD), Psychology: Clinical and Public Policy. 
  • All official documents are required for enrollment, please have documents (ie. test scores) sent prior to the expiration. 

Program-specific requirements

Candidates must submit the required application materials, university requirements and program-specific requirements, for consideration.

  • Completion of an undergraduate or graduate degree with a GPA of 3.00 or higher.
  • Completion of an undergraduate major in one of the basic scientific disciplines or engineering, or strong multidisciplinary training.
  • Completion of at least six semesters of coursework in the natural sciences, generally to include biology, chemistry, and/or physics.
  • Preparation in mathematics at least through integral calculus is strongly encouraged.

Requirements

  • GRE is optional.
  • 3 letters of recommendation. Applicants will be required to provide the recommenders name and email address so we can contact the recommender for the letter of recommendation.

Application dates

A limited number of assistantships are available on a competitive basis. This award is subject to the work needs of the position and department, your satisfactory performance of duties, your academic record, and availability of funds, and may be subject to change.

Learn more about assistantships at UMass Dartmouth

International (F-1) students who receive science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) degrees may be eligible to apply for a 24-month extension of their post-completion optional practical training (OPT). To learn about the eligibility criteria and detailed steps to apply, please review the International Student & Scholar Center (ISSC) OPT page and USCIS resources. F-1 students must consult with the ISSC to apply for STEM OPT.