Overview

The answer is simple: so you are prepared for the challenges of managing marine resources in the 21st century.

The Marine Affairs from University of Washington degree is focused on the intersection of public policy and natural and social sciences, so you have the knowledge and skills necessary to tackle the complicated problems in this field and succeed.

SMEA graduates are uniquely qualified for various marine and environmental affairs related positions. They go on to become policy makers, analysts, administrators, consultants, nonprofit managers, activists, and researchers.

Our students bring to the program a wide variety of educational and professional backgrounds, and are from all around the country and world. This diversity of perspectives, interests, knowledge, and experiences creates a melting-pot environment that reflects the many different components of marine and environmental affairs as a field.

Our faculty are an interdisciplinary group as well, offering a variety of areas of expertise that result in a well-rounded curricular experience for students.

Our program is designed to provide you with a solid background in important subject area knowledge such as law, economics, and marine science, as well as analytical skills such as quantitative and policy analysis, and finally, the overarching theme of our curriculum – the Human Dimensions of Global Change in the Marine Environment (HDGCME).

Our alumni have careers at NOAA, The Nature Conservancy, Trident Seafoods, Washington State Department of Natural Resources, Surfrider Foundation, Port of Seattle, Pew Environment Group, Tulalip Tribes, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, City of Seattle, World Wildlife Fund, Washington State Department of Ecology, and many other related organizations.

Careers

Students at SMEA are well prepared to launch fulfilling careers when they graduate.

The MMA degree provides them with a well-rounded science/policy perspective and strong analytical tools for tackling policy and management problems. Our graduates go on to many different types of careers spanning all forms of government, nonprofit, industry, and academia. You don’t have to look far to find a UW MMA in this field!

SMEA supports its students in their career development through one-on-one advising, hosting group career events such as alumni speaker panels, and by fostering connections and internship opportunities in the local area. As UW students, SMEA students can also take full advantage of the many career development resources available to them through the UW Career Center.

Programme Structure

Courses include:

HDGCME

Tools for Integrated Marine Affairs Practice

Decision Making & Action Taking

Marine Law

Policy Analysis

Environmental/Resource Economics

Policy Processes

Marine Science

Key information

Duration

Full-time
- 24 months

Start dates & application deadlines

Starting 2027-09-30 00:00:00
- Apply before 2026-12-15 00:00:00

Language

English

Duolingo English Test

105

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TOEFL^® IBT

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Credits

59 SCH

quarter credits

Delivered

On Campus

Campus Location

Seattle, United States

Disciplines

Marine Science View 115 other Masters in Marine Science in United States

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Academic requirements

GPA

English requirements

Duolingo English Test

105

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TOEFL^® IBT

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Other requirements

General requirements

Admission to the School of Marine and Environmental Affairs is competitive due to the limited number of places available and the excellent quality of applicants. Successful applicants typically rank highly on some of the following:
- A demonstrated ability to maintain good grades, particularly in areas pertinent to the marine and environmental affairs field
- Significant practical/professional experience in teaching, research, government, business, or industry
- Strong recommendations from undergraduate instructors, advisors, professional supervisors or colleagues
- A thoughtfully considered and clearly stated career objective

Tuition Fees

Tuition fees are shown in and the most likely applicable fee is shown based on your nationality.

International Applies to you

Applies to you

Non-residents

32511 USD / year

≈ 32511 USD / year
Out-of-State

32511 USD / year

≈ 32511 USD / year
Domestic

Applies to you

In-State

18633 USD / year

≈ 18633 USD / year

Living costs

Seattle

United States

1480 - 2580 USD / month

The living costs include the total expenses per month, covering accommodation, public transportation, utilities (electricity, internet), books and groceries.

Financing

Interested in financing your studies? Find a student loan that works for you.

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Funding

Win a €10000 Scholarship! Deadline: 30 June 2020

Embark on your journey with the Studyportals Scholarship! We're giving away a total of 20,000 euros to help you achieve your dream of studying abroad.

Win a €10000 Scholarship! Deadline: 30 June 2020

Embark on your journey with the Studyportals Scholarship! We're giving away a total of 20,000 euros to help you achieve your dream of studying abroad.

In order for us to give you accurate scholarship information, we ask that you please confirm a few details and create an account with us.

Scholarships Information

Below you will find Master's scholarship opportunities for Marine Affairs.

Available Scholarships

You are eligible to apply for these scholarships but a selection process will still be applied by the provider.

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