There are opportunities for two types of graduate study in marine conservation biology at Duke. The first is a Ph.D. program, associated with either the Nicholas School of the Environment or the Duke University Graduate Program in Ecology. The second is the professional Master's program in Coastal Environmental Management, in the Nicholas School of the Environment. These two programs are described separately below.

Ph.D. Program
The Ph.D. program requires completion of a dissertation containing the results of original and substantive research. Typically, graduate students spend several years conducting field or laboratory work after completion of courses and successful defense of their preliminary examinations. All Ph.D. students are supported by either a Research or Teaching Assistantship, both of which provide a modest annual stipend.

Potential students may apply through the Nicholas School of the Environment and Earth Sciences or the Duke University Program in Ecology. Prospective students should contact potential advisors before beginning the formal application process.

Space for Ph.D. students in the lab is extremely limited. There are about five Ph.D. students in the lab at any time. This keeps the lab to a manageable size and ensures that we work efficiently as a group. Thus, the number of new Ph.D. students entering the lab each year is low and competition for space is keen.

I look for prospective Ph.D. students who have already demonstrated an aptitude for research - for example, all of my current Ph.D. students completed Master's degrees before entering the Ph.D. program. I also look for mature students who already have a clear idea of their research interests when they enter the program. Finally, I am interested in students whose interests, skills and outlook mesh well with our existing program.

Coastal Environmental Management Program
The Coastal Environmental Management (CEM) Master's program provides a rigorous academic and practical training in the coastal environment and in the nature of human activities and policies that affect it. The program is designed to train graduate students for professional careers in management, policy, research or advocacy. Graduates of the CEM program may also choose to pursue further educational opportunities at the Ph.D. level.

CEM students spend the first year of the program on main campus in Durham taking courses in ecology, economics, policy and analytical techniques. The second year is usually spent at the Marine Laboratory in Beaufort taking additional courses and working on a Master's Project. The summer between the first and second year provides an opportunity for focused research or internships in a particular area of interest that leads to development of the Master's Project.

There are up to six second-year CEM students working in our laboratory at any particular time. These students work on a wide variety of Master's Projects, mostly involving issues of marine mammal management and conservation. There are new opportunities for entrance into the CEM program each year, but this is a competitive program and we always have more qualified applicants than openings.

For a full description of research and career possibilities with marine mammals, see the Society for Marine Mammalogy's web page Strategies for pursuing a career in marine mammal science.

If you want further inspiration and advice check out this engaging resource.....LoveLab.