Over half of the world’s population resides in growing coastal areas. These areas are major economic engines, supporting port and shipping, tourism, fisheries, aquaculture, and oil and gas mining activities. The coastal zone — comprised of nearshore waters and lands — represents some of the most fragile habitats on the planet. Balancing economic activities with sensitive habitats and high population density is a major challenge that resource managers face in the 21st Century. Similarly, adaptation to climate change, sea level rise, coastal erosion, and hurricanes pose additional challenges for coastal managers. The track in Coastal Zone Management will introduce participants to the legal and governance frameworks in this increasingly important discipline. Coursework will integrate topics such as coastal fisheries management, marine protected areas, port management, tourism development, environmental impact assessment, and oil exploration. Students will have opportunities to engage in internships with private, public or non-governmental agencies (NGO’s) and conduct relevant fieldwork. Additional internship possibilities also exist with environmental advocacy groups and consulting firms. This track is part of the Marine Ecosystems and Society Department at RSMAS, which has long-established links and study sites in Panamá (among other countries), where students receive hands-on experience and work directly on coastal zone management issues.
There is no specific coursework required in this track. Curriculum will be decided on a case-by-case basis during academic advising. However, students select from a variety of multidisciplinary courses across many departments and schools at RSMAS/UM, in a holistic effort to meet their personal and professional goals.
This track in Coastal Management will introduce participants to the legal and governance frameworks in this unique and fragile coastal area. Students will also have the opportunity to select a specialty in an area that links to coastal management, such as fisheries, marine protected areas, port management, aquaculture, or oil exploration. They will also have an opportunity to engage in an internship experience and fieldwork with international, national, state, or local coastal management government institutions, depending on their personal interest. Other internship possibilities also exist with environmental advocacy groups and consulting firms. The program also has long-established links and study experiences in coastal management in Panamá, among other countries.
Students will be introduced to the legal and governance frameworks on topics such as coastal fisheries management, marine protected areas, port management, tourism development, environmental impact assessment, and oil exploration.
Maria Estevanez
Coastal Zone Management, JD/MPS Track, & Marine Conservation
For more details, visit the UM Bulletin
Code
Title
Credit Hours
Courses for this program are selected on a case by case basis during academic advisement.
30
MES 601
Political Ecology of Marine Management
MES 602
Economics of Natural Resources
MES 604
MES 606
Advanced Fieldwork in Coastal Cultures
MES 610
MES 612
Aquaculture I
MES 613
Aquaculture II Lab
MES 619
Aquaculture III
MES 618
Coastal Zone Management
MES 620
Environmental Law
MES 624
Statistics & Data Analysis for Environmental Science & Policy
MES 625
Fisheries Socioeconomics and Management
MES 626
Submerged Cultural Resource Management
MES 630
Port Operations and Policy
MES 660
& MES 661
and Introduction to Marine Geographic Information Systems - Laboratory
MES 662
MES 671
MES 616
Ocean Policy and Development and Analysis
MES 617
MES 664
Citizen & Participatory Science
MES 670
MES 608
Biometrics in Marine Science
MES 673
Marine Conservation Outreach
MES 677
MES 710
International Ocean Law And Governance
MES 720
Coastal Law and Policy
MBE 615
Tropical Marine Ecology
MBE 618
Reef Coral Biology, Ecology, and Conservation
MBE 621
RSM 612
Statistics for Environmental Management
RSM 667
Motorboat Operator Certificate Course
RSM 600
Research Diving Techniques
RSM 620
Climate and Society
MES 805
MPS Internship (* Required)
Total Credit Hours
30