About the MEES Graduate Program

The Marine Estuarine Environmental Sciences (MEES) is an ambitious state-wide multi-institutional graduate program of the University System of Maryland (USM) and offers MS and Ph.D. degrees. Our program is one of the largest multi-institutional graduate programs in the country in the environmental sciences with close partnerships and proximity to several federal labs (NOAA, NASA, USDA, etc.) and state agencies such as the Maryland Department of Natural Resources and the Maryland Department of the Environment, along with other research centers, which enables our students to meet, learn from, and collaborate with some of the leading researchers in the discipline.

MEES currently has approximately 150 enrolled students and about 64% are Ph.D. students. MEES leverages over 200 faculty members from USM’s 5 degree granting institutions affording students an unparalleled opportunity to combine the expertise of the best environmental scientists in the region to guide their program of study. The M.S/Ph.D program is typically for full-time students who are enrolled in research-based degrees with a chosen discipline or speciality in one (1) of four (required) Foundations with most conducting research in their advisor’s laboratory, unit or department to which the advisor belongs.

Due to MEES interdisciplinary approach, applicants with a wide variety of backgrounds are encouraged to apply; although the program’s strength is in the marine and estuarine sciences, the program itself spans the environmental sciences as a whole, irrespective of habitat. The program accepts students with bachelor’s degrees in not just the marine & environmental sciences, but also in: biology, biotechnology, geology, ecology, chemistry, fisheries, zoology, oceanography, animal science and many other programs with a suitable emphasis on science. While the interests of students in the program are diverse, they generally center on some aspect of the interaction between biological, physical and/or chemical systems in the environment, ranging from studies of molecular mechanisms to fisheries ecology, chemical pollutants, or economic assessments of environmental impacts. Since its faculty members come from so many sources, MEES provides a unique and valuable graduate education across the broad range of the environmental sciences!

The Fall 2025 application portal will open in July. For more information on admission, please click here.