ICS Curriculum and Coursework

Curriculum

The doctoral program requires a minimum of 68 credits (CR) of course work beyond a relevant baccalaureate degree, 44 CR of which are general requirements (fundamentals courses) taken by all students. See curriculum map below.

Fundamentals courses are designed to provide background essential to all concentration areas of the ICS program and develop interdisciplinary problem-solving skills. These courses are BIOL 7005 (Coastal Ecological Processes), ICS 7005 (Human Dimensions of Coastal Management), ICS 8000 (Integrative Problem Solving in Coastal Sciences I), ICS 8001 (Integrative Problem Solving in Coastal Sciences II), GEOL 7002/7003 (Coastal Geosciences and lab),  GRAD 7004 (Ethics); ECON 7010 (Coastal and Marine Economics and Policy), EHST 6010 (Fundamentals of Environmental Health [optional unless the student chooses Health as a concentration area]), and a minimum of 24 CR of dissertation ICS 9000. Collectively, these should amount to 44 CR. In addition to the 44 CR of general requirements, students select 12 CR within their primary area of concentration (i.e., coastal natural sciences or coastal health and social sciences) and 6 CR from a secondary area of concentration (i.e., coastal natural sciences or coastal health and social sciences), with one of those in the natural sciences (e.g. coastal ecology, coastal geosciences) and the other in the social (e.g. coastal economics, coastal human dimensions) or coastal health sciences.  An additional 6 CR of methodology courses should be taken after consultation with the major professor. As noted earlier, any coursework to be applied to the Ph.D. degree should be at the “6000” level equivalent or greater.

Additional work and dissertation credits will be determined in consultation with the student’s advisor and members of his or her dissertation committee. No more than 15 CR of classes may be taken in one semester.  A student is considered enrolled full-time when registered for a minimum of 9 CR during the fall and spring semesters. Maintaining an ECU student health insurance plan requires that a student take a minimum of 6 CR per semester.

A list of courses in the Natural, Social, and Health Sciences is provided in the Appendix at the end of the current student handbook. Please keep in mind that many of these courses may be appropriate for the Primary, Secondary, or Methodological Concentration areas but may not be regularly offered. There are also other courses periodically offered in other departments that may fulfill ICS curricular requirements. Please consult with the graduate course offerings in the appropriate department as needed.

Course Curriculum Map. Revised 2023. If admitted, a student will follow the path as highlighted above.

Coursework

ICS 7005 – Human Dimensions of Coastal Management (3 s.h.)

  • P: Graduate standing in Integrated Coastal Sciences Ph.D. program or consent of instructor. Concepts, theories, and frameworks of human values, attitudes and behavior related to coastal resources.

ICS 7007 – Research Design in Marine and Coastal Studies (3 s.h.)

  • P: Graduate standing in Integrated Coastal Sciences Ph.D. program or consent of instructor. Fundamentals of planning, evaluation, and implementation in marine research.

ICS 7008 – Data Analysis (3 s.h.)

  • P: Graduate standing in Integrated Coastal Sciences Ph.D. program or consent of instructor. Statistical, quantitative, qualitative, and spatial techniques for coastal research.

ICS 7010 – Special Topics in Coastal Science and Policy (2 or 3 s.h.) May be repeated for credit for a maximum of 9 s.h.

  • P: Consent of instructor. Readings, presentations, and critical analysis of literature in coastal science and policy.

ICS 8000 – Integrative Problem Solving in Coastal Sciences I (3 s.h.)

  • C: BIOL 7005; GEOL 7002, GEOL 7003; ICS 7005. Development of the integrative thought processes needed to determine the critical variables to be obtained and the team of scientists needed to be assembled when developing and implementing solutions for complex problems facing coastal and marine systems.

ICS 8001 – Integrative Problem Solving in Coastal Sciences II (3 s.h.)

  • 2 lecture and 2 lab hours per week. P: ICS 8000; C: BIOL 7005; ECON 7010; GEOL 7002, GEOL 7003; ICS 7005. Solving practical and complex coastal and estuarine problems using a coupled natural and social science approach.

ICS 9000 – Dissertation (1-9 s.h.)

  • May be repeated. May count maximum of 24 s.h.