Major in Coastal & Marine Sciences

Receive full tuition support as an R. Todd Stravitz Scholar

The new bachelor's degree program in coastal and marine sciences has been approved by the State Council of Higher Education in Virginia (SCHEV), and is set to launch in fall 2025. The new degree will mark another milestone: the first undergraduate courses to be taught at William & Mary's Batten School & VIMS campus in Gloucester Point, including an immersion semester where all of a student's coursework is completed at the Batten School. 

W&M's Batten School & VIMS rank among the top coastal and marine science institutions in the U.S. and currently offers two research degrees (Ph.D. and M.S.), a professional master's degree (M.A.) and an undergraduate minor administered in collaboration with W&M's Arts & Sciences. The new Batten School undergraduate major will provide a foundational education in coastal and marine sciences with an emphasis on experiential learning and research. 

In July 2024, William & Mary received a record $100 million gift from philanthropist Jane Batten, HON '17, L.H.D. '19, naming the school and establishing an endowment designed to sustain and grow its academic and research endeavors. The gift was the largest in the university's history and the largest gift ever given to a school dedicated to coastal and marine sciences. Thanks to Batten's support, undergraduates will benefit from numerous campus improvements, the hiring of new faculty members and $5,000 for each coastal and marine sciences major to use for independent research or an internship experience.

Students accepted to the coastal and marine sciences major will receive full tuition support through The R. Todd Stravitz Scholars Program, which was announced in February 2024.