CONNECT WITH SFS
MARINE RESOURCE STUDIES,
TURKS & CAICOS ISLANDS
PROGRAM DETAILS
- Terms: Fall, Spring
- Credits: 16 semester-hour credits
- Prerequisites: One semester of college-level ecology, biology, or environmental studies/science; 18 years of age
- Application Deadline: Rolling admissions. Early applications encouraged
- Financial Aid: All accepted students can apply for need-based scholarships, grants, and loans
OVERVIEW
Snorkeling and scuba diving in the waters surrounding South Caicos, students learn field research and monitoring techniques to identify and assess the health of a wide range of marine organisms and habitats. Students learn observe the behavior of marine species, assess coastal and marine habitats, quantify fisheries resources, and analyze implications of fishery policies. In the community, students consider the challenges of assessing the rights and needs of local stakeholders and reconciling those with conservation goals—real-life dilemmas faced by governmental regulators and the residents of South Caicos.
WHAT YOU'LL STUDY
- Marine ecology and conservation
- Environmental impact assessment and monitoring
- Traditional livelihoods
- Marine Protected Areas assessment and management strategies
- Sustainable tourism practices
- Sustainable fishery practices
- Small nation governance of resources
- Valuation of natural resources
FIELD EXPERIENCES
- Scuba diving and snorkeling for fish, coral, seagrass, and mangrove identification exercises
- Excursion to neighboring Providenciales, Middle Caicos, and North Caicos, explore the caves and bat colonies, absorb local ecological knowledge of bush medicines and foods
- Tagging sharks and sea turtles to collect morphological data and gain an understanding of population dynamics
- Lectures by Department of the Environment and Maritime Affairs (DEMA) officials on the government’s fisheries regulations and enforcement
- In-water coral bleaching exercise to collect data on coral health
DIRECTED RESEARCH
Through Directed Research (DR)—as opposed to basic, applied, or independent research—students conduct research on a specific topic that is part of the SFS Center’s long-term strategic research plan, which has been developed in partnership with local community stakeholders and clients.
The course, taught by resident SFS faculty, provides students with the opportunity to apply the scientific process in a mentored field research project that addresses a local environmental issue. Through the DR project, students contribute to a growing body of scientific research that informs local conservation and resource management decisions.
