Several universities offer outstanding programs in marine biology and mammalogy, including the University of Miami, the University of California at Santa Barbara and the University of Texas at Austin. Those three programs are noted for their academic offerings, their research opportunities and their facilities.

University of California-Santa Barbara

University of California-Santa Barbara's program offers not only an in-depth scientific grounding in marine biology but also the opportunity to use the Pacific Ocean as a laboratory. Located on the coast, the university conducts studies on the ocean ecosystem and offers both undergraduate and graduate degrees in marine biology. The program is based in the department of ecology, evolution and marine biology.

UC-Santa Barbara 552 University Rd. Santa Barbara CA 93106 805-893-8000 ucsb.edu

University of Miami

The Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Science at the University of Miami focuses on species of Caribbean marine mammals. The university's location gives students year-round access to a rich marine ecosystem, including coral reefs, mangroves and deep sea in a 65-acre marine research park including laboratories and natural reserves.

Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Science University of Miami 4600 Rickenbacker Causeway Miami, FL 33149 305-421-4000 rsmas.miami.edu

Marine Mammals
••• dolphin image by Grantlin Banks from Fotolia.com

University of Texas at Austin

Like Miami, The University of Texas at Austin has a dedicated center for marine biology research, the University of Texas Marine Science Institute on the Gulf Coast. The center conducts research on various species, ecological dynamics and environmental monitoring, while the university offers undergraduate and graduate programs in marine science.

University of Texas Marine Science Institute 750 Channel View Dr. Port Aransas, TX 78373 361-749-6741 utmsi.utexas.edu

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