The Marine and Atmospheric Sciences at Stony Brook University is a PhD program designed for students who want to build the knowledge and skills required for careers in this field. Delivered on campus at the university's main campus in Stony Brook, United States of America, the program is taught in English and takes 4 years to complete. Students study in a Full Time environment while preparing for future professional opportunities. The next intake starts on August 28, 2026.

About PhD in Marine and Atmospheric Sciences

Marine and Atmospheric Science

The Marine and Atmospheric Sciences (MAS) graduate program of the School of Marine and Atmospheric Sciences (SoMAS) offers programs in marine conservation and policy, marine science, atmospheric science, geospatial science, and sustainability leading to M.A., M.S., and Ph.D. degrees . SoMAS is one of the leading centers for research, graduate education, and public service in the marine sciences, atmospheric sciences and in sustainability studies â€“ for marine science it is the center for the State University of New York system.SoMAS faculty have active research programs in all major oceanographic and atmospheric disciplines, as well as in sustainability research, and many focus on interdisciplinary approaches to understanding environmental processes and issues. Specific areas of cross-disciplinary focus include biogeochemical transformation of energy and elements, ocean-atmosphere connections, conservation and management of marine resources, environmental health and contaminants, environmental modeling and prediction, and patterns and impacts of global climate change.

SoMAS is ideally situated for studies of a variety of coastal environments including estuaries, lagoons, salt marshes, barrier islands, and continental shelf waters. Long Island has a greater diversity of coastal environments in a limited geographical range than any other comparable area in the United States. The proximity of New York City and the burgeoning population of Long Island and Connecticut make New York coastal waters an excellent laboratory for assessing human impacts on the coastal seas and understanding land/sea interactions at all levels. In addition to working on coastal issues, SoMAS scientists have active research programs on all the world's oceans and examine atmospheric processes on the Earth and other planets.

SoMAS offers an M.A. in Marine Conservation and Policy and an M.S. and Ph.D. in Marine, Atmospheric, and Sustainability Sciences. Interested students should address inquiries to the graduate program director. Tuition scholarships and stipends are available for students in the research-based M.S. and Ph.D. programs.

SoMAS also offers accelerated B.S./M.S. and B.A./M.A. programs, allowing high-achieving Stony Brook undergraduate students in the Marine Sciences (MAR B.S.), Marine Vertebrate Biology (MVB B.S.), Atmospheric Sciences (ATM B.S.), and Environmental Studies (ENS B.A.) to begin working on their masters degree prior to completing their bachelors degree, allowing up to 12 credits of course work to count towards both degrees.

Graduate Degree Program Descriptions

The M.A. Program in Marine Conservation and Policy

The Graduate Program in Marine Conservation and Policy (MCP) provides students with an understanding of contemporary marine conservation issues and helps them develop the necessary skills to apply this knowledge in positions that require advanced training and a broad skill set, but are not research-based. Graduates of this program should be able to compete effectively for positions in government, environmental consultancy, and non-governmental organizations, and to apply marine conservation and policy knowledge in other fields including law, teaching, communications, or business. This program requires a minimum of 30 credits of graduate coursework (at least 24 credits must be completed after matriculation into the M.A. in MCP program) and is designed to be completed in 12 months of full-time study.

The M.S. Program in Marine, Atmospheric, and Sustainability Sciences

The M.S. program offered by SoMAS takes a rigorous approach to oceanography, atmospheric, and sustainability sciences with interdisciplinary course work and a research thesis. It is designed to prepare students for positions in research, management, environmental protection, and resource development. The program provides students with a firm basis for more advanced study, but also is designed to equip students with the background and tools needed for effective careers without additional training. Required course work is very similar to the Ph.D. program, allowing M.S. students to continue in the Ph.D. program provided they have demonstrated adequate performance and found a suitable faculty advisor. The time required to complete this program depends on the scope of research undertaken. Most students complete their degree in 2 to 3 years.

Ph.D. Program in Marine, Atmospheric, and Sustainability Sciences

The Ph.D. program is designed to prepare students to independently identify and approach problems in marine sciences, atmospheric sciences, and sustainability. It builds on a series of core required courses and allows students to create their own plan of advanced study, helping them to become independent problem solvers. The Ph.D. in Marine, Atmospheric, and Sustainability Sciences prepares students to compete effectively for academic positions or to direct research and assessment programs at government, private, or nongovernmental organizations. A M.S. degree is not required for admission to the Ph.D. program. Most students take 5 to 6 years to complete their Ph.D.

Certificate Program

In comparison to the M.A., M.S. and Ph.D., certificate programs provide the opportunity for shorter and more focused programs of advanced study. Students interested in these programs should contact the certificate programâ€™s Faculty Director.

Advanced Graduate Certificate in Geospatial Science (GSS)

The advanced graduate GSS certificate allows graduate students and working professionals to advance their GIS and/or remote sensing knowledge and employment opportunities with anindustry-recognized certificate. The program requires students to earn 15 credits in addition to holding a B.A., B.S., or graduate degree. The program offers fully online that are intended to allow full-time students to complete the certificate requirements in one year. Some basic knowledge of operating personal computers is necessary to complete the course work. No more than 6 credits used to satisfy another graduate degree can be applied to the GSS certificate. For further information contact the GSS programâ€™s Faculty Director.

Disciplines

Graduate Faculty

Requirements and Admission Criteria for PhD in Marine and Atmospheric Sciences at Stony Brook University

Entry Requirements

An applicant must have a minimum cumulative grade point average of 3.00 on a 4.00 point scale. If the student attends a college that only gives Passes or Credits for the first year of study, then these grades will be evaluated as C for GPA admission purposes unless the student provides actual grades.

Paper recommendations can be sent in, but you must use the paper recommendation form from your application portal and give it to your recommender. Paper recommendations must be sent directly to the graduate program you are applying to in sealed envelopes, signed across the seal by the recommender.
In order to gain access to our recommendation forms, you must submit an application. Within your application, you can either send emails directing your recommenders to each submit a recommendation online, or you may download a paper recommendation form and give it to your recommender. Paper recommendations must be sent directly to the graduate program you are applying to in sealed envelopes, signed across the seal by the recommender.

English Requirements

IELTSMin 7

Fee Information

Application Fee 100

How to Apply

All applications must be submitted electronically through our online application system. Once you create an account, you can save and update your material as often as necessary until you click the “Finalize Application” button. Once your application is submitted, you can log on to track its status.