Graduate Program Description
The School of Aquatic & Fishery Sciences, established in 1919, offers courses and conducts research on the conservation, management, and effective use of fish and shellfish resources. Education and research in the School include studies of aquatic ecology; ichthyology; population dynamics; management of free-ranging stocks; restoration ecology; aquaculture; seafood quality and safety; and effects of human activities on freshwater and marine ecosystems.
Students may apply for admission into programs leading to the Master of Science or Doctor of Philosophy. Students who apply for the Ph.D. program must hold a Master's Degree prior to beginning their doctoral studies. All students who receive a Master's Degree from the SAFS and wish to pursue a Ph.D. will be reviewed by the Recruitment, Admissions, and Scholarship Committee before being accepted into the Ph.D. program.
How the School Functions
The School of Aquatic & Fishery Sciences is one of three academic units within the College of Ocean and Fishery Sciences. The other units are the School of Oceanography and the School of Marine Affairs. The Director of SAFS is assisted by an Associate Director and various administrative offices.
The following two faculty committees determine many of the academic and administrative procedures of the School:.
- Recruitment, Admissions, and Scholarship Committee (RASC)
- Curriculum Committee
The functions of both committees are particularly important to graduate education and are discussed throughout this guide.
Additionally, graduate students elect members of a graduate student council, the Fisheries Integrated Network of Students (FINS), which meets with the Coordinator of Student Services as necessary.
Degree Programs
SAFS offers two graduate degrees: a Master of Science, which requires the preparation of a thesis, and Doctor of Philosophy, which requires completion of a dissertation. Students who do not hold an M.S. at the time of matriculation will only be admitted to the Master’s program. The completion of a Master's Degree is required before application can be made to enter the Doctoral Degree program. In exceptional cases, the student, after completing at least one year of study in the Master’s program, may petition the School to bypass the Master's Degree and move on to the Doctoral Degree program. The procedures and requirements necessary to accomplish this are outlined in the section on the Doctoral Degree program.
Graduate Program Coordinator
The Associate Director of the School serves as Graduate Program Coordinator (GPC). The Director acts as alternate Graduate Program Coordinator. The GPC maintains familiarity with policies and procedures of the Graduate School, and is responsible to the Graduate School for matters of scholarship and ensures that students’ programs are effectively supervised and assessed. While academic advising is generally provided by the chairperson of the student's Supervisory Committee (Major Professor) or by staff of the Student Services Office, the GPC is available for consultation on all matters that concern the graduate program.
Student Services Office
The Student Services Office is responsible for many of the administrative procedures of the program and is the first point of contact for many student inquiries. The office maintains student records, assists with registration problems, provides all necessary forms leading to the completion of adegree, assists with the scheduling of examinations, and provides advising on all matters related to the degree programs.
Student Services is housed with the general SAFS administrative offices in Fishery Sciences room 116, and can be contacted at safs@u.washington.edu, or (206) 616-5893.
Academic Advising
As indicated in the letter of admission, an initial faculty advisor is assigned to each entering graduate student. The advisor assists the student in planning initial coursework and may aide development of a research program. The faculty advisor usually becomes the chairperson of the student's Supervisory Committee (Major Professor) or may assist in finding another faculty member who can supervise the student's research. The staff of the Student Services Office is also available to provide expert advice in all matters that concern the graduate program.
Program Areas of Emphasis
A wide variety of thesis and dissertation research can be pursued at the School of Aquatic & Fishery Sciences. Examples of current student research topics are illustrated by the program for the Annual Graduate Student Research Symposium. Certain areas of research are particularly strong within the School and can be determined by examining the Faculty Research Profiles. These major areas typically have the most research support, facilities, and students.
Master of Science
A minimum of 45 quarter credits earned in graduate-level coursework and completion of a thesis research project, lead to the Master of Science degree. A seminar on the results of the research and oral defense of the thesis are required for graduation. The degree can be earned in as few as two years, but must be completed within six years of initial enrollment. Additional specific requirements are detailed in the M.S. Degree Requirements webpage.
Doctor of Philosophy
A minimum of 90 quarter credits earned over a period of at least three years and completion of a dissertation will earn the Ph.D. Completion of a Master’s degree program frequently may be applied toward one year of the doctoral program requirements. The SAFS core classes must be taken if the student obtained a Master’s degree from another institution or received a Master’s degree from the School of Aquatic & Fishery Sciences under a different set of requirements. In rare instances, students initially accepted into the M.S. program will be allowed to proceed directly to the Ph.D. The degree must be completed within 10 years of the beginning of graduate study, including any applicable Master’s work. Additional specific requirements are detailed in the Ph.D. Degree Requirements webpage.
Related Degree Programs
Quantitative Ecology and Resource Management
The graduate program offered by the Quantitative Ecology and Resource Management (QERM) interdisciplinary group provides a unique opportunity for students to study the application of statistical, mathematical, and decision sciences to a broad array of terrestrial and marine ecology, natural resource management, and biometrical and mathematical biology problems. The QERM program offers Master of Science and Doctor of Philosophy degrees, and is designed to attract mathematically trained students interested in working on contemporary ecological or resource-management problems from a quantitative perspective. Faculty associated with this interdisciplinary program come from thirteen campus units, including Statistics, Applied Mathematics, Forest Resources, Aquatic & Fishery Sciences, Zoology, Biostatistics, and Marine Affairs. This pool of faculty talent is available to enrich the academic experience of all QERM students. Prospective students interested in QERM should contact the Graduate Program Coordinator at (206) 616-9571 or qerm@cqs.washington.edu.
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