The Integrative Field Experience (IFE) is the culminating requirement of the Marine Biology Major, and all marine biology majors spend time in the field away from the UW Seattle campus.
Students select from a list of eligible courses which give hands-on experience with changes in the marine environment at a variety of scales (over time and space) and systems (physical and biological). These advanced courses build on the foundational knowledge developed across the three core areas of the major (biodiversity, ecology and ecosystems and organismal processes) and develop skills in fieldwork techniques, data analysis and science communication.
- Most eligible courses are offered at the UW’s marine field station Friday Harbor Labs (FHL).
- Courses are grouped by academic programs, which vary depending on quarter
- Time spent away from campus varies by program, ranging from a minimum of three weeks to a full academic quarter.
- Academic programs can also include additional unique courses and credits which can be applied to Marine Biology Major requirements.
FHL Academic Programs
Spring
- Zoology Botany (Zoo-Bot) Program (16-17 credits): Full-term spring quarter program (approximately 10 weeks) where students earn major elective credits in addition to the integrative field experience requirement. All students enroll in the same three courses with an optional 1 credit seminar:
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- FHL/BIOL 430: Marine Zoology (5 credits, Biodiversity elective)
- FHL 440/BIOL 445: Marine Botany (5 credits, Biodiversity elective)
- FHL 470: Research in Marine Biology (6 credits, Integrative field experience)
- (optional) FHL 490: Marine Sciences Seminar (1 credit, Other marine biology elective)
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- Spring Marine Studies Program (15-16 credits): Full-term spring quarter program (approximately 10 weeks) where students earn major elective credits in addition to the integrative field experience requirement. Students enroll full time, and can choose courses from a limited menu with an optional 1 credit seminar:
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- FHL 375: Marine Mammals of the Salish Sea (5 credits, Biodiversity elective)
- FHL 403: Novel Marine Ecosystems (5 credits, Integrative field experience or Ecology and ecosystems elective)
- FHL 420: Marine Ecology of the Salish Sea (5 credits, Ecology and ecosystems elective)
- FHL 480: Professional Portfolio in Marine Science (5 credits, Other marine biology elective)
- HSTAA/AIS 311: Indigenous History and Environment of the Salish Sea (5 credits, nonmajor elective, Social Sciences area of inquiry, Diversity)
- (optional) FHL 490: Marine Sciences Seminar (1 credit, Other marine biology elective)
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Summer
FHL hosts students from around the world for summer courses. Therefore, there is higher competition for summer placement compared to full-term autumn or spring options. Marine Biology majors can apply for summer FHL course offerings through the general FHL application. However, Marine Biology majors are not prioritized over other applicants for summer quarter.
- FHL 468: Advanced Topics in Ecology and Biomechanics (9 credits): Half-term summer courses (approximately 5 weeks) where students enroll in a single, nine-credit course. Approved IFE sections complete the six-credit integrative field experience requirement, with the remaining three credits applied to the ‘other marine biology elective’ requirement.
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- Topics vary by section and year, and IFE eligible offerings are approved on an annual basis.
- Past approved offerings include:
- FHL 468 B (Summer 2024): Marine Subtidal Ecology (9 credits)
- FHL 468 A (Summer 2024): Marine Conservation Ecology (9 credits)
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- FHL 492: Ecology and Conservation of Marine Birds and Mammals (9 credits): Half-term summer course (approximately 5 weeks) where students enroll in a single, nine-credit course. Offered every other summer in ‘odd years’.
Early Fall
- MARBIO 488: Marine Biology in the Field (6 credits): Standard, campus-based course offered annually in the fall with a mandatory field component covered in the three weeks prior to the start of fall quarter (exact dates vary by year) at Friday Harbor Labs. The FHL field component consists of short research training modules focused on intertidal ecology, trophic ecology, and oceanography followed by independent research projects conducted in small groups. The on-campus portion focuses on analysis, presentation, and communication of research project results.
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- Autumn 2026: Students will be required to arrive at FHL on Tuesday, 9/8/2026 and stay at the labs full time through the afternoon of Friday, 9/25/2026(can depart in the morning of 9/27/2026 if preferred).
- 2025 MARBIO 488 Info Session Slides
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Autumn
- Autumn Marine Studies (16 credits): Full-term fall quarter program (approximately 10 weeks) where students earn major elective credits in addition to the integrative field experience requirement. Students enroll full time, and can choose courses from a limited menu with an optional 1 credit seminar:
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- FHL 375: Marine Mammals of the Salish Sea (5 credits, Biodiversity elective)
- FHL 471: Comparative Anatomy and Physiology of Marine Organisms (5 credits, Organismal processes elective)
- FHL 470: Research in Marine Biology (6 credits, Integrative field experience or Other marine biology elective)
- FHL 495: Special Topics in Natural Sciences Section A: “Behavioral Ecology of Marine Invertebrates (5 credits, either Integrative field experience or Ecology and ecosystems elective)
- (optional) FHL 490: Marine Sciences Seminar (1 credit, Other marine biology elective)
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- Research Apprenticeship: Friday Harbor Labs Apprenticeship (15 credits): Full-term fall quarter courses where students engage in advanced undergraduate research in a small cohort of students. Topics vary by section and year, and eligible apprenticeships are approved on a section basis. Approved apprenticeships complete the six-credit integrative field experience requirement, with six additional credits applied to ‘other marine biology elective’ and the remaining three credits applied to ‘non major elective’.
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- Approved apprenticeships include:
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- FHL Info Session Recordings Jan 2025: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1oPrQ–QLoKpvhrgUaziWinx74iWTKrfS?usp=sharing
How to Apply for Integrative Field Experience Courses
All Integrative Field Experience courses require a Friday Harbor Labs application. Application dates vary, but the applications typically open about two academic quarters ahead.
Apply to take a course at Friday Harbor Labs
Preferential admissions
Marine Biology majors can received preferential admissions to spring, early fall and autumn academic programs based on progress in major requirements as well as time to graduate. Marine Biology majors can apply to summer quarter academic programs, but are not granted preferential admissions due to increased competition for limited seats. Priority admission is granted for Marine Biology majors based on the following criteria:
- Time to graduate
- Completion of, or progress towards the following Marine Biology Major requirements:
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- Intro Marine Sciences: FISH/OCEAN/BIOL 250 or OCEAN 200 and OCEAN 201
- Integrative Oceans: OCEAN 210
- Communications: MARBIO 305
- Biology: BIOL 180, BIOL 200 and one of: FISH/MARBIO/OCEAN 270 or BIOL 220
- Statistics: Q SCI 381 or STAT 311
- Core: at least one of FISH 323, OCEAN 330 or MARBIO/FISH/OCEAN 370
- Other Marine Biology Major electives
Financial Aid and Scholarships
Engaging with a field course involves additional financial costs (in the form of transportation, room and board fees) and opportunity costs (time away from a job or other commitments). There are additional sources of funding and scholarships which can help you enroll in the Integrative Field Experience that matches your academic and professional goals. Costs vary depending on the course and time spent in the field. Please see the list of eligible courses below for course and program costs.
FHL Financial Aid
- Description: Additional financial aid from FHL to support students enrolled in summer, fall or spring courses. Note that MARBIO 488 students are not eligible for FHL Financial Aid.
- Amount: “Awards typically range between $1,000 to $3,000 for summer, and $500 – $2,000 for Spring, and or Autumn quarters, although students with outstanding need are sometimes provided with more.”
- Deadline: varies by quarter offered
FHL Mary Gates Endowment Scholarship
- Description: Students attending an FHL fall or spring quarter and enrolled in either FHL 470 or FHL 472 can apply for funding from the Mary Gates Endowment (MGE).
- Amount: Up to $1,500 for 5 – 6 credit research courses (FHL 470) and $3,000 for 15 credit research courses (FHL 472)
- Deadline: apply through the Friday Harbor Labs Financial Aid application. Note: this is separate from the non-FHL Mary Gates scholarships.