William & Mary's Batten School of Coastal & Marine Sciences
William & Mary's Batten School of Coastal & Marine Sciences at VIMS (the Batten School) confers a professional master's (M.A.) degree and two research (M.S. and Ph.D.) degrees in marine science. These programs prepare students to address societal and global challenges in estuarine, coastal, and marine systems. The Batten School fosters academic excellence and provides a core graduate education program encompassing knowledge, scholarship, communication, and professional development.
The Batten School has granted over 1,000 graduate degrees, making it one of the largest marine science graduate programs in the United States. Batten School graduates have sought and achieved diverse career paths in colleges and universities, government agencies, consulting firms, marine education and outreach organizations, NGOs, and industry around the world. We have alumni in faculty positions at major universities and colleges in the U.S. and abroad. A significant percentage of our graduates seek and attain research, management, and policy positions in federal agencies such as NOAA, NMFS, EPA, and USGS. More than 90% of Batten School graduates have a job in the field of marine science at the time of graduation.
The Batten School is one of the five graduate and professional programs at William & Mary, a world-class university. Founded in 1940, VIMS is one of the largest marine science centers in the U.S., with a focus on coastal and estuarine science. The Batten School is a vibrant scholarly community that is characterized by a high level of collegiality and a commitment to student professional growth.