The Semester at WHOI Program was initiated in 2015, and 12 students (2 in 2015, 5 in 2016, 2 in 2017, and 3 in 2018) have completed the program. We currently (for fall 2019) have a grant to help expand the program that provides a scholarship of $7500 to anyone admitted.* Students who have completed the program have gone on to Ph.D. programs; a Masters degree program; and positions as research technicians. Deadline for admission for fall 2019 is April 30, 2019.
Our program is offered in the fall and is particularly well suited for students who are planning to obtain an advanced degree in ocean sciences, other fields in the geosciences, ocean engineering, or ecology. We encourage SAW students to take advantage of WHOI’s international reputation for ocean science and ocean engineering research by emphasizing a for-credit research project overseen by a WHOI scientist or engineer.
Students have the opportunity to take one or two courses in addition to the research credit: we offer a seminar designed specifically for this program and SAW students can choose from a small number of graduate courses that are taught by WHOI scientists in the joint MIT-WHOI graduate program and that are also offered for undergraduate credit. (We expect students to have at least one completed mathematics college course – even if took AP calculus – and one or more college courses in quantitative science topics as preparation for courses they may take at WHOI). The combination of the research project and course work provides a full semester of credit transferable back to the students’ home institution.
WHOI is accredited by the New England Commission of Higher Education (NECHE). For the semester program, WHOI follows the U.S. Department of Education guidance regarding credit hours. The tuition for the program is $20K for the semester,* and, as noted above, we are able to offer scholarships of $7500 in 2019. Details regarding room and board are described on the website.
WHOI is interested in discussing formal agreements covering credit transfer, tuition, and other details of the program.
We hope you will circulate the attached flyer to your colleagues and hope you will make students aware of this opportunity.
*WHOI is not a Title IV institution and cannot accept federal financial aid transfers from your home institution, but may be able to accept certain loans, grants, scholarships and other aid from you. We advise students to discuss their interest in participating in the Semester at WHOI with their school’s Financial Aid Office, and contact education@whoi.edu for additional information.
Students have attended from the following institutions: Barnard College of Columbia University, Bryn Mawr College, Ithaca College, Massachusetts Institute of Technology,
Middlebury College, Mount Holyoke College, Norwich University, St. Olaf College, Tufts University, University of California Berkeley, Wake Forest University.