Undergraduate Programs
Why Study in Woods Hole?
To prepare yourself to make a difference by exploring fundamental biology, understanding biodiversity and the environment, and informing the human condition through research and education.
Since 1888, the Marine Biological Laboratory (MBL) has pioneered the integration of scientific research with education. The MBL provides a variety of immersive programs for undergraduates – for a summer or a semester – who are serious about pursuing careers in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM).
Semester in Environmental Science
Hands-on Learning and Academic Rigor
Spend your fall term doing research in wetlands, bays, and coastal forests on Cape Cod, Massachusetts. The MBL’s Semester in Environmental Science (SES) is a 15-week program that provides intensive field and laboratory-based learning opportunities to better understand ecosystem science and the biogeochemistry of coastal forests, freshwater ponds, and estuaries.
Spring Quarter Course
2022 Course Dates: March 28 - June 4
In the MBL Spring Quarter in Biology, students take a series of 3-week immersive courses in the Biological Sciences. The hallmark of coursework at MBL is hands-on experiential learning. In this tradition, all Spring quarter MBL courses will focus on designing and carrying out independent lab research.
September Term Course
2022 Course Dates: August 29 - September 17
In the September Term Course, students will explore various aspects of the biota of the region surrounding the Marine Biology Laboratory, Woods Hole, MA. The focus of the course will be to examine various patterns in the distribution and abundance of the flora/fauna in the islands and associated mainland habitats over the course of 3 weeks through a combination of in class lectures and laboratory sessions, combined with field studies.