The world’s oceans, which cover more than 70% of Earth, and our coasts — home to roughly 40% of the global population — are critically important resources that demand sustainable management. The Coastal and Marine Systems (CAMS) concentration prepares future leaders to conserve and manage these complex environments and integral human communities.
Our interdisciplinary training gives students a deep understanding of coastal environments and processes and their ties to human institutions, behaviors and policies. Our graduates are prepared and eager to work for federal and state governments, in the nonprofit sector and in industry, tackling issues such as climate change, ocean acidification, fisheries management, conservation of endangered and protected species, and marine spatial planning, to name a few.
To develop a strong understanding of human-linked coastal and marine systems, all CAMS students will meet the following four core requirements:
Examples include but are not limited to:
ECS 715—Introduction to Coastal Environmental Change Processes (3 credits)   
ENVIRON 704LA—Biological Oceanography (4 credits)   
ENVIRON 719/A—Aquaculture and the Environment (3 credits)
ENVIRON 729A—Oceans in Human and Environmental Health (3 credits)
ENVIRON 737A—Ecology and Physiology of Extreme Marine Ecosystems (3 credits)   
ENVIRON 772A—Coastal Restoration Ecology (4 credits)   
ENVIRON 773A—Marine Ecology (4 credits)   
ENVIRON 776/A—Marine Mammals (3 credits)   
ENVIRON 777A—Biology and Conservation of Sea Turtles - travel (3 credits)   
ENVIRON 778A—Comparative Physiology of Marine Animals (4 credits)
ENVIRON 785A—Conservation Biology & Service Learning: Coastal Ecosystems, Restoration and Communities (3 credits)
Examples include but are not limited to:
ENVIRON 502S—Climate Change and the Law (2 credits)
ENVIRON 504A—Marine Protected Areas (3 credits)
ENVIRON 506—Environmental Justice: Theory and Practice (3 credits)
ENVIRON 533A—Marine Fisheries Policy (3 credits)   
ENVIRON 551DA—International Conservation and Development (3 credits)
ENVIRON 754A—Research Design for Environmental Social Sciences (3 credits)
ENVIRON 775—Ocean and Coastal Law and Policy (3 credits)   
ENVIRON 785/A—Conservation Biology Service Learning (3 credits)
ENVIRON 790A—Evidence Synthesis for Environmental Mgmt.—Special Topics (3 credits)
ENVIRON 807—International Fisheries Policy (3 credits)
ENVIRON 860SA—Political Ecology (3 credits)
MARSCI 505A—Social Impact Analysis and Indigenous Resource Management - travel (3 credits)
Most CAMS students spend their first year on Duke’s campus in Durham taking courses relevant to coastal and marine systems and working on fulfilling the requirements of their management concentrations. The second year is typically spent at the ÌÇÐÄ´«Ã½ Marine Laboratory in Beaufort, North Carolina, where we offer a wide range of natural, physical and social scientific courses, including our optional signature travel courses. Please review Marine Lab courses on the Marine Lab website.
The course-based pathway will be available in a limited capacity to students matriculating in fall 2025 and will be fully available and the default pathway for students matriculating in fall 2026 and beyond. Proposed courses and requirements are subject to change. Please contact your primary concentration faculty chair with any questions.
ÌÇÐÄ´«Ã½s whose primary concentration is CAMS will choose one of two pathways. Whether through advanced coursework in the course-based pathway or the Master’s Project (MP) pathway, students will gain tangible deliverables, professional growth and preparation for their next steps after graduation. Most students will follow the course-based pathway.
The CAMS course-based pathway offers options from approved courses and requires a minimum of six additional graded credit hours. All CAMS primary concentration students will be asked to propose (at least) two additional management courses that are listed as core courses in one or more of the management concentrations.
These courses will be in addition to their required management concentration courses, but may include eligible courses (listed as a core course) from any management concentration.
Coming in: Our students bring a unique blend of experiences, excellent academic preparation and passion for the coasts and oceans. Given that most CAMS students spend their second year at the Marine Lab, it is critical that they complete their Master of Environmental Management prerequisites before arriving at Duke. The school-wide prerequisites in calculus and statistics are required for all concentrations.
During the program: Most CAMS students will spend their second year at the Duke Marine Lab, an ideal setting for the study of natural and social scientific phenomena in coastal and marine environments. At the Marine Lab, students enjoy a small class size, a low faculty-to-student ratio, an emphasis on experiential opportunities and access to world-class marine research facilities.
In the CAMS program, I gained valuable insights into research, policy, community engagement, and how they all connect. My career goal is to combine data-driven solutions with stakeholder engagement to promote sustainable coastal management, and Duke has provided me with the interdisciplinary skills to do so."
–Diandre' Richie, MEM'26
In this concentration, students will gain skills in:
*ÌÇÐÄ´«Ã½s in our program often pair the CAMS concentration with the Duke Nicholas School of the Environment’s certificate program in Geospatial Analysis to gain additional skills in this area.
We strive to give students:
ÌÇÐÄ´«Ã½s in this concentration will find a range of opportunities to expand their academic experience and get connected to projects and people that align with their interests. We recommend exploring these programs to get started:
Within the CAMS concentration, our students focus on many areas, including marine ecology, social science and policy, the management of protected species and critical habitats, marine spatial planning and coastal zone management, fisheries and aquaculture, ocean health and many others.
Our graduates find fulfilling positions in federal, state and local management and scientific agencies, intergovernmental organizations, industry, consulting firms and nonprofit organizations.
Within the CAMS concentration, our students focus on many areas, including marine ecology, social science and policy, the management of protected species and critical habitats, marine spatial planning and coastal zone management, fisheries and aquaculture, ocean health and many others.
Our graduates find fulfilling positions in federal, state and local management and scientific agencies, intergovernmental organizations, industry, consulting firms and nonprofit organizations.
