The Marine Science Consortium
Shippensburg University is proud to offer opportunities for students to enhance their learning through field studies in a range of science disciplines. A unique cooperative agreement between Shippensburg University and other academic institutions, allows Ship to offer educational experiences at the Marine Science Consortium (MSC) in Wallops Island, Virginia. The Marine Science Consortium, Inc., is a nonprofit corporation operated in collaboration with the member institutions. The consortium facilities, located adjacent to Chincoteague Bay, the Chincoteague National Wildlife Refuge, the Assateague National Seashore, and NASA's Wallops Island Flight Facility in Accomack County, VA , provide opportunities for research and study of geological, physical, chemical, and biological components of terrestrial, estuarine, salt marsh and normal marine environments, all within a short distance of the MSC facilities.
Primary facilities at the MSC campus include: biology, marine geology, and chemistry laboratories, a number of classrooms, computer lab, library, administrative offices, cafeteria, equipment rooms, an aqua lab, plus housing for students (PreCollege and College) and faculty.
In addition to facilities, there are also three research vessels owned by the MSC. They range in length from 38'-50' and are used for educational and research purposes both inshore, or in the case of the R.V. Parker, and offshore investigations. A number of small out-board boats, and sea-kayaks are also available for projects near the station.
After nearly 30 years of extensive use by hundreds of high school and college students, the facilities at MSC underwent a 15 million dollar renovation. A new cafeteria has been built, as have new residential and laboratory facilities. The result is one of the first (if not the first) LEEDS-Certified buildings on the Eastern Shore of Virginia.
How can you take advantage of the MSC?
You can make use of this amazing resource in one of three ways.
- 1) Take courses here at Ship that include field experiences at Wallops Island and the Marine Science Consortium
- 2) Design and develop a faculty-student research project or service learning experience that takes advantage of these facilities and/or the surrounding Delmarva region.
- 3) Take summer courses at MSC, enroll for a summer class and receive credit for qualifying courses on your Shippensburg University Transcript. If you are intersted in a specific course at the MSC, please indicate your interest on the student interest form. We will follow-up with students who indicate their interest in specific summer classes to provide more information.
What courses are available summer 2013?
The course offerings, course schedule, and course descriptions for the current year are posted on the MSC website (click the following logo), but are posted here for your convenience. It is a good idea to double check the MSC website for the most recent updates.
Please note that Coastal Herpetology, Coastal Ornithology, Introduction to Literature, Coastal Environmental Oceanography, and Coastal and Wetland Hydrology are taught by Shippensburg Faculty and are listed on the Shippensburg University Registration System.You should fill out an intent to enroll as soon as possible via the MSC's website (www.msconsortium.org -click on college programs). If you would like to take a course not taught by Shippensburg Faculty, you may still receive credit for the course. You need to register for that course through the University who is teaching that class (see instructions below).
MSC Summer Course Registration Procedures
For courses offered at the Marine Science Consortium, the registration process depends on which university you attend and the university that is offering the course you are interested in.
IF YOU ARE A SHIPPENSBURG UNIVERSITY STUDENT.
- Step 1a: You should consult with Dr. Delis or Dr. Cornell to discuss your interests, eligibility, course offerings etc. (See contact information at the bottom of this page).
- Step 1b: It is recommended that you declare your interest in taking a class by completing an "Intent Form" on the MSC website. These intent forms will provide faculty and the MSC with information about you so we can help you with the process. The Intent to Enroll process becomes live each fall and students are encoruaged to register their interest before Feb. 15. After that date, course rosters are initiated, and open available seats are filled on a first-come, first-served basis. So don't wait too late. As you will notice, many courses fill up quickly and may be closed even before official registration opens.
- Step 2a: If you want to take a course taught by Shippensburg University, simply utilize the Student Information System to register for the course as you would for any other summer class taught at Shippensburg on the date of your registration window. As long as there are available seats and you meet all of the required prerequisites (if any) and you are willing to provide your own transportation to the Marine Science Consortium in Wallops Island, Virginia, where the courses will take place, you may register for the course. Again talking to Dr. Delis or Dr. Cornell is advised to avoid any confusion or complications.
- Step 2b: If you want to take a course taught by faculty from another Marine Science Consortium affiliate, you must register and pay for that course through that school following that school's registration process as outlined at the website for the Marine Science Consortium. On the MSC's homepage click on the College tab and select Registration Information for this tab's pull down menu. Scroll down to the list of courses offered by each University and click on the Register Here link for the college of interest.
- Step 3: If you are taking a Shippensburg course, you will have to pay your tuition bill for the course credits to Shippensburg University Student Accounts by the posted deadline. Failure to pay the tuition by the deadline could jeopordize your seat in the course.
- Step 4: Complete the room and board reservation form as required by the MSC and email, fax, or post it to the MSC via their website. Your reservation MUST contain a $100.00 deposit toward the cost of housing, meals, and equipment/laboratory fees. This reservation must be submitted to the MSC as soon as possible to accomodate your housing preference. The form is available from their website: http://msconsortium.org/
- Step 5: Make sure you pay the remainder of the MSC's housing/meals/equipment fees in advance of your course by the deadline established by the MSC. Failure to pay your balance to the MSC will result in expulsion from your course.
IF YOU ARE A STUDENT AT ANOTHER PASSHE UNIVERSITY INTERESTED IN TAKING A SHIPPENSBURG MSC COURSE
- Step 1a: You may want to consult with Dr. Delis or Dr. Cornell to discuss your interests, eligibility, course offerings etc. (See contact information at the bottom of the page).
- Step 1b: It is recommended that you declare your interest in taking a class by completing an "Intent Form" on the MSC website. These intent forms will provide faculty and the MSC with information about you so we can help you with the process. The Intent to Enroll process becomes live each fall and students are encoruaged to register their interest before Feb. 15. After that date, course rosters are initiated, and open available seats are filled on a first-come, first-served basis. So don't wait too late. As you will notice (above), many courses fill up quickly and are closed even before official registration opens.
- Step 2: Complete all parts of the PASSHE Visiting Student Form (available here) in consultation with your academic advisor. It will need to be signed by your University's Registrar (or their designee) and then returned to the Shippensburg University Registrar's Office. Submission of the Visiting Student Form will be used to aid in registration for the appropriate course.
- Step 3: Complete the Shippensburg University Non-Degree Application (available here - click on To Enroll In a Class) and submit it as per instructions on the website.
- Step 4: Upon acceptance of your Non-Degree Student Application, you will be notified of your registration status. Your Visiting Student Form will be required if you want the grade and credit transferred back to your home university.
- Step 5: You will need to pay the tuition for the appropriate number of credits and fees to Shippensburg University Student Accounts by the posted deadline. Failure to pay the tuition by the deadline will jeopordize your seat in the course.
- Step 6: Complete the room and board reservation form as required by the MSC and email, fax, or post it to the MSC. Your reservation MUST contain a $200.00 deposit toward the cost of housing, meals, and equipment/laboratory fees. This must be submitted to the MSC as soon as possible to accomodate your housing preference during the summer. The form is available from their website: http://msconsortium.org/
- Step 7: Make sure you pay the remainder of the MSC's housing/meals/equipment fees in advance of your course by the deadline established by the MSC. Failure to pay your balance to the MSC will result in expulsion from your course.
IF YOU ARE A STUDENT OUTSIDE OF THE PENNSYLVANIA STATE SYSTEM OF HIGHER EDUCATION
Step 1a: You may want to consult with Dr. Delis or Dr. Cornell to discuss your interests, eligibility, course offerings etc. (See contact information at the bottom of this page). - Step 1b: It is recommended that you declare your interest in taking a class by completing an "Intent Form" on the MSC website. These intent forms will provide faculty and the MSC with information about you so we can help you with the process. The Intent to Enroll process becomes live each fall and students are encoruaged to register their interest before Feb. 15. After that date, course rosters are initiated, and open available seats are filled on a first-come, first-served basis. So don't wait too late. As you will notice (above), many courses fill up quickly and are closed even before official registration opens.
- Step 2: If you are not enrolled at a PASSHE school and plan to take a course at Shippensburg University, you will need to complete the appropriate transfer of credit form at your home university and submit it to the Registrar at both your home University as well as Shippensburg University prior to registration.
- Step 3: Complete the Shippensburg University Non-Degree Application (available here - click on To Enroll In a Class) and submit it as per instructions on the website.
- Step 4: Upon acceptance of your transfer credit form AND the Non-Matriculated Student Application, you will be notified of your registration status.
- Step 5: You will need to pay the tuition for the appropriate number of credits and fees to Shippensburg University Student Accounts by the posted deadline. Failure to pay the tuition by the deadline will jeapordize your seat in the course.
- Step 6: Complete the room and board reservation form as required by the MSC and email, fax, or post it to the MSC. Your reservation MUST contain a $100.00 deposit toward the cost of housing, meals, and equipment/laboratory fees. This must be submitted to the MSC as soon as possible to accomodate your housing choice during the summer. The form is available from their website: http://msconsortium.org/
- Step 7: Make sure you pay the remainder of the MSC's housing/meals/equipment fees in advance of your course by the deadline established by the MSC. Failure to pay your balance to the MSC will result in expulsion from your course.
What are the course fees for 2013?
Tuition and fees for Shippensburg University are listed on the following website: http://www.ship.edu/Student_Accounts/Summer_Semester_Tuition/ and will be determined at a later date for summer 2013. For a general idea, tuition and fees for Shippensburg is dependent on residency status, but for a Pennsylvania Undergraduate Resident in 2012:
- Tuition was $260.00 per credit hour or $780.00 for a 3 credit course.
- Applicable fees (Ed Services: $81.00, Tech Fees: 45.00) total $126.00.
- Note: Student Union Fee is waived for MSC off-campus courses
- Total tuition and fees for a 3 credit course in 2012 was: $906.00
- Please Note: Entire balance must be paid to Student Accounts prior to taking part in MSC course.
MSC Course Fees
- Summer 2013 course fees at the MSC depend on the course and duration of the course. Typical 3-week courses have a fee of $730.00 for housing in the old college dorms, or $830.00 in the new college dorm pending room availability. Specific fees for each course are included in the following fee schedule (available here).
- This includes:
- all meals (3 meals per day M-F; Meals on Sat. & Sun. will be a modest charge if taken on campus; Most students choose to eat weekend meals offsite at restaurants of their choice),
- housing,
- equipment,
- boat use,
- transportation
- Additional fees apply for any courses where there is travel away from the Marine Science Consortium (i.e. Coral Reef Ecology, Coastal Environmental Oceanography, Marine Mammals). These additional fees pay for the additional travel expenses. For specific costs for these classes, contact the Marine Science Consortium.
- Some courses have shorter stays at the MSC, and therefore course fees are somewhat lower, again as noted on the course fee schedule above.
Total cost of the average summer course (IN 2012) at the MSC for a PA resident?
- $906.00 tuition/fees plus $730.00 MSC fees (traditional housing) = Total $1636.00
- Tuition is set each July by the Board of Governors, so this tuition and fee schedule is subject to change.
Financial aid?
Financial aid can be applied to summer courses at the MSC, as long as you register for at least 6.0 credits in the summer (whether here at Ship or at a partner University). You can ask for aid to cover the tuition and fees for the credit hours as well as books, housing, meals, and equipment fees. It is your reponsibility to check with the Financial Aid Office for further details and instructions. If you are not eligible for federal aid, you still may qualify for student loans to cover your summer course expenses.
Who to contact for questions?
If you have any problems, please feel free to contact:
Dr. Sean Cornell, Marine Science Consortium Coordinator
Department of Geography and Earth Science
Shearer Hall - Room 103
Shippensburg University
Shippensburg, PA, 17257
Telephone: 717-477-1310
E-mail:srcornell@ship.edu |
or |
Dr. Pablo Delis, Marine Science Consortium Coordinator
Department of Biology
Franklin Science Center - Room 335
Shippensburg University
Shippensburg, PA, 17257
Telephone: 717-477-1092
E-mail:prdeli@ship.edu |