MACO Peer Advising

Marine and Coastal Opportunities (MACO) is Oregon State University's central hub dedicated to connecting students and faculty with the Oregon Coast. As part of OSU's Division of Academic Affairs, we serve as a hub of resources to connect students and faculty to the Oregon Coast through courses, clubs, degree pathways, research experiences and internships, financial assistance, and more. We are not an OSU College nor do we offer our own courses or degree pathways; rather, we work with the academic departments OSU and other partner organizations across Oregon to develop opportunities and resources that provide greater access to students and faculty living and learning at the Oregon Coast. We help faculty develop new courses at the coast, primarily at Hatfield Marine Science Center, and connect students with those experiential learning opportunities. 

MACO is here to help undergraduate students “put the ocean in their major”. We provide support to students of any major to help them become as involved as they’d like to be with the coast. For example, we might connect a College of Engineering student to the Innovation Lab at Hatfield or a College of Education student to a marine- or coastal-related club, recommend ocean-focused CORE education classes, or connect them with undergraduate research of interest.  

Our resources include a Coastal Course Roster of courses occurring at Hatfield Marine Science Center, a Course Search Filter to search coastal courses at Hatfield by term, modality, topic, and more, offering coastal travel assistance for students commuting between main campus and Hatfield Marine Science Center, offering field housing assistance for students in need of housing at Hatfield, and connecting students to experiential learning opportunities such like marine-related clubs, majors and minors, year-round and summer internships, and study abroad opportunities. Visit the For Students tab to get started!

Students of any major can take courses at Hatfield Marine Science Center; however, classes are limited by spots and may require prerequisites. Contact your advisor for more information.

OSU hosts Open House programs throughout the year, such as Beaver Open Houses and Orange & Black Days. MACO participates in the resource fairs during these programs, and we can talk with you more personally about the resources we offer. Registration is required.  If you have a specific question or need direction, please email us! 

Oregon Sea Grant has many great marine education programs for students K-12th grades. Check out their website for summer programs, Career Day, workshops and competitions, and lab and field experiences. 

If you want to pursue a marine-related degree, check out our page and the OSU Admissions page for the range of options and contact prospective program advisors. 

To get connected as a current undergraduate student, explore the MACO website, apply for scholarship and award opportunities, reach out to professors, attend club meetings, take marine-related Core Education courses, and get out to the coast with a coastal course! There is no wrong way to become involved. Take advantage of the many resources offered to you while at OSU. MACO can help guide you in the direction best for your learning, interests, and career. Here are some places to start:

•  Research or employment: Contact faculty about research experience and internship opportunities in their labs or studios, monitor student employment opportunities and the programs available in URSA Engage, STEM Leaders, and others listed at MACO’s research and internship hub.

• Take courses at the coast or the marine-related Core Education classes: Gain credits toward your degree while experiencing the coastal community with hands-on learning! Check out our coastal course roster and search tool, the ocean-related Core Education courses offered, and talk with your advisor. Take advantage of financial awards to help you live and learn at Hatfield Marine Science Center! 

• Join a marine-related club: Even if your class schedule doesn’t currently allow for marine-related classes, joining a marine-related club can put you in touch with the Oregon Coast through volunteer experiences, field trips, like-minded individuals, and much more. Check out our list of marine-related clubs!  

• Coming soon! Our Marine Pathways webpage will soon be up and running. This resource is meant to show you what is possible within a certain career area of interest, such as aquaculture, marine mammalogy, and more. Check back soon! 

If you’re still not quite sure where to start, stop by our peer advising hours or contact us! 

While our focus is supporting undergraduates at OSU in cultivating their marine-focused careers, we do have a few resources for graduate students. Our Coastal Travel Assistance program is available to graduate students commuting to Hatfield for research, lab meetings, professional development, etc. Many Hatfield Marine Science Center scholarships are available for graduate students as well. View our Graduate Programs page for more resources. 

OSU has many opportunities to study the coast at various locations along the coast and in Corvallis!  These OSU-related research centers include Oregon Sea Grant, Hinsdale Wave Lab, Port Orford Field Station, and many more. These centers and institutes typically involve collaborations between OSU faculty and public agency partners. Students are encouraged to utilize these collaborations to connect with labs and projects for volunteer or paid positions in areas of research related to their interests. Contact these programs directly or connect with MACO for support.