Marine Biology Quarter
The Marine Biology Quarter (MBQ) is a field program designed to give advanced undergraduates an opportunity to gain intimate and first hand knowledge of marine communities, their constituents and their structure.
Marine Biology Quarter
The MBQ program is the best! Professor Nagy is so into marine biology and his enthusiasm shows. My experience with MBQ changed my life forever
Bill Smith 2017 MBQ Moorea
MBQ Spring 2019 - Moorea, French Polynesia
Instructors: Dr. Peggy Fong, Dr. David Jacobs
ANNOUNCING SPRING 2019 MARINE BIOLOGY QUARTER – MOOREA, FRENCH POLYNESIA
The Marine Biology Quarter (MBQ) is a field program that gives advanced undergraduates an opportunity to gain intimate and first hand knowledge of marine communities, their constituents and their structure. It is also designed as a real world training experience in devising and carrying through to completion scientific research projects in marine biology.
Four 4-unit courses (16 units total) will be taught at the University of California, Berkeley, Richard B. Gump South Pacific Research Station, located in Moorea, French Polynesia.
Instructors: Dr. Peggy Fong and Dr. David Jacobs
Spring Quarter 2019 MBQ Courses will include:*
- EE BIOL106: Experimental Marine Invertebrate Biology
- EE BIOL123A: Marine Ecology
- EE BIOL124A: Field Ecology
- EE BIOL148: Biology of Marine Plants
*Approved students will be enrolled in these courses by the EE BIOL Undergraduate Office.
REQUIRED PRE-REQUISITES (Pre-requisites do not need to be completed prior to applying.)
- Life Sciences 1 or Life Sciences 7B
- EE BIOL 109 – Introduction to Marine Science (offered Summer 2018, Session C and Fall 2018)
- EE BIOL 109L – Introduction to Marine Science Laboratory (offered Summer 2018, Session C and Fall 2018)
- Statistics 13 (or equivalent course)
- Competitive GPA
- Valid passport
RECOMMENDED:
Dive certification through UCLA’s dive program recommended but NOT required. Proficiency at snorkeling is vital; we recommend that it is mastered prior to departure, but it can be learned in the field.
Priority consideration will be given to qualified Marine Biology and other EE BIOL majors.
COST
The cost of the MBQ will be the regular quarterly registration fees plus additional fees to cover the cost of room and board and travel ($3500-$4000). Financial aid students may be able to revise their 2018-19 budget and apply for additional funds to cover the cost of the MBQ. If you have a University Housing contract (includes dorms, University Apartments) for the 2018-19 academic year, you will need to contact the UCLA Housing Office to revise your housing agreement for Spring Quarter 2019. Moreover, students with non-University rental and lease agreements will need to make necessary adjustments to their agreements.
The cost of the MBQ ($3500-$4000) will be due on three separate dates (dates TBA)]. If your final payment is not received by the due date, you will not be allowed to participate in the MBQ. More detailed information about the due dates will be forthcoming. Please be aware that the cost of the MBQ is in addition to your regular Spring Quarter 2019 regular quarterly registration fees.
APPLICATION & INTERVIEW PROCESS
Applications are available at: https://goo.gl/forms/2pVKTv8YyKtN3ZCE3
Application deadline: THURSDAY, MAY 10, 2018, at 4:00 p.m. Applications are to be submitted electronically via the online application. A copy of your Degree Audit Report (DAR) or Degree Progress Report (DPR) should be attached with your application.
Applicants selected for a personal interview will be contacted by the EE BIOL Undergraduate Office.
QUESTIONS? Please contact the EE BIOL Undergraduate Office at eebundergrad@lifesci.ucla.edu
MBQ Winter 2020 - Moorea, French Polynesia
Instructors: Dr. Peggy Fong, Dr. Daniel Blumstein
WINTER 2020 FIELD MARINE BIOLOGY QUARTER
Moorea, French Polynesia
The Field Marine Biology Quarter (FMBQ) gives undergraduates the opportunity to gain firsthand knowledge of field and marine communities, their constituents, and their structure. The FMBQ is also designed as a real world training experience in devising and carrying a scientific research project in field and marine biology to completion. Students work both in groups and individually, and will be able to design and engage in original research in the field under the guidance of their instructors. Students will also learn to analyze their own data, review relevant literature, and give informal seminar presentations.
Location:
Richard B. Gump South Pacific Research Station (owned by UC Berkeley)
Moorea, French Polynesia
Four 4-unit courses will be taught for the Winter 2020 FMBQ:
EEB 123A: Marine Ecology
EEB 124A: Field Ecology
EEB C126: Behavioral Ecology
EEB 148: Biology of Marine Plans
Pre-Requisites:
LS 1/7B (or equivalent)
EEB 100
EEB 109
EEB 109L (highly recommended but not required)
Stats 13 (or equivalent)
APPLICATION DEADLINE: February 6, 2019, at 3PM
Online Application Available here: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1LJHzrnhNIIA7wmbqatjU-q6z0i7uEAOgcipdyz23z1U/edit
MBQ Spring 2021 - Moorea, French Polynesia
DEPARTMENT OF ECOLOGY AND EVOLUTIONARY BIOLOGY IS CLOSELY MONITORING THE NOVEL CORONAVIRUS (COVID-19)
Updated April 27, 2020
With all of the impacts of the COVID-19 virus, we are closely monitoring the impact that it can have on our field quarters. At this time, the application for the Spring 2021 Moorea MBQ is officially live! Please visit the following link for the application: https://forms.gle/tuhfBzT5yEbejhXt8.
The application will be live until May 11, 2020 at 3PM. No applications will be accepted past 3PM on that date.
We want to assure you that we are closely monitoring reported developments of the virus and have student health and well-being at the forefront of our planning. We remain whole-heartedly committed to our students and to offering once-in-a-lifetime outdoor field experiences.
Instructors: Dr. Peggy Fong, Dr. David Jacobs
MARINE BIOLOGY QUARTER – MOOREA, FRENCH POLYNESIA
The Marine Biology Quarter (MBQ) is a field program that gives advanced undergraduates an opportunity to gain intimate and first hand knowledge of marine communities, their constituents and their structure. It is also designed as a real world training experience in devising and carrying through to completion scientific research projects in marine biology.
Four 4-unit courses (16 units total) will be taught at the University of California, Berkeley, Richard B. Gump South Pacific Research Station, located in Moorea, French Polynesia.
Spring Quarter 2021 MBQ Courses will include:*
EE BIOL106: Experimental Marine Invertebrate Biology
EE BIOL123A: Marine Ecology
EE BIOL124A: Field Ecology
EE BIOL148: Biology of Marine Plants
*Approved students will be enrolled in these courses by the EE BIOL Undergraduate Office.
REQUIRED PRE-REQUISITES (Pre-requisites do not need to be completed prior to applying.)
Life Sciences 1 or Life Sciences 7B
EE BIOL 109 – Introduction to Marine Science (offered Summer 2020, and Fall 2020)
EE BIOL 109L – Introduction to Marine Science Laboratory (offered Summer 2020, and Fall 2020
Statistics 13 (or equivalent course)
Competitive GPA
Valid passport
RECOMMENDED:
Dive certification through UCLA’s dive program recommended but NOT required. Proficiency at snorkeling is vital; we recommend that it is mastered prior to departure, but it can be learned in the field.
Priority consideration will be given to qualified Marine Biology and other EE BIOL majors.
COST
The cost of the MBQ will be the regular quarterly registration fees plus additional fees to cover the cost of room and board and travel ($3500-$4000). Financial aid students may be able to revise their 2020-21 budget and apply for additional funds to cover the cost of the MBQ. If you have a University Housing contract (includes dorms, University Apartments) for the 2020-21 academic year, you will need to contact the UCLA Housing Office to revise your housing agreement for Spring Quarter 2021. Moreover, students with non-University rental and lease agreements will need to make necessary adjustments to their agreements.
The cost of the MBQ ($3500-$4000) will be due on three separate dates (dates TBA). If your final payment is not received by the due date, you will not be allowed to participate in the MBQ. More detailed information about the due dates will be forthcoming. Please be aware that the cost of the MBQ is in addition to your regular Spring Quarter 2021 regular quarterly registration fees.
Applicants selected for a personal interview will be contacted by the EE BIOL Undergraduate Office.
Assuming health concerns subside and we are allowed to restart normal operations, the plan is to proceed with the application, interview, selection, and overall planning process of the Spring 2021 Moorea MBQ.
MBQ Spring 2022 Moorea, French Polynesia
DEPARTMENT OF ECOLOGY AND EVOLUTIONARY BIOLOGY IS CLOSELY MONITORING THE NOVEL CORONAVIRUS (COVID-19)
With all of the impacts of the COVID-19 virus, we are closely monitoring the impact that it can have on our field quarters.
The application for the Spring 2022 Moorea MBQ is officially CLOSED.
We want to assure you that we are closely monitoring reported developments of the virus and have student health and well-being at the forefront of our planning. We remain whole-heartedly committed to our students and to offering once-in-a-lifetime outdoor field experiences.
Instructors: Dr. Peggy Fong, Dr. David Jacobs
MARINE BIOLOGY QUARTER – MOOREA, FRENCH POLYNESIA
The Marine Biology Quarter (MBQ) is a field program that gives advanced undergraduates an opportunity to gain intimate and first hand knowledge of marine communities, their constituents and their structure. It is also designed as a real world training experience in devising and carrying through to completion scientific research projects in marine biology.
Four 4-unit courses (16 units total) will be taught at the University of California, Berkeley, Richard B. Gump South Pacific Research Station, located in Moorea, French Polynesia.
Spring Quarter 2022 MBQ Courses will include:*
EE BIOL106: Experimental Marine Invertebrate Biology
EE BIOL123A: Marine Ecology
EE BIOL124A: Field Ecology
EE BIOL148: Biology of Marine Plants
*Approved students will be enrolled in these courses by the EE BIOL Undergraduate Office.
REQUIRED PRE-REQUISITES (Pre-requisites do not need to be completed prior to applying.)
Life Sciences 1 or Life Sciences 7B
EE BIOL 109 – Introduction to Marine Science
EE BIOL 109L – Introduction to Marine Science Laboratory
Statistics 13 (or equivalent course)
Competitive GPA
Valid passport
RECOMMENDED:
Dive certification through UCLA’s dive program recommended but NOT required. Proficiency at snorkeling is vital; we recommend that it is mastered prior to departure, but it can be learned in the field.
Priority consideration will be given to qualified Marine Biology and other EE BIOL majors.
COST
The cost of the MBQ will be the regular quarterly registration fees plus additional fees to cover the cost of room and board and travel ($3000-$4000). Financial aid students may be able to revise their 2021-22 budget and apply for additional funds to cover the cost of the MBQ. If you have a University Housing contract (includes dorms, University Apartments) for the 2021-22 academic year, you will need to contact the UCLA Housing Office to revise your housing agreement for Spring Quarter 2022. Moreover, students with non-University rental and lease agreements will need to make necessary adjustments to their agreements.
The cost of the MBQ ($3000-$4000) will be due on three separate dates (dates TBA). If your final payment is not received by the due date, you will not be allowed to participate in the MBQ. More detailed information about the due dates will be forthcoming. Please be aware that the cost of the MBQ is in addition to your regular Spring Quarter 2022 regular quarterly registration fees.
Applicants selected for a personal interview will be contacted by the EE BIOL Undergraduate Office.
Assuming health concerns subside and we are allowed to restart normal operations, the plan is to proceed with the application, interview, selection, and overall planning process of the Spring 2022 Moorea MBQ.
Apply here: https://tinyurl.com/mbqspring22
DEADLINE: April 26, 2021 at 3PM
MBQ Spring 2023, Moorea, French Polynesia
EXTENDED DEADLINE FOR SPRING 2023 MBQ/Moorea: FRIDAY, JUNE 3, 2022
APPLICATIONS ARE STILL BEING ACCEPTED!
SPRING 2023 MARINE BIOLOGY QUARTER – Moorea
Instructors: Dr. Peggy Fong & Dr. Tonya Kane
The Marine Biology Quarter (MBQ) is a field program that gives advanced undergraduates an opportunity to gain intimate and first-hand knowledge of marine communities, their constituents and their structure. It is also designed as a real world training experience in devising and carrying through to completion scientific research projects in marine biology.
For the Spring 2023 Moorea MBQ, students will take four 4-unit courses (16 units total) that will be taught at UCLA and in Moorea, French Polynesia at the University of California, Berkeley, Richard B. Gump South Pacific Research Station. (https://vcresearch.berkeley.edu/research-unit/richard-b-gump-south-pacific-research).
EXTENDED APPLICATION DEADLINE: FRIDAY, JUNE 3, 2022, at 3:00PM (PST).
Application is available here (https://forms.gle/bJbzcUQCrAZ8r5VG7).
Students selected for an interview will be notified via e-mail.
MBQ Spring 2024, Moorea, French Polynesia
The Marine Biology Quarter (MBQ) is a field program that gives advanced undergraduates an opportunity to gain intimate and first-hand knowledge of marine communities, their constituents and their structure. It is also designed as a real-world training experience in devising and carrying through to completion scientific research projects in marine biology. This program will be a highly-focused research and learning experience. While working in groups on projects you create, you will be taught the skills to ask research questions in the field, collect data, analyze the data, write up the results, and share your discoveries with your class in a research symposium.
This MBQ introduces advanced undergraduates to field studies on the ecology of organisms living in their natural environments. We intend to intellectually connect this local work to larger scale regional and global issues as well as past and future climate change, and make students aware of the range of techniques that can be applied beyond their work in Moorea. Most participants describe our field programs (FMBQ, MBQ, FBQ) as the highlight of their UCLA education.
The program consists of 16 upper division units that fulfills the marine quarter capstone requirement for Marine Biology major as well as the capstone experience for the Ecology Behavior and Evolution Major. For the Spring 2024 MBQ, we will visit the UC Gump Field Station in Moorea, French Polynesia. The faculty are Drs. David Jacobs and Anthony Baniaga.
This MBQ:
- Depends on students having the background provided in the prerequisite courses
- Fulfills the capstone requirement for Marine Biology and Ecology, Behavior, and Evolution majors
- Counts towards upper division requirements (up to 4 courses) for Biology majors
- Accepts students on a competitive basis, preferably with a GPA of at least 3.0
- Preference is given to Marine Biology Majors, EBE Majors and and other students in the Ecology & Evolutionary Biology Department
- Students in other departments are welcome to apply
MBQ Courses For: 16 upper division units of coursework, 4 units for each course, course numbers will be determined.
Cost: The cost of the MBQ will be regular UCLA undergraduate tuition and fees, plus fees to the EEB Department for additional costs associated with transportation, room, and board. If you are accepted for the Spring 2024 MBQ, a non-refundable deposit will be due after the interview process is complete. The official per student cost will be communicated to students a minimum of one quarter prior to the start of the program but in the past has ranged between $3,000 – 4,000.
Prerequisites: (Pre-requisites do not need to be completed prior to applying.)
- Life Sciences 7B
- EE BIOL 109 – Introduction to Marine Science
- EE BIOL 109L – Introduction to Marine Science Laboratory
- Statistics 13 or Life Science 40 (or equivalent course)
- Three Zoom Meetings during Winter Quarter 2024
- Competitive GPA
- Valid passport
Snorkeling and Diving: Snorkeling is required during the field quarter. However, during the course we will train any students that are not comfortable snorkeling, so this is not a barrier to application. Students that obtain their basic SCUBA certification must take an additional intensive scientific diving course that is offered at UCLA and several other Universities in order to dive in Moorea. If interested, please consult Mike Anghera (manghera@ucla.edu) as both basic SCUBA and this course must be completed prior to Spring 2024, so timing is critical.
Application Process: Applications for the Spring 2024 MBQ can be found here. For semi-finalists, a personal interview will be arranged through the EE Biology Undergraduate Office. Interviews will be scheduled soon after the application deadline, so please monitor your email.
DEADLINE: Complete your application packet online by 4PM on April 28th, 2023.
Apply Here: tinyurl.com/MBQ2024
*please note you must be logged into your UCLA Gmail account in order to open the application
MBQ Spring 2025, Moorea, French Polynesia
This MBQ introduces advanced undergraduates to field studies on the ecology and behavior of organisms living in their natural environments. This program will be an intense, focused research and learning experience. Working in groups on projects you create, you will be taught the skills to ask research questions in the field, collect data, analyze the data, write up the results, and share your discoveries with your class in a research symposium. Most participants describe our field programs (FMBQ, MBQ, FBQ) as the highlight of their UCLA education.
Courses: The program consists of 16 upper division units that fulfills the field/marine quarter capstone requirement for Ecology Behavior and Evolution majors and the marine quarter requirement for Marine Biology majors.
Field Site: For the Spring 2025 MBQ, we will visit the UC Gump Field Station in Moorea, French Polynesia.
Faculty: Peggy Fong and Tonya Kane, both of whom are marine ecologists.
Application Link: tinyurl.com/SP25MBQ
APPLICATION DEADLINE: FEBRUARY 27, 2024, AT 4:00PM (PST).
Past MBQ Locations:
- Australia, New Zealand
- Belize
- French Polynesia, Mo’orea
- UC Davis-Bodega Bay Marine Laboratories
- Hawaii
- Virgin Islands
Past MBQ Faculty:
- Dr. Peggy Fong
- Dr. Malcom Gordon
- Dr. David Jacobs
- Dr. Cheryl Ann Zimmer
- Dr. Richard Zimmer
MBQ Procedures and Requirements:
- Consists of 16 upper division units of coursework
- Advantageous to have some training in field and marine related courses prior to participation in MBQ
- Minimum GPA of 3.0 or above recommended
- Requirement for Marine Biology majors
- Fulfills the field quarter requirement for Ecology, Behavior, and Evolution (EBE) Major
- Counts as upper division electives in categories 4 and/or 5 for Biology majors (curriculum prior to Fall 2020)
- Preference is given to Marine Biology Majors, EBE Majors and to other students in the Ecology & Evolutionary Biology Department
- Students in other departments are welcome to apply
Prerequisites:
Prerequisites for MBQ usually consist of Life Sciences 1 or 7B, EE Biol 109, and Stats 13 (or its equivalent).
Snorkeling/Scuba Diving:
The ability to snorkel is essential for the courses and clearance for scuba diving is strongly recommended. Each student must obtain qualified status from an accredited Diving Officer if s/he wants to dive while on the program. Information about the training programs will be made available at the time of the interview. Some MBQ locations do not involve scuba diving.
Cost:
The typical cost of the MBQ includes normal UCLA tuition plus room and board at the same rate as UCLA dorms with a meal plan. If you will be living in the dorms the year you plan to participate in the MBQ, you will need to cancel your housing contract for the quarter in which the MBQ is offered (in writing to the Residence Hall’s Assignment Office) and request assignment for the winter and spring when you return. If you live in an apartment, you might consider subletting your room while you are gone, but be advised that you may not be gone the entire quarter. Please contact the Financial Aid Office, A129J Murphy Hall, 206-0400, to find out if your aid can cover these costs. Scholarship information is available at the Scholarship Resource Center, 233 Covel Commons, 206-2875.