Breadth and depth of knowledge in the fields of Aquaculture and Fisheries are provided by: 1) a common set of required courses providing the broad skills in natural and social sciences needed for careers in the fields of Aquaculture and Fisheries, 2) a series of required concentration courses emphasizing the connections between these two fields, followed by 3) a diverse but relevant list of supporting electives providing specialized knowledge in either aquaculture or fisheries.

The program not only allows students to graduate with a stronger focus on aquaculture or fisheries depending on their career interests, but also to complement this solid foundation with a variety of complementary skills that are directly applicable to the job market (e.g.  scientific diving, handling of small boats, business management, entrepreneurship, economics, policy, oceanography, environmental sciences, etc.) through targeted offerings from our program and many other programs at URI. Completion of 12 credits in these skill-based courses will earn students a Marine Technical Certificate.

Although the program has an emphasis on temperate marine and coastal species based on easy access to local resources, it provides opportunities to apply the basic knowledge needed for the culture and management of both freshwater and marine species worldwide through hands-on practice with a large variety of species (e.g. cichlids, barramundi, tunas, etc.) in laboratory courses and undergraduate research, Study Abroad opportunities (e.g. at the James Cook University in Australia), and J-term (Winter Term) travel course offerings (e.g. Aquaculture in the Philippines). Students take advantage of the excellent facilities and resources in marine sciences at URI, including hands on teaching courses and research using our fisheries vessels and aquaculture facilities, and internships provided through partnerships with industry and a diversity of governmental and non-governmental institutions.

Our graduates work for commercial ventures and private consulting, establish their own business in aquaculture and fisheries, manage fish facilities at research institutions, work for state and federal governmental agencies in the areas of enforcement, regulation, management, policy and research, and go to graduate school to eventually obtain research, upper management, and academic jobs.

The aquaculture program at the University of Rhode Island, begun in 1969 and administered by the Department of Fisheries, Animal and Veterinary Sciences (FAVS), is one of the oldest aquaculture programs in the northeastern United States. Students in our aquaculture program have come from throughout the United States and from many foreign countries. Faculty in the department have research interests in culture of salmonids, culture of marine finfish and marine finfish larviculture, health management, culture of bivalve mollusks, shellfish genomics, recirculation aquaculture systems, development of new aquaculture species, and environmental impacts of aquaculture among many others.

A minimum of 120 credits is required for graduation.