Graduate Certificate in Coastal Resilience

About the Program

The Graduate Certificate in Coastal Resilience is a 12-credit program at the University of Rhode Island, offered through the Department of Marine Affairs. It trains students and working professionals to address storm surge, flooding, wildfire, and other coastal hazards, combining social science, policy, and engineering coursework with a hands-on practicum. Courses are in-person at URI’s Main and Bay campuses, with an online option starting Fall 2027.

Graduates are prepared for work in agencies and businesses focused on coastal hazard research, planning, and response. Coursework builds the ability to:

  • Explain how natural hazards affect built and natural environments and communities
  • Describe how individuals and institutions respond to disasters at different scales
  • Apply coastal resilience concepts to real-world and hypothetical planning problems
  • Evaluate policies, programs, and plans for addressing coastal hazards

More than half the U.S. population lives in coastal areas, and disaster losses from storm surge, wildfire, extreme heat, and tidal flooding are rising, driving demand for professionals trained in this field.

URI Faculty affiliated with the Certificate program include:

● Austin Becker, Marine Affairs
● Tracey Dalton, Marine Affairs
● Jesse Reiblich, Marine Affairs
● Chris Baxter, Ocean Engineering
● Che-wei Chang, Ocean Engineering
● Mershad Amini, Ocean Engineering
● Reza Hashemi, Ocean Engineering
● JP Walsh, Graduate School of Oceanography
● Isaac Ginis, Graduate School of Oceanography
● Brett Still, Natural Resources Sciences
● Chris Russoniello, Geosciences
● Erin Peck, GSO
● Kristi Lewis, GSO

PROGRAM REQUIREMENTS

Students take 12 credits to complete the certificate program. These are in-person courses on the URI Main or Bay Campus. An online option will be available beginning Fall 2027. 

Social Science and Policy Courses (3 CREDITS)

MAF 475 – Human Responses to Coastal Hazards
MAF 521 – Coastal Zone Law
MAF 582 – Ecosystem Governance

(Or other with approval from Grad Certificate faculty)

________________

Natural Science/Engineering Courses (3 CREDITS)

MAF 511 – Ocean Uses

NRS 533 – Land Uses and Change
GEO 577 – Coastal Geologic Hazards
OCG 440 – Geological Oceanography
OCG 451: Oceanographic Science
OCE 408 (Wave Mechanics and Littoral Processes)
OCG/OCE 512 – Storm Surge and Wave Modeling
OCG 493 – Special Problems And Independent Study In Oceanography

(Or other with approval from Grad Certificate faculty)

________________

Practicum (3 CREDITS)

Student must complete 3 credits of a practicum. Detailed guidance on how to complete the practicum and what qualifies may be found on the practicum page.
________________

Free Electives (3 CREDITS)
Students must take an additional 3 credits of free electives from the core courses list above OR from the following strengthening courses:

Engineered Systems
OCE 421 – (Fall semester) Coastal Structures Design
OCE 510 – (Fall alternate years) Engineering Ocean Mechanics
OCE 514 – (Fall alternate years) Engineering wave mechanics and
nearshore processes
CVE 477/577 – Environmental sustainability and Green Engineering

Community Systems
CPL 410 – Fundamentals of Community Planning Practice
CPL 434 – Introduction to Environmental Law
CPL 450 – Urban Design
CPL 483 – Land Development
CPL 485 – Environmental Planning
CPL 538 – Site Planning
CPL 539 – Environmental Law

Marine Affairs
MAF 461 – Coastal Zone Management
MAF 465 – GIS Applications in Coastal and Marine Management
MAF 484 – Environmental Analysis and Policy in Coastal Management
MAF 545 – Environmental Thought and Behavior
MAF 531 – Environmental Justice
MAF 564 – Port Planning and Policy
MAF 577 – International Ocean Law

Natural Systems
BES 551 – Ecosystem Science and Sustainability
NRS 501 – Foundations in Restoration Ecology
NRS 555 – Applied Coastal Ecology
NRS 585 – Salt March Ecology
CPL 549 – Seminar in Ecological Planning
OCG 480/580 – Introduction to Marine Pollution
OCG 506- Modeling Coastal Ocean Dynamics
OCG 517- Foundations of Coastal Ocean Dynamics
OCG 533- Writing in the Marine and Ocean Sciences
OCG 521- Chemical Oceanography

Business and Management Systems
FIN 435 – Topics in Insurance: Risk Management
MGT 443 – Organizational Design and Change
MBA/OCG539 — Hacking for Oceans
MBA540 – Organizational Decision Making and Design is the graduate version of BUS443
BUS515 – Innovation and Entrepreneurship Practicum
MBA524 – Entrepreneurship and Innovation is in person

Other courses
LAR 444/445 – Landscape Architecture Studio
EEC 432 – Environmental and Resource Economics and Policy
EEC 440 – Benefit-Cost Analysis
EEC 535 – Environmental Economics
HPR 411/CVE 323 – Designing Sustainable Solutions for Developing Communities
OCG 508 – Global Environmental Change Education
GEO 491 – J-Term Indonesia (3 cr.)

Admission Requirements

Applicants may come with a range of skills and expertise and a strong interest in coastal resilience. We encourage applications from many types of prospective students, including:

  • Students enrolled in existing graduate programs at URI (e.g., Biological and Environmental Science, Marine Affairs, Oceanography, Ocean Engineering, MESM) who wish to obtain this credential in addition to their graduate degree
  • Students who possess a Bachelor’s degree and want to improve their Coastal Resilience skills to enhance their employability
  • Working professionals who require advanced training in Coastal Resilience

Note: We do not require either the subject or general GRE.

Please visit the international admission site for information about language requirements for international students.

Application Instructions

New applicants (not currently enrolled in a Graduate Program at URI) should submit an online application through the URI Graduate School.

  1. Visit https://gradadmissions.uri.edu/apply/
  2. Select your desired start term
  3. On Login screen, create an account or login with existing credentials
  4. The ‘Add Programs’ screen is where you’ll select your program. In the search bar, type in ‘Rhode Island’
  5. Next to your Program, click the + button to add the Program to your application.
  6. Now, on the ‘Application Screen’ you will need to create all four quadrants in order to submit your application.

Applications should include:

  1. College transcripts certifying successful completion of a bachelors degree
  2. Two letters of recommendation from peers, mentors, or colleagues attesting to the applicant’s ability to complete graduate-level coursework
  3. A personal written statement explaining why the applicant is seeking a University of Rhode Island graduate certificate in coastal resilience
  4. Updated resume

Existing URI graduate students should contact Dr. Becker with a request to apply and then fill out and submit a Request to Add a Degree Program form, which can be found on the Graduate School website under Forms: https://web.uri.edu/graduate-school/forms/. The certificate admissions committee may ask you for additional information once they receive the add form.

Once in the program

The Graduate Certificate in Coastal Resilience is treated as full-fledged graduate program of the University of Rhode Island.  Students must follow standard graduate school guidelines, policies, and deadlines as they navigate the certificate. Important information resources for new students in the program can be found at:

The URI Graduate School
Grad School Forms

New students should meet with Dr. Austin Becker to develop a Program of Study. The Program of Study lists all the classes the student must take to complete the requirements for the certificate.

In the student’s final semester, a Intent to Graduate form must be completed.

Cost

Standard URI tuition and fee rates for graduate programs apply for the Certificate in Coastal Resilience.

Frequently Asked Questions

  • Can this program be completed fully online?
    • Beginning in Fall 2027, the program can be completed online
  • Can credits/classes taken for another graduate degree count toward the certificate? Yes, as long as you are enrolled in both programs at the same time.
  • Can I transfer in credits taken before being admitted to URI?  Yes, you can transfer in 3 credits of graduate classes and apply them toward your certificate with approval of the program director.
  • I have already taken one or more required classes  as an undergraduate, what do I do?  The program director will approve substitute classes for your Program of Study. You will work this out with them.
  • How long does it take to get through the certificate program? It depends if you are a part-time or full-time student. It is possible to complete all the required classes in two semesters if you start in the  Fall.
  • Can I start with a certificate and then move into a masters degree program? Yes, if you start in a certificate, your earned credits can count toward a masters degree at URI. You would need to apply for the masters program through the normal application process for that degree.

  • Can I enroll in the graduate certificate program if I am an undergraduate student?

    Yes and up to 3/4 of the required credits for the Certificate may be double counted. More information may be found in the URI Graduate Handbook. 

Contact

For more information, contact Professor Austin Becker (abecker@uri.edu)