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MARINE AFFAIRS EDUCATION
IN THE 21ST CENTURY
A Roundtable Discussion
Mark T. Imperial, University of North Carolina Wilmington
Timothy M. Hennessey, University of Rhode Island
Thomas Leschine, University of Washington
Lauriston King, East Carolina University
Thomas Bigford, National Marine Fisheries Service, NOAA
Christine Patrick, Knauss Sea Grant Fellow
Presented at TCS 21 in Redondo Beach, CA
June 29 – July 2, 2008
Master of Public Administration Program
Session Objectives
• Begin a dialog about the future of Marine Affairs
education in the 21st century
– While some programs have been around for decades, there are an
increasing number of options around the country in various academic
homes
– Changing workforce demographics creates opportunities for new
graduates at all levels of government and in the nonprofit sector
– The knowledge, skills, and abilities that are valued are also changing
– Universities are also changing in ways that might influence the future of
marine affairs education
• Format
– Begin with short presentations by the panelists and then have a
moderated discussion
Master of Public Administration Program
Is Marine Affairs
Education Needed in the
21st Century?
Master of Public Administration Program
Evidence of Need for MAF Programs
• U.S. Ocean Commission on Ocean Policy’s final
report An Ocean Blueprint for the 21st Century
– Ocean related activities directly contributed more than $117 billion to
the US economy and supported over two million jobs in 2000.
– When coastal activities are factored in, more than $1 trillion (1/10th the
gross domestic product) is generated within the coastal zone.
– When extended to the economies of coastal watershed counties, the
significance balloons to $4.5 trillion and accounts for 60 million jobs.
– Over 50% of Americans live in a coastal watershed.
– Hundreds of millions vacation on the coasts, spend billions of dollars,
and support millions of jobs vital to the U.S. economy.
– Apart from recreation and aesthetics, coastal waterways and ocean are
integral to global transportation and commerce.
– Off-shore energy sources and fisheries also factor significantly in local
and national economies world-wide.
Master of Public Administration Program
Evidence of Need for MAF Programs
• Use and enjoyment of coastal and marine resources
come with a price, namely environmental degradation
and unsustainable resource exploitation.
– Non-point source pollution that can degrade water quality, habitat
quality, and even pose human health risks
– Loss of sensitive upland and estuarine habitats vital to the reproduction
and health of many marine species
– 25-30% of the world’s major fish stocks are over-exploited and there
are calls for increased investment in aquaculture operations.
– Economic globalization is creating pressure to increase port size and
expand shipping facilities world-wide.
– Demand for energy creates increased demand for uses of OCS waters
and increased transportation operations.
Master of Public Administration Program
Conversely . . .
• Government programs have grown complex and
highly specialized since the 1970s
– It is difficult to teach how all of these programs work and operate
– Many graduates actually do basic management tasks associated with
managing people, organizations, grants, etc. as part of their jobs
• Analysis of complex problems requires the
methodological sophistication
– Traditionally found in disciplinary based degree programs (economics,
policy analysis, physical and biological sciences, etc.)
– These programs may offer specializations in coastal/ocean policy
• Other changes driving environmental policy curricula
– Redefinition of problems from the 1970s (e.g., point source to nonpoint
source water pollution)
– Interconnected nature of problems like global change and watersheds
Master of Public Administration Program
Growing Range of Academic Options
Masters Degrees in Marine/Coastal/Ocean Policy
California State Univ. Montery Bay
M.S. in Coastal and Watershed Science and Policy
Florida Institute of Technology
M.S. in Coastal Zone Management
NOVA Southeastern University
Masters of Science in Coastal Zone Management
Oregon State University
Master of Marine Resource Management
Texas A & M @ Galveston
Master of Marine Resource Management
University of California San Diego
Masters in Marine Biodiversity and Conservation
University of Delaware
Master of Marine Management (1 year executive)
Master of Marine Policy (JD and Ph.D too)
University of Maine
Masters in Marine Policy
Dual Masters in Marine Science and Policy
University of Miami (FL)
Master of Arts in Marine Affairs (1 year)
Master of Science in Marine Affairs
University of Rhode Island
Master of Marine Affairs (1 year executive)
Master of Arts in Marine Affairs (JD/MA too)
University of Washington
Master of Marine Affairs (JD/MA too)
UNC Wilmington
Master of Coastal and Ocean Policy (proposed '09)
Programs w/ Concentration in Marine/Coastal Policy or Mgt
Univ. of California Santa Barbara
Master of Environmental Science and Management
Duke University
Master of Environmental Management
University of Hawai’i Manoa
Graduate certificate in ocean policy
UNC Wilmington
Master of Public Administration
Master of Environmental Studies (begins in '08)
Master of Marine Science
Master of Public Administration Program
Good News & Bad News
• Good news
– Several new marine affairs (MAF) programs have been adopted in
recent years with more planned
– Indicates growing demand for this educational specialization
– Good for students and employers because many more curriculum
options to choose from
• Bad news
– Students may not know what curriculum option is best for their career
goals and employers may not understand the differences either
– Challenge for organizations like The Coastal Society because the
faculty and students in these programs may belong to other professional
organizations
– What core knowledge, skills, and abilities (KSAs) do students need to
have a specialization in MAF or one of the new coastal/ocean policy
and management degree programs
Master of Public Administration Program
Wide Range of Curriculum Options
• Many disciplinary homes for these programs
– Most are 2-year programs
• Variation in the mix between science and policy in
core curricula
– Those with science emphasis often have calculus or other prerequisites
– Most have science for the non-scientist courses
– Most have specialized coastal/marine policy/management classes rather
than policy and management classes that MPP/MPA students take
– Most programs require either a general policy/planning class or a
marine/coastal policy class
– Almost no emphasis on public management, human resource
management, budgeting/finance, strategic planning, etc. in core MAF
requirements
Master of Public Administration Program
Wide Range of Curriculum Options
• Most have some sort of statistics or research methods
requirement
– Few have GIS, MIS, or other computer skill-based required courses
– Few have advanced policy/management classes that are skill or
methods-based as requirements (e.g., C/B analysis, forecasting,
program evaluation, performance measurement, etc.)
• Variation in the final thesis/capstone/projects
– Very few rely on comprehensive exams
– Few have a required thesis but for many programs it is optional
– Many have a final capstone or integrative project
• Internships are rarely required
– Only a few programs require internships for all students unless some
professional experience threshold is met
Master of Public Administration Program
What are the job prospects
for future MAF graduates?
Master of Public Administration Program
Job Prospects are Generally Good
• Lots of job opportunities as baby boomers begin to
reach retirement
– For the first time the American workforce has four separate generations
working side-by-side
• Silent generation (1933 – 1945)
• Baby boomers (1946 – 1964)
• Generation Xers (1965 – 1976)
• Millennials (1977 – 1998)
• Labor market is shrinking due to demographic
trends
– Particularly true for knowledge workers
– Workforce is growing more diverse (women and minorities)
Master of Public Administration Program
Partnership for Public Service
(PPS) estimated in 2007
• 80 percent of mission-critical hires in the next two
years will be in five professional fields
– Program management/analysis and administration (14,305 hires).
– Engineering and the sciences (17,477 hires)
• Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) will hire
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120 general administrative management positions
135 management/program analysis positions,
165 biologists,
240 environmental protection specialists,
120 environmental engineers
180 environmental scientists
90 contract/grant specialists
Master of Public Administration Program
Partnership for Public Service
(PPS) estimated in 2007
• The Department of Commerce, where NOAA is
located is expected to hire
– 159 fisheries biologists
– 146 economists
– 552 administration/program managers
• The Department of Interior expects to hire
– 261 park rangers
– 171 biologists
– 75 wildlife biologists.
• The National Science Foundation expects to hire 130
program directors.
Master of Public Administration Program
North Carolina’s Employment
Security Commission estimates
• Jobs in the life, physical, and social science related
occupations
– Projected to increase at an annualized rate of 1.88% through 2014.
– 1,760 job openings in North Carolina on an annual basis.
– Management related occupations are also growing at an annualized
growth rate of 1.11% with annual openings in North Carolina totaling
around 8,130.
– However, natural sciences managers are growing at an even faster
annualized rate of 1.36% with approximately 40 job openings per year
expected through 2014.
Master of Public Administration Program
North Carolina’s Employment
Security Commission estimates
• Annual growth rates (# annual job openings)
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Natural sciences managers: 1.36% (40)
Emergency management specialists: 1.96% (20)
Environmental engineers: 2.62% (90)
Environmental scientists and specialists, including health: 1.71% (100)
Conservation scientists: 1.08% (20)
Urban and regional planners: 1.41% (50)
Economists: 0.43% (10)
Master of Public Administration Program
Good News & Bad News
• Good news
– Aging workforce means jobs and upward mobility for new hires
– Millennials can help transform the future government workforce
– They are generally technology savvy , good multi-taskers, agile at
making decisions, flexible and persistent in the face of change, are
highly skilled at social networking and team activities, and
comfortable with new communication mediums
• Bad news
– Few agencies have succession plans or are planning on how to
transform their workforce
– Millennials will be harder to recruit than their boomer counterparts
– They prefer to balance work and family, are loyal to their profession
rather than their organization, are motivated by benefits that are hard
for government to provide, and often distrust government institutions
Master of Public Administration Program
What do our students
need to know?
Master of Public Administration Program
Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities
• Policy specialty vs. core policy/management skills
– Coastal and ocean management is an inherently multidisciplinary field
but disciplines are still important
– Challenge of breadth vs. depth
– Have a solid understanding of the science behind the policy
– Understand the “craft” of policy analysis to balance competing interests
– Professionals that are adept at policy analysis and policy development
• Governance is an increasingly complex endeavor
– Government at all levels are far more complex, operate through
networks, and trends like performance measurement are here to stay
– Private and nonprofit sector organizations are frequently becoming
government service providers
– Policy instruments/tools of government are sophisticated
– Management matters
Master of Public Administration Program
Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities
• Employers increasingly value “knowledge workers”
– Increased demand for workers to fill jobs that require a
combination of multidisciplinary training, technological skills,
and professional skills.
– Possess technical expertise as well as skills such as reasoning,
problem-solving, communication, and collaboration.
– Are capable of bridging the gaps between scientists, policy
makers, land managers, governmental and nongovernmental
agencies, and the interests of private citizens
– Interpret evolving scientific research and apply it to creative
problem solving
– A lot of universities are finding creative ways to combine
science and policy/management programs to create these
“knowledge workers”
Master of Public Administration Program
What Students Need
to Know (Tom Bigford)
• Consider skills developed in MPA/MBA programs
– Some of his best employees have MBAs and MAF degrees
– Teamwork, managing people, budget/finance/strategic thinking
• Develop good communication skills
– Writing, speaking, presenting, and listening
– They impress those that will help with your career
• Develop capabilities outside your major/thesis topic
– Gain work experience – paid or volunteer
– Gain classroom and work exposure to the issues
• Many jobs demand interdisciplinary backgrounds
– Expanding to new arenas like climate, energy, ecosystems,
business, watersheds, etc.
Master of Public Administration Program
What Helps Students
Compete (Tom Bigford)?
• There are jobs . . . But
– There is no shortage of talented applicants
– Agencies and applicants need to market themselves
• Think about your career path – they differ by agency
and location
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Think then look - Don’t just search for vacancies
Create your own opportunities as a contractor or employee
Headquarters = high turnover
Regional/field offices = more jobs but stiff competition
Plan on 3 – 5 distinct careers – always be working towards the
next one
Contact: [email protected] or 301.713.4300 x131
Master of Public Administration Program
What changes in higher
education will influence
MAF education in the future?
Master of Public Administration Program
Trends in Higher Education
• Growth in graduate education
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Professional degrees
Graduate certificates
“Interdisciplinary” degrees
Increasing specialization in degree programs (concentrations,
tracks, minors, etc.)
• Reorganizations within universities with new
specialized colleges/schools
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Schools of public affairs/grouping professional degree programs
Schools of the environment
Schools of health sciences
MAF programs might find themselves in new homes
Master of Public Administration Program
Trends in Higher Education
• Learning outcomes, performance measurement
– Important role accreditation bodies play
– What should our MAF students be learning?
• Changing financial landscape in many state
university systems
– Significant growth in student enrollments in some
state systems (e.g., TX, NC, FL)
– Tuition costs continue to increase but program
budgets are static
– Likely means students will have to borrow increasing
amounts to attend graduate school
Master of Public Administration Program
Summary & Conclusions
• MAF programs have been around for almost 40 years
but there is little agreement on what the curricula
should be for these programs
– On the positive side, there are an increasing number
of degree/curriculum options
– However, students don’t always know what degree
option is best for the type of job they want or what
jobs you can/cannot get with a particular degree
• Our panel is an attempt to begin a dialog about these
issues
– What are the next steps in this dialog?
Master of Public Administration Program
Questions for the
Panel Discussion
Master of Public Administration Program
• Where is Marine Affairs heading as a
discipline?
– Is it a discipline?
– Is it just a policy specialization with many different
disciplines?
Master of Public Administration Program
• Is Marine Affairs still a good organizing
concept for educating students and training
future workers?
– Are other paradigms more appropriate for organizing
a curriculum?
– Watersheds, global change, ecosystems, etc.
– Specialization within disciplines – like the
physical/biological/natural/ environmental sciences,
economics, public policy, public administration,
planning
Master of Public Administration Program
• Is there a disconnect between the curricula
and what employers need from future
workers?
– Breadth vs. depth of knowledge
– Science vs. policy/management
– What knowledge, skills, abilities (KSAs) do our
students need to succeed?
– What do we do well? What is missing?
– Can we provide the KSAs with a 2-year MAF
degree?
Master of Public Administration Program
• The options for MAF graduate students are
becoming more diverse – Is this good or bad?
– Students often don’t know what type of job or career
options are available before enrolling so how will
they select the “right” program
– Employers will be unfamiliar with the new degree
options and what is or isn’t provided
– What are the implications for TCS & our coastal
journals since faculty/students in new programs may
see their “home” in other venues
Master of Public Administration Program
Other Questions
for the Panel
Master of Public Administration Program