The blue economy encompasses a broad range of activities, from fish farming and whale-watching tourism to environmental consulting, offshore renewable energy and maritime logistics.
According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, around 40% of the U.S. population lives in coastal counties. These counties produce around $10 trillion in goods and services annually and employ more than 54 million people.
“One of the most critical trends is a growing shortage of coastal, marine and maritime professionals,” Debbie Thomas, founding dean of the College of Marine Sciences & Maritime Studies at Texas A&M University, wrote in an email. “In spite of the role that the Blue Economy plays in our daily lives, there still is remarkably little understanding or awareness of the incredibly rewarding Blue Economy careers. We consistently hear from our hiring stakeholders the need for increasing numbers of graduates.”
What Is the Blue Economy?
“There are many ways to define the Blue Economy,” Thomas says, “but at its essence the Blue Economy is the expansive array of sectors that leverage ocean resources to drive sustainable economic development while protecting marine and coastal ecosystems.”
Traditional sectors include aquaculture, fisheries, maritime transport and tourism. However, the blue economy also encompasses other industries, like renewable energy, marine biotechnology and ocean data, experts say.
The “new blue economy” focuses on integrating emerging technology and sustainable practices across these sectors, says Tara Skelton, outreach program manager at the University of Southern Mississippi Center for STEM Education.
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What Degrees Lead to Blue Economy Jobs?
A diverse range of undergraduate and graduate degrees can open doors to blue economy careers, experts say. Majors, minors and concentrations give students the flexibility to shape their academic pathways and career trajectories.
Undergraduate Degrees
At the undergraduate level, you can pursue various arts and science degrees.
Oregon State University, for example, offers a marine studies degree through its College of Liberal Arts that is “less about working in a lab and more about engaging with the world’s oceans in ways that understand communities and shape industries,” according to its website. The University of Maine offers a bachelor’s degree in marine science, with options to specialize in aquaculture, marine biology or physical science.
Arizona State University offers a bachelor’s degree in ocean futures, with the option to specialize in coastal and marine science. University of Southern Mississippi bachelor’s programs include ocean engineering, marine biology and oceanography, and undergrads join Gulf Coast research projects in ecosystem restoration, ocean mapping and climate-driven ocean change.
And Texas A&M University, whose Galveston campus is dedicated to marine and maritime programs, offers more than 10 undergrad degrees. Students can major in fields like maritime studies, marine fisheriesand marine engineering technology.
Some blue economy majors and careers are more STEM-intensive than others, experts say. Naval architects and ocean robotics engineers, for example, tend to require specialized degrees and experience.
Other degrees provide foundational knowledge that applies to various blue economy professions, Rowland says. For example, someone with a marine science degree could work in aquaculture, fisheries management or environmental consulting.
For certain fields, location may be important. Some marine ecosystems, faculty expertise, research projects, marine stations, fieldwork opportunities and industry partnerships may be more accessible at universities in specific geographic areas — including many outside the U.S.
The University of Otago in New Zealand, for instance, offers a strong focus on Antarctic and sub-Antarctic marine ecosystems. The University Centre Svalbard in Norway specializes in Arctic geophysics and biology.
On the doorstep of the Great Barrier Reef, students at James Cook University in Australia have unparalleled reef access for fieldwork. The University of Cape Town in South Africa capitalizes on its location at the meeting point of the Atlantic and Indian Oceans.
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Graduate Degrees
Graduate degrees can broaden your blue economy career options, experts say.
The master’s of science in coastal and marine science and management at ASU attracts a mix of applicants, says Roberta Martin, associate director of academics for the School of Ocean Futures. Some students have blue economy-related backgrounds while others want to pivot into new industries.
Other graduate programs integrate multiple disciplines. Schools like the University of Miami and University of Oregon offer joint J.D.-master’s programs and law degrees with blue economy concentrations. These prepare students for legal, regulatory and policy roles in the blue economy.
The University of Maine’s MBA program, which offers a blue economy concentration, merges its core business curriculum with blue economy disciplines. MBA candidates can take courses in marine biology, oceanography, fisheries policy and management, marine resource management, and aquaculture.
Programs like the blue economy MBA, which “explicitly identify the opportunity to connect interdisciplinary and transdisciplinary perspectives, represent new opportunities for us to think differently about domains that we have traditionally held as distinct,” says Jason Harkins, executive dean of the Maine Business School at the University of Maine. This fosters a holistic approach to blue economy challenges and opportunities.
Graduates of the MBA program have a strong understanding of what it takes to build, run and grow successful organizations, Harkins says. They can leverage their business acumen across various blue economy sectors.
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Career Opportunities in the Blue Economy
Blue economy occupations and employers are wide-ranging. As a result, there is no “typical career path” for graduates, says Diane Rowland, dean of the College of Earth, Life and Health Sciences at the University of Maine.
Blue economy roles span operations, management, research, education, policy and governance. These roles can exist in different industries with different employers.
Some graduates work for government entities, like NOAA or state marine resources departments. Others pursue roles in the private sector, with aquaculture firms or marine biotechnology companies. Nonprofits, research institutes and universities are other major employers.
Graduates can also consider entrepreneurship and new product development, Harkins says.
Marin Skincare, a startup founded by UMaine biomedical engineering graduates, uses byproducts of lobster processing — glycoproteins — to create skin care products.
As companies like Marin grow, they can benefit from professionals who possess both fundamental business skills and a strong understanding of the blue economy, Harkins says. This might involve sourcing lobster byproducts, developing marketing channels and managing national and international distribution.
Sustainability is a growing trend within the blue economy, Harkins says.
“We have to steward those resources, our oceans and our marine ecosystems, in ways that allow for effective engagement in the generation of revenue and profit — but in ways that don’t trade off today’s profit against tomorrow’s consequences,” he says.
What Prospective Students Should Consider
“Perhaps most importantly, students should explore the intersection of their passion with their talents,” Thomas says.
Some students may naturally gravitate toward traditional blue economy degrees, like science and engineering. However, the blue economy also “requires leaders with a passion and aptitude for policy, law, business, government, shipping, logistics, sociology, communications, philanthropy, curation and stewardship, public relations (and) marketing,” Thomas says.
While prospective students might feel pressure to decide on a major or career, experts recommend keeping an open mind. The blue economy is vast, interdisciplinary and continuing to evolve.
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Degrees That Lead to Careers in the Blue Economy originally appeared on usnews.com
