Island Sustainability Program

Students with a passion for island culture and sustainability will learn how traditional ecological knowledge and cutting-edge science come together to address the most pressing sustainability issues, both locally and internationally. Students interact with some of the world’s top scientific researchers and with local Tahitians and elders at the Atitia Tahitian Culture Center. Students will also be introduced to international NGOs working in the region and benefit from the blend of European, American and Tahitian perspectives affecting all aspects of life and sustainability in French Polynesia.

Biology and Geomorphology of Tropical Islands

Students will conduct independent projects utilizing different approaches from observational studies in the field, manipulations in the field, to laboratory studies. Most field studies will occur off the reserve, though each year a few students do conduct their field research at the Gump Station. 

Course number: IB 158 , ESPM 107

Field Biology Quarter

The UCLA FBQ (& MBQ) introduce 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. 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 the FBQ (and MBQ) as the highlight of their UCLA education. 

UCLA HBCU Diversity Project

The Diversity Project is a Transformative  International Undergraduate Research Program that Promotes Diversity in the Sciences. A summer of field and laboratory research studying marine biodiversity, learning to apply cutting edge genetic techniques to the understanding of the origins of marine biodiversity, and learning how to be a competitive applicant for leading PhD programs.

Marine Biology Quarter (MBQ)

The UCLA 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) 

Ocean Chemistry

FVCC’s 2018 Ocean Chemistry Program operates from the premises of the UC Berkeley Research Stations on the South Pacific Islands of Mo’orea and Tetiaroa. This course will give students a global perspective on the chemistry of natural waters.

Tropical Field Marine Ecology

SCIE304 is an intensive research-based field course (offered by Victoria University of Wellington) to the tropical island of Moorea, French Polynesia, involving underwater fieldwork, sampling, analysis and independent projects.  The field component of this course runs over Easter/mid-term break; additional class meetings will occur at main campus (based in New Zealand) throughout the term.