DEGREE PROGRAMS

Aquaculture, one of the fastest growing segments of agriculture, offers unmatched career opportunities. These unique degree programs integrate traditional education with practical industry experience, preparing students to build a career, start or expand an aquaculture business, implement new technology on a farm, or continue with additional education and training.

UNDERGRADUATE

Indian River Community College (IRCC)
Since 1998, Indian River Community College has partnered with the ACTED program to offer a premier community college aquaculture degree program. Our goal is to provide students with the knowledge and skills for employment in the aquaculture industry.

Graduates qualify for employment in a diverse range of positions including Aquaculture Technician, Hatchery Technician, Systems Supervisor, Hatchery Manager, Assistant Farm Manager, and Farm Manager. Since inception, all graduates of the IRCC Aquaculture Program have found employment in aquaculture or related industries.

Degrees offered:
- Associate in Applied Science Degree - 2 year program
      Agriculture Production Technology with Aquaculture Specialization

- Aquaculture Technology Certificate - 1 year program

Faculty Instructors:
Dr. John Scarpa, Dr. Susan Laramore, Amber Shawl, Dr. Paul Wills, and Dr. Ann McMullian

Core Courses:
Introduction to Aquaculture (FAS 1010 - 3 credits)
Schedule: Fall and Spring Semesters
Instructor: Amber Shawl
This course teaches the basic principles and practices of farming fish, clams, shrimp, and other commercially valuable species. Water quality, site selection, health management practices, nutrition, business decision-making, career choices and job requirements are covered.

Principles of Fish Aquaculture (FAS 2020 - 4 credits)
Schedule: Summer Session I
Instructor: Dr. Paul Wills
This course teaches hatchery and production techniques for freshwater and marine fish. Topics cover broodstock management, spawning, larval husbandry, nursery, and grow-out of several commercially important fish species. Design of culture systems, nutrition, bioenergetics, genetics, and health management are covered.

Principles of Crustacean Aquaculture (FAS 2150 - 4 credits)
Schedule: Spring Semester
Instructor: Dr. John Scarpa
This course teaches methods of culturing crustacean species with an emphasis on marine shrimp. Topics cover biology and anatomy, hatchery and live feeds production, nursery and growout technology, stocking and feeding practices, harvest and processing, economics and marketing, and regulations.

Principles of Molluscan Aquaculture (FAS 2151 - 4 credits)
Schedule: Fall Semester
Instructor: Dr. John Scarpa
This course teaches methods of culturing molluscan species with an emphasis on hard clams. It offers hands-on activities that include morphology and anatomy labs, field nursery trials, environmental monitoring, health management, record keeping and counting of clams. Other topics include site requirements for nursery and growout, genetics and diseases, predators, leasing, harvesting and marketing.

Aquatic Animal Health Management (FAS 2252 - 4 credits)
Schedule: Fall Semester
Instructor: Dr. Susan Laramore
This course provides practical training in health management techniques relating to diagnosis and treatment of parasitic, bacterial, viral, nutritional and environmental diseases of cultured fish, bivalves, and shrimp. Instruction emphasizes the benefits of maintaining a healthy stock and preventing disease through biosecurity and best management practices.

Water Quality, Systems and Operations (FAS 2412 - 4 credits)
Schedule: Spring Semester
Instructor: Dr. Paul Wills
This course highlights the technology and components used to manage water quality in ponds, flow-through, and recirculating systems used to culture freshwater and marine species of fish, crustaceans and molluscs. Topics cover design criteria and system construction, management of water quality, filtration, pump selection and aeration. Additional topics cover practical considerations for stocking systems and developing feeding strategies.

Farm Management (AEB 1132 - 3 credits)
Schedule: Fall Semester
Instructor: Dr. Ann McMullian
This course teaches students the basic decision-making tools needed by a farm manager. The emphasis is on business management and financial control utilizing farm records.

Tuition: $66 per college credit in-state; $245 per college credit out of state; Lab fees are extra.

For more information: www.ircc.edu

GRADUATE

Florida Atlantic University (FAU)
Florida Atlantic University and Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institution are pleased to announce a new collaborative doctoral program in Integrative Biology. Integrative biology refers to cross-disciplinary, multilevel approaches to education and research in biology and medicine. The program takes advantage of current faculty strengths in biological subdisciplines such as cell/molecular biology, physiology, and ecology to provide academic leadership and mentor graduate students.

Adjunct faculty: Megan Davis, Dennis Hanisak

For more information: http://bioserv.biomed.fau.edu:8080/biomedical/integrative_biology


Florida Institute of Technology (FIT)
The Florida Institute of Technology has been offering undergraduate and graduate degree programs in aquaculture since 1977. Research scientists at Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institution and Florida Institute of Technology offer opportunities for undergraduate and graduate students to participate in collaborative research projects.

Adjunct faculty: Dennis Hanisak, Marty Riche, Megan Davis, John Scarpa

For more information: http://hyper.fit.edu/biology/UGPrograms/Aquaculture.htm