9th Grade: All freshmen students are enrolled in Marine Biology, a 10-credit course that includes biochemistry, cellular biology, genetics, evolution, taxonomy, as well as marine ecology and marine classification. Aboard the school’s 65-foot vessel, the Blue Sea, students learn to conduct fish stock assessments by otter trawling. Students also participate in a variety of beach-related activities, including beach seining for species diversity, beach profiling to examine the seasonal variation in sediment erosion and deposition, and beach walks to understand beach fauna and flora.

10th Grade: All sophomore students are enrolled in Marine Chemistry, a 10-credit course that includes chemical reactions, atomic structures and behavior, properties of acids and bases, compounds and reactions, and the renowned “gummy bear sacrifice”. Aboard the Blue Sea, water quality testing, eutrophication, and plankton analysis are conducted.

11th Grade: All junior students are enrolled in Marine Physics, a 10-credit course that includes the study of motion, momentum, properties of light and optics, sound, waves, and the fundamental nature of matter and energy. Lessons also include study of “motion of the ocean”, i.e. waves, tides, and Ekman spiral. While on the research vessel, students take a trip to NYC to study bridge design and the forces that make it all work. We also continue to explore water quality as well as using sound to model benthic environments in 3D. Students may also choose to take Research 1, in preparation for their Senior Capstone course the following year, if their chosen senior project will focus primarily on scientific research (see below).

12th Grade: In addition to one of three Senior Capstone Courses (see below) MAST seniors have the option to take one of the following 5-credit science courses: Oceanography, Environmental Science, Sustainable Societies, or AP Physics. Students have the option to take these courses for college credit through dual-enrollment programs with Brookdale Community College, Stockton College, or the College Board's Advanced Placement program.

Students enrolled in Oceanography consolidate what they have learned in the previous three years and apply it to the study of the marine environment. Topics include a more in-depth study of marine chemistry and marine physics as well as plate tectonics, marine ecology, and marine geology. Aboard MAST's Research Vessel, Blue Sea, oceanography students work with visiting scientists from Monmouth University, Brookdale Community College, Rutgers University, and Georgian Court University to conduct research including mapping using side scan sonar, identify ichthyoplankton and study fish population dynamics.

Students enrolled in Environmental Science examine environmental problems and sustainability, ecosystems and community ecology, human population dynamics, sustaining biodiversity, water pollution, energy crises, air pollution and climate change, and environmental politics and world views. Students have the option to take this course for college credit through a dual-enrollment program with Brookdale Community College and Stockton College.

Sustainable Societies utilizes a scientific, student-centered approach to examine national and local environmental, social, and economic issues. The course is designed to encourage innovation and support the ongoing development of new skills and learning approaches in a collaborative environment. Students utilize the experiences of their first three years at MAST to design and carry out projects stressing inquiry and problem-based approaches. They will synthesize scientific study with social analysis of issues related to our environment, including sound management, use and conservation, the dynamics of public policy, private actions and corporate interests. This will be a fully integrated, interdisciplinary course between the Science and Social Studies Departments at MAST, that is driven by student interests and goals.

The AP Physics course is based on the AP curriculum which includes a variety of physics topics presented both conceptually and mathematically. Students can choose between AP Physics C and AP Physics 2. AP Physics C covers a variety of topics in the study of mechanics and includes calculus methods to study and analyze problems. AP Physics 2 includes the following topics: pressure and buoyancy, thermal dynamics, electricity and magnetism, optics and modern physics. Topics in AP Physics 2 are presented using algebraic methods.

Senior Capstone Course

In addition to the science courses listed above, MAST seniors must also choose a 10-credit Senior Capstone Project which culminates in a performance assessment, project, or portfolio assessment for final program completion. Senior capstone projects may focus on Engineering, Marine Research or a project that blends those two fields of study. Students choose their Senior Capstone Project based on their preparation, aptitude, and the anticipated direction for college and careers after high school. All projects provide students with the opportunity to work in cooperation with, and under the direction of, a mentor from either Business and Industry, a Government Agency, or from Higher Education. This student/mentor interaction creates a bridge between high school and college, and allows students to engage in research projects that are often entered into national competitions, or in some cases, even result in publication in peer reviewed scholarly journals.