Aquaculture Science

Aquaculture Science - Certificate

Interested in remote learning? The Aquaculture Science Certificate may be completed entirely online in a convenient, self-paced format. Courses cover aquaculture-focused topics such as finfish and shellfish culturing, aquatic animal health, and water quality. The Aquaculture Science Certificate is designed for students either wishing to start their education remotely or industry members desiring professional development with a flexible schedule.

Aquaculture Science Certificate students wishing to gain hands-on experience for higher employment placement may apply all certificate course credits towards the Certificate in Fisheries & Aquaculture Techniques, or the AAS or AAS-T in Fisheries & Aquaculture Sciences.

Fisheries and Aquaculture Sciences Video

Employment Information

Data are provided on a program (not credential) level

63%¹ BTC graduate placement rate (Employment Security Department- WA and OR only)
96%³ BTC graduate placement rate (faculty-tracked, national)
78%³ BTC in-field graduate placement rate (faculty-tracked, national)

$46,473 starting annual wage²
$53,133 average annual wage²
$64,731 potential annual wage²

Employment and Wage Data Sources and Information

¹Employment data come from the Washington State Board for Community and Technical Colleges (SBCTC) and reflect WA/OR employment for students enrolled at BTC between 2017-18 and 2019-20. Students are included in the employment rate if they left with a credential. Rates are not shown for programs with fewer than 10 students meeting the above criteria.

²Whatcom County and WA State wage data come from Washington State Employment Security Department (ESD) 2021 Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates and reflect 2018-21 employment. Wage data represent occupations that BTC faculty have identified as the most relevant career paths for program graduates. Note that these wages reflect employees with varying educational levels/credentials. For cases in which multiple occupations have been identified by faculty, a weighted percentile is calculated using each occupation’s percentile wage and employment size estimate. Wages are not shown for programs for which occupations do not meet the ESD’s minimum thresholds for publishing. If the program has wage data from the Washington SBCTC that involves shift work, these ESD wages reflect the same number of hours used in the annual wage calculation. Starting wage = 25th percentile, median wage = 50th percentile, wage potential = 75th percentile.

³Additional employment rates are provided for programs with faculty who maintain their own employment records of students who graduated between 2017-18 and 2019-20 and who were employed within 9 months of graduation. Both overall and in field of study employment rates are included, respectively. For these programs, the format follows: ESD rate / faculty-tracked overall rate / faculty-tracked in-field rate. These additional, faculty-provided rates are particularly important for programs that tend to have graduates employed outside of WA and OR. Note that due to lack of available data, rates may represent fewer than 3 years of graduates.

Estimated Program Costs
Estimated costs based on 2 quarters to complete this program
The first quarter of study will likely be more expensive as students pay for materials needed to start the program.
Average Tuition and Fees per Quarter: $2,000
Average cost per credit: $190
Total Tuition and Fees: $4,000
Average annual cost of living in Bellingham
Living expenses (housing and food): $16,512
Transportation: $1,935
Miscellaneous/Personal: $1,800
TOTAL: $20,247

Tuition Fees and Rates overview page

Entry Information

When Can I Start?

This program typically starts in Fall quarter.

What are the Minimum Entry Requirements?

Admissions application and assessment testing in Reading, Math and Writing is required. Your score on the test and/or your previous transcripts will determine where you begin your course sequence. Contact Admissions at 360.752.8345 or at admissions@btc.edu for assistance with academic planning.

What are My Next Steps?

1. Apply to BTC and Financial Aid
2. Assess Your Starting Point
3. Advising & Registration
4. Prepare to Attend

Classes

Total Program Credits: 21

Current Students: Learn how to use this page to register for classes
You are now able to sign up for classes in ctcLink using the class list below. It requires certain steps to work smoothly. Please read and follow the instructions:
Once at the beginning of each session:
- Follow the link below which will open the ctcLink login screen in a new browser tab
- In the new tab login to ctcLink
- Return back to this tab
These steps log you into ctcLink and keep you logged in until you log out manually or close your browser. If you or a public computer it is good security practice to logout and close all browser windows when you are done.
Proceed to ctcLink login in new window
For each class:
- Click on the name of the class below to show future offerings
- Click the 'Find in ctcLink' button below the class you wish to find. (Button will only show if registration is open.)
- A new tab with the ctcLink Class Search tool will open
- Without changing any of the filter options, click the 'Search' button
- Only the specific class you selected will show. If logged in following the steps above, you will be able to register for the class.

Quarter 1

AQUA 100

Intro to Fisheries and Aquaculture

2 CR

AQUA 110 Water Quality 3 CR
An introduction to water quality principles with an emphasis on aqualine production systems and environmental habitats. Students will learn standard methods of measuring water quality and managing water quality data. This course also covers common issues with water quality and practical approaches to solving them.
Prerequisites:
ACCUPLACER Arithmetic (254) or higher OR MATH 090 with a C or higher, and ACCUPLACER Writing (245) or higher or ENGL 092 with a C or higher, and ACCUPLACER Reading (247) or higher OR RDG 085 with a C or higher OR Instructor permission. Completion of AQUA 100 with a C- or higher, or concurrent enrollment in AQUA 100.
AQUA 120 Aquatic Biodiversity 3 CR
An introduction to the taxonomy, anatomy, and life cycles of aquatic plants and animals, with an emphasis on Pacific Northwest algae, shellfish, and finfish. This course will also cover evolutionary adaptation to aquatic environments.
Prerequisites:
ACCUPLACER Arithmetic (254) or higher OR MATH 090 with a C or higher, and ACCUPLACER Writing (245) or ENGL 092 with a C or higher, and ACCUPLACER Reading (247) or higher OR RDG 085 with a C or higher or Instructor permission. Completion of AQUA 100 with a C- or higher, or concurrent enrollment in AQUA 100.
AQUA 130 Reproduction 2 CR
An introduction to reproductive biology with a focus on crustaceans, shellfish, and fish. This course covers the anatomy and physiology of reproductive systems, life history strategies, and spawning techniques for aquaculture.
Prerequisites:
ACCUPLACER Arithmetic (254) or higher OR MATH 090 with a C or higher, and ACCUPLACER Writing (245) or ENGL 092 with a C or higher, and ACCUPLACER Reading (247) or higher OR RDG 085 with a C or higher or Instructor permission. Completion of AQUA 100 with a C- or higher, or concurrent enrollment in AQUA 100.
Quarter 2
AQUA 140 Growth and Nutrition 3 CR
This course will provide an overview on the nutrition and feeding of aquatic species to promote healthy and sustainable growth. There will be a focus on crustaceans, shellfish, and finfish from an aquaculture perspective. Perquisites: AQUA 100, AQUA 110, AQUA 120, and AQUA 130 all with a C- or higher.
AQUA 150 Fundamentals of Aquaculture 3 CR
An introduction to culturing aquatic biota for commercial production and fisheries stock enhancement, with an emphasis on commonly used culturing systems, shellfish and finfish husbandry, and hatchery operations.
Prerequisites:
AQUA 100, AQUA 110, AQUA 120, and AQUA 130 all with a C- or higher.
AQUA 190 Toxicology and Diseases 3 CR
An introduction to shellfish and finfish diseases and environmental toxicology. This course will cover the biology and ecology of pathogens, including bacteria, fungi, parasites, and viruses. Students will also learn the sources and exposure routes of pollutants and pathogens, lymphatic and behavioral responses, and commonly used diagnostics and treatments. :
Prerequisites:
AQUA 100, AQUA 110, AQUA 120, and AQUA 130 all with a C- or higher, and completion of AQUA 140 with a C- or higher or concurrent enrollment in AQUA 140

AQUA 240

Independent Project

2 CR

View past class requirements for this program.
Select the year closest to the year started, without going over, to see program requirements for a student who started the program that year:

Program Outcomes

Employment Outlook

Your skills will be ready to use with employers such as the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, as well as private and tribal hatcheries, shellfish farms, and federal and private scientific companies.

Faculty & Support

Brittany Palm

Degrees and Credentials
MS, Marine Sciences, University of New England
BS, Marine Biology, University of New England
Certificate, Professional Technical Education, Washington State

Sara Smith

Degrees and Credentials
Certificate, Professional Technical Education, Washington State
MS, Fisheries and Wildlife, Michigan State University
BS, Environmental Science-Freshwater Ecology Emphasis, Western Washington University

Contacts

If you have questions about this program or want help with the admissions steps to Bellingham Technical College, please email outreach@btc.edu.

Current students wanting academic planning and support, can connect with the program Instructor(s) or email FisheriesNav@btc.edu

Spring 2024
04/02/2024-06/21/2024				Online Asynchronous
The class is taught completely online. There are no scheduled class times that are required; all online work is completed asynchronously. There is no face-to-face instruction.

Spring 2024
04/02/2024-06/21/2024	Palm	Online Asynchronous
LAB	Palm	Online Asynchronous
The class is taught completely online. There are no scheduled class times that are required; all online work is completed asynchronously. There is no face-to-face instruction.
Winter 2025
01/07/2025-03/27/2025	Palm	Face to Face
This class meets face-to-face for scheduled classes at specific times. There is no online instruction, although an online learning platform may be used supplementally.

Aquaculture Science

Aquaculture Science

Aquaculture Science - Certificate

Employment Information

Estimated Program Costs

Entry Information

When Can I Start?

What are the Minimum Entry Requirements?

What are My Next Steps?

Classes

Total Program Credits: 21

Current Students: Learn how to use this page to register for classes

Quarter 1

Quarter 2

View past class requirements for this program.

Program Outcomes

Employment Outlook

Faculty & Support

Brittany Palm

Degrees and Credentials

Sara Smith

Degrees and Credentials

Contacts