Interested in the Fisheries & Aquaculture Sciences program? Get on the Waitlist Now!
We are still accepting student applications for Fall 2024. Students interested in starting the program and not already enrolled should get on the AQUA 101 waitlist. As the waitlist fills, students will be contacted about enrolling in Fall courses. For more information, contact program instructor Brittany at bpalm@btc.edu
Fisheries and Aquaculture Sciences - AAS-T
It takes a highly trained professional to lead a team of technicians for aquatic research and conservation. A strong foundation in the core sciences for aquatic systems is necessary to apply the appropriate analytical skills to accomplish your research goals. Are you ready to be that team leader and launch your research career? If so, then the AAS-Transfer Degree in Aquatic Science is your first step on this new pathway.
This degree is designed for students who are interested in transferring to a partnering university to complete their bachelor’s degree. You will set yourself apart with the unique training skills only offered at BTC that you will carry into your rewarding career. BTC graduates can transfer up to 90 credits and then complete the upper-level courses required to qualify for more advanced positions.
Students in this degree will start their foundation in the core sciences while also receiving intensive hands-on experience working with aquatic organisms and ecosystems. Our program courses are offered in both in-person and online formats to increase availability for traveling to freshwater and marine field sites. At these sites, students will learn how to design surveys, operate sampling equipment, and prepare data for management goals.
This degree is all about flexibility and options. Students will work with academic advisors to create the right combination of general education and program courses for their career goals. Students may also extend their pathway at BTC and enroll in one of the advanced level certificates to increase their professional training for higher job placement.
Ready to take your aquatic career to the next level? Start your training at the award-winning and nationally recognized Fisheries and Aquaculture Sciences program at BTC.
Upon completion of this AAS-T degree, students will also receive the Fundamentals of Aquatic Science Certificate.
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)
$39,570 starting annual wage2
$44,766 average annual wage2
$52,484 potential annual wage2
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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.