Mission

Education through hands-on application of marine science, conservation, and restoration technology.


More than 70% of earth is covered by the ocean, and at The College of the Florida Keys, we believe that you can’t really understand the ocean unless you experience it firsthand. That’s also why we believe there is no better place to learn about the marine environment than CFK. At our institution, the sea is your school and the Atlantic Ocean, Caribbean Sea and Gulf of Mexico are your classrooms and labs. These pristine oceans and seas literally surround our campus providing unparalleled opportunities to study the only living barrier coral reef in North America. Our school is nestled within the heart of the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary and students will be immersed in one of the most ocean oriented communities in the world. Whether you’re interested in earning an AA degree in Marine/Aquatic Biology for transfer to a four-year institution (see below), or an AS degree in Marine Environmental Technology to enter a marine-related industry immediately (see below), CFK can make it happen. Come experience island living and island learning at it finest.

CFK is a 2024 Center of Excellence for Domestic Maritime Workforce Training and Education (CoE)! Click to learn more!

BS: Marine Resource Management

The Bachelor of Science in Marine Resource Management (BS-MRM) degree is designed for graduates who have completed an Associate in Arts, Associate in Science, or equivalent. The BS-MRM program includes coursework and field experience in marine resource management settings to enable students to integrate theory with practice.

AS: Marine Environmental Technology

This degree is designed to prepare students for a diverse set of employment opportunities in the field of marine environmental technology and other marine-oriented careers. During the program students will acquire the skills and knowledge necessary to enter the work force in a variety of marine oriented occupations including technicians at environmental or research laboratories, environmental consulting industries, aquaculture/mariculture facilities, ecotourism, or conservation and restoration projects.

AA Transfer Plan: Marine/Aquatic Biology

The Associate in Arts degree is designed primarily to meet the requirements for a student to transfer to the upper division level of college or university to continue to work toward a bachelor’s degree. For undergraduate admission to a state university, students must have earned two years of sequential foreign language at the high school level, or complete at least 8 semester hours at a previous college or university.

Certificate: Tropical Ornamental Mariculture Technician

The Tropical Ornamental Mariculture Technician (TOMT) certificate is designed to develop marine ornamental entrepreneurs and provide technician level marine aquaculture skills that will help fill the marine aquaculture jobs of the future while helping supply the demand for oceanic resources from a cultured environment and not the ocean.