Graduate Oceanography Course Work and Seminars
Courses in the School of Oceanography. The requirement for breadth is a key intellectual component of both the master's and the Ph.D. degree, as both degrees are awarded in Oceanography and not in a specific area of Oceanography. Every graduate student is required to take a minimum of one 3-credit, numerically-graded, 500-level course from each option outside their own for a total of three courses and 9 credits (i.e. Ocean 510, Ocean 520, Ocean 535, Ocean 540). The student may petition to substitute for one or more of these courses. The student is expected to complete this breadth requirement prior to receiving a MS degree. The Academic Affairs Committee will address any requests for waivers. The extent to which a student should take courses in other oceanography options or related fields beyond this minimum will be decided by the student’s advisory or supervisory committee and the student.
Course requirements for each of the four options within Oceanography. Each option has their own requirements consisting of courses in a core curriculum and advanced seminars on special topics. Students, in consultation with their advisers and advisory committee, should set the sequencing of course work.
Except as noted in the individual option requirements, these courses should be completed within the first two years of study. A grade of less than 2.7 in any course will necessitate repeating the course or taking another course in that area as recommended by the student's committee. Appropriate courses at other institutions may satisfy these requirements; contact the Graduate Program Advisor's Office for more information. Transfer credits cannot be counted towards the 18 graded credit minimum for the Master's degree (see Graduate School Policy 1.1).
Student Seminars. The School will schedule a symposium of presentations by all second-year students during the Autumn Quarter. Students are also expected to give a seminar in the Autumn Quarter of their third year, a requirement that may be fulfilled by their master's presentation.
Courses outside the School of Oceanography. It may also be considered worthwhile for a student to take courses outside of Oceanography. These may include undergraduate level courses to improve a student's background in basic mathematics, physics, chemistry, etc. More senior graduate students are probably the best source of information on which particular courses outside of Oceanography have proven the most valuable to our students.
Seminar Series. There are many seminar series within as well as outside of Oceanography. Students are encouraged, and in some cases required, to attend. In Oceanography, these include series on Physical Oceanography (OCEAN 519), Chemical Oceanography (OCEAN 529), Biological Oceanography (OCEAN 539) and Marine Geology/Geophysics (OCEAN 549). Seminar series of interest are also held in many other departments, including Biology, Biostatistics, Atmospheric Science, Applied Physics Laboratory (APL), Physics, Applied Mathematics, Chemistry, Earth and Space Sciences, Quaternary Research Center, and Engineering and in related programs, including Astrobiology and Program on Climate Change. Information on these seminars can be found via the College of the Environment. Those in Oceanography are listed in the School's events calendar. First-, second-, and third-year students are expected to register for Ocean 509: Oceanography Seminar, when it is offered (often in Autumn/Winter Quarter). More senior graduate students are also strongly encouraged to participate in this seminar series.
Foreign language proficiency is not required by the School of Oceanography unless it is deemed crucial to writing a scholarly thesis or dissertation.
The Quarterly Time Schedule will be helpful in planning courses and registration.
