Ocean Sciences courses are designated by OCSC.
OCSC 1000 Exploration of the World Ocean
is an introductory course covering the major ocean sciences (biology, chemistry, geology, physics) at a level sufficient for science majors but accessible to non-science majors. It explores phenomena occurring from the shoreline to the abyss and from equatorial to polar regions. It also examines principles of marine ecology as well as how the marine environment affects humans and vice versa. The course is offered either in a blended format (combining face-to-face lectures and online interactive activities in the form of virtual oceanographic expeditions) or exclusively online.
LC: a maximum of 1.5 hours per week
OR: a maximum of 3 hours per week of online interactive activities
 
OCSC 2000 Introductory Biological Oceanography
provides a general understanding of the biological processes that occur in coastal and oceanic environments. It introduces students to the major groups of bacteria, phytoplankton, invertebrates and fish, emphasizing the biotic and abiotic factors controlling primary production and marine biomass. It shows how the physical, chemical, and geological environments interact with biology to define processes and patterns affecting nutrients and life in marine ecosystems.
PR: OCSC 1000 and another 1000-level course in one of Biology, Chemistry, Earth Sciences or Physics (or BIOL 1001 and 1002)
 
OCSC 2001 Introduction to Sustainable Fisheries and Aquaculture
introduces students to the breadth of aquaculture and fisheries science and the variety of animal species cultured and harvested. Basic aspects of aquaculture and fisheries and the links between the two are covered, including production systems, capture fisheries, environmental interactions, and the physiology, ecology and reproduction of finfish and shellfish in the context of their culture and harvest.
PR: OCSC 1000 or Biology 1002
 
OCSC 2100 Introductory Chemical Oceanography
provides an introduction to the fundamental chemical properties of seawater and the processes governing the concentrations of elements and compounds in the oceans. It is an introduction to the sources, distribution, and transformations of chemical constituents of the ocean, and their relation to biological, chemical, geological, and physical processes. Topics include: controls on average concentration of chemicals in the ocean; vertical and horizontal distributions of ocean constituents; air-sea interactions; production, export, and remineralization of organic matter; the ocean carbon cycle; human-induced changes; stable isotopes; and trace elements.
EQ: Chemistry 2610
PR: the former CHEM 1011 or 1051 or 1001 which may be taken concurrently
 
OCSC 2200 Introductory Geological Oceanography
is a study of the formation and evolution of oceans, including plate tectonics, mid-ocean ridges (birth place of oceans), subduction zones (where oceans are consumed), sedimentary environments such as estuaries, deltas, beaches and barrier islands, continental shelves, slopes and deep abyssal plains and special topics, including anoxic events, evolution of tides, atmosphere-ocean interactions, formation of banded iron formations, snowball Earth, black and white smokers, and how Earth modulates its climate through atmosphere, hydrosphere, biosphere and lithosphere interactions.
EQ: Earth Sciences 2919