Research activities and publications of the Oceanography Faculty are described on other pages of this web site. Prospective students are encouraged to contact individual faculty for further details. The Oceanography Department offers master's and doctoral programs in four subdisciplines - physical, chemical, geological, and biological oceanography. The programs are designed to prepare students for challenging careers in academia, industry, and government. Consequently, they are academically demanding, with high standards and expectations.
All degrees require independent research as well as basic and specialized courses.
Entering students are assigned three-person Advisory Committees to assist them in planning their degree programs and to help monitor progress toward their degree. Ultimately, the roles of these committees are taken over by formal thesis or dissertation committees selected by the students to complement their unique research and career objectives. The breadth and interdisciplinary nature of the Oceanography field of study is emphasized in its core course and distribution requirements. All advanced degree students must take three core courses and at least one advanced course outside of their subdiscipline, in addition to the specific requirements of their major discipline. However, with Advisory Committee approval, a student may petition to be examined for direct advancement to Ph.D. candidacy.