• Explain the principles and concepts of oceanography including the interrelationships between biological, chemical, geological, and physical oceanography and how people are influencing the ocean.
• Acquire, quantitatively analyze, and interpret diverse data types (e.g., instrumental, proxy and model-derived) from core areas of oceanography.
• Comprehend and critically analyze oceanographic ideas presented in the scientific literature.
• Communicate diverse and complex ocean-related concepts, both orally and in writing, to a variety of audiences and stakeholders, including non-scientists and the general public.

• C- or higher is required in upper-division (300 or above) courses in the major and a 2.0 overall GPA in major coursework.
• No courses in the major can be taken S/U.

Course List

Code	Title	Credits
Supporting Math & Science
Math
MTH 251	*DIFFERENTIAL CALCULUS	4
MTH 252	INTEGRAL CALCULUS	4
Statistics
ST 351	INTRODUCTION TO STATISTICAL METHODS	4
Select one additional quantitative skills course:		4
ATS 302	MATHEMATICAL APPLICATIONS IN THE EARTH SCIENCES
GEOG 360	GISCIENCE I: GEOGRAPHIC INFORMATION SYSTEMS AND THEORY
ST 352	INTRODUCTION TO STATISTICAL METHODS
Biology
BI 221	*PRINCIPLES OF BIOLOGY: CELLS	4
BI 222	*PRINCIPLES OF BIOLOGY: ORGANISMS	4
or BI 223	*PRINCIPLES OF BIOLOGY: POPULATIONS
Chemistry
CH 121	GENERAL CHEMISTRY	5
or CH 231 & CH 261	GENERAL CHEMISTRY and *LABORATORY FOR CHEMISTRY 231
CH 122	*GENERAL CHEMISTRY	5
or CH 232 & CH 262	GENERAL CHEMISTRY and *LABORATORY FOR CHEMISTRY 232
Physics
PH 211	*GENERAL PHYSICS WITH CALCULUS	4-5
or PH 201	*GENERAL PHYSICS
PH 212	*GENERAL PHYSICS WITH CALCULUS	4-5
or PH 202	*GENERAL PHYSICS
Biology, Chemistry or Physics
Select one additional BI, CH or PH course in sequence		4-5
Earth Systems Core
ATS 201	*CLIMATE SCIENCE	4
GEO 201	*PHYSICAL GEOLOGY	4
OC 201	*OCEANOGRAPHY	4
Oceanography Core
OC 202	*INTRODUCTION TO BIOLOGICAL OCEANOGRAPHY	4
OC 295	INTRODUCTION TO FIELD OCEANOGRAPHY - LAND	1
OC 296	INTRODUCTION TO FIELD OCEANOGRAPHY - SEA	2
OC 298	INTRODUCTION TO PHYSICAL OCEANOGRAPHY	4
OC 301	OCEANOGRAPHIC DATA ANALYSIS	4
OC 332	COASTAL OCEANOGRAPHY	3
OC 333	*OCEANS, COASTS, AND PEOPLE	3
OC 340	BIOLOGICAL OCEANOGRAPHY	4
OC 350	CHEMICAL OCEANOGRAPHY	4
OC 360	GEOLOGICAL OCEANOGRAPHY	4
OC 430	PRINCIPLES OF PHYSICAL OCEANOGRAPHY	4
or OC 433	COASTAL AND ESTUARINE OCEANOGRAPHY
OC 444	^POLAR OCEANOGRAPHY	3
OC 498	GRAND CHALLENGES IN OCEANOGRAPHY	3
Experiential Learning
OC 401	RESEARCH PROJECTS	3
or OC 403	THESIS
or OC 410	INTERNSHIP
Oceanography Electives
Select 18 credits from the following pre-approved upper-division courses: 1		18
Oceanography
OC 430	PRINCIPLES OF PHYSICAL OCEANOGRAPHY
OC 433	COASTAL AND ESTUARINE OCEANOGRAPHY
OC 434/FW 434	ESTUARINE ECOLOGY
OC 436	ACOUSTICAL OCEANOGRAPHY
OC 449	ECOLOGICAL THEORIES IN BIOLOGICAL AND FISHERIES OCEANOGRAPHY DATA
OC 453	CHEMISTRY OF NATURAL WATERS
OC 465	CENOZOIC PALEOCEANOGRAPHY
OC 495	ADVANCED FIELD OCEANOGRAPHY 1
OC 496	ADVANCED FIELD OCEANOGRAPHY 2
Geology
GEO 370	STRATIGRAPHY AND SEDIMENTOLOGY
GEO 433	COASTAL GEOMORPHOLOGY
GEO 463	^GEOPHYSICS AND TECTONICS
GEO 481	GLACIAL GEOLOGY
GEO 484	INTRODUCTION TO BIOGEOCHEMISTRY
GEO 486	QUATERNARY PALEOCLIMATOLOGY
Climate Science
ATS 310	METEOROLOGY
ATS 341	*SNOW, SMOKE, AND STORMS: CLIMATE CHANGE IMPACTS IN THE PNW
ATS 420	CLIMATE PHYSICS
ATS 421	CLIMATE MODELING
GEOG 323	^CLIMATOLOGY
Biology
BI 351	MARINE ECOLOGY
BI 353	PACIFIC NORTHWEST COASTAL ECOSYSTEMS
BI 370	ECOLOGY
FW 324	*FOOD FROM THE SEA
FW 464	MARINE CONSERVATION BIOLOGY
MB 314	AQUATIC MICROBIOLOGY
Mathematics
Up to two additional courses beyond MTH 252, such as MTH 254, MTH 256, MTH 341
Additional Requirements
Remaining Bacc Core and General Electives		58
Total Credits		180

*

Baccalaureate Core Course (BCC)

^

Writing Intensive Course (WIC)

1

Other courses may be selected with prior approval from the Oceanography Program Director

Degree plans are subject to change and the following is only an example of how students may complete their degree in four years. Students should consult their advisor to determine the best degree plan for them. Contact details for advisors can be found on the Academic Advising page.

Plan of Study Grid

First Year
FALL		CREDITS
CH 231 & CH 261	GENERAL CHEMISTRY and *LABORATORY FOR CHEMISTRY 231	5
MTH 251	*DIFFERENTIAL CALCULUS	4
OC 201	*OCEANOGRAPHY	4
WR 121	*ENGLISH COMPOSITION	4
	Credits	17
WINTER
CH 232 & CH 262	GENERAL CHEMISTRY and *LABORATORY FOR CHEMISTRY 232	5
MTH 252	INTEGRAL CALCULUS	4
OC 202	*INTRODUCTION TO BIOLOGICAL OCEANOGRAPHY	4
OC 295	INTRODUCTION TO FIELD OCEANOGRAPHY - LAND	1
	Credits	14
SPRING
COMM 111 or COMM 114	*PUBLIC SPEAKING or *ARGUMENT AND CRITICAL DISCOURSE	3
HHS 231	*LIFETIME FITNESS FOR HEALTH	2
OC 296	INTRODUCTION TO FIELD OCEANOGRAPHY - SEA	2
OC 298	INTRODUCTION TO PHYSICAL OCEANOGRAPHY	4
Bacc Core: Difference, Power & Discrimination		4
	Credits	15
Second Year
FALL
ATS 201	*CLIMATE SCIENCE	4
BI 221	*PRINCIPLES OF BIOLOGY: CELLS	4
OC 333	*OCEANS, COASTS, AND PEOPLE	3
Bacc Core: PAC		1
Bacc Core: Cultural Diversity		3
	Credits	15
WINTER
BI 222 or BI 223	*PRINCIPLES OF BIOLOGY: ORGANISMS or *PRINCIPLES OF BIOLOGY: POPULATIONS	4
OC 332	COASTAL OCEANOGRAPHY	3
ST 351	INTRODUCTION TO STATISTICAL METHODS	4
Bacc Core: Writing II		3
	Credits	14
SPRING
OC 301	OCEANOGRAPHIC DATA ANALYSIS	4
OC 401 or OC 403 or OC 410	RESEARCH PROJECTS or THESIS or INTERNSHIP	3
Additional BI, PH, or CH Course		4
General Elective		4
	Credits	15
Third Year
FALL
GEO 201	*PHYSICAL GEOLOGY	4
PH 201 or PH 211	*GENERAL PHYSICS or *GENERAL PHYSICS WITH CALCULUS	4-5
Quantitative Skills		3
Bacc Core: Social Processes & Institutions		4
	Credits	15
WINTER
OC 350	CHEMICAL OCEANOGRAPHY	4
PH 202 or PH 212	*GENERAL PHYSICS or *GENERAL PHYSICS WITH CALCULUS	4-5
Oceanography Elective		3
Bacc Core: Western Culture		4
	Credits	15
SPRING
OC 340	BIOLOGICAL OCEANOGRAPHY	4
OC 360	GEOLOGICAL OCEANOGRAPHY	4
Oceanography Elective		4
Bacc Core: Literature & the Arts		3
	Credits	15
Fourth Year
FALL
OC 430 or OC 433	PRINCIPLES OF PHYSICAL OCEANOGRAPHY or COASTAL AND ESTUARINE OCEANOGRAPHY	4
Oceanography Elective		4
General Elective		4
General Elective		3
	Credits	15
WINTER
OC 444	^POLAR OCEANOGRAPHY	3
Oceanography Elective		4
Bacc Core: Science, Technology & Society		4
General Elective		4
	Credits	15
SPRING
OC 498	GRAND CHALLENGES IN OCEANOGRAPHY	3
Oceanography Elective		3
General Elective		3
General Elective		3
General Elective		3
	Credits	15
	Total Credits	180