Oceanography Undergraduate Major (BS, HBS)
This program is available at the following location:
- Corvallis
The Oceanography major focuses on an interdisciplinary understanding of oceans from the large-scale physical structure and geological history of ocean basins to the inter-related biological, chemical, geological, and physical processes that shape contemporary ocean dynamics and their evolution in the face of human-related stressors. The curriculum includes instruction in ecology, chemistry, physics, and geology. Students discover diverse marine environments including estuaries, upwelling regions, coastal zones, and open oceans, and gain hands-on experience through research cruises in the Northeast Pacific Ocean and estuaries. Students have opportunities for independent research and internships with our world-class oceanographic research faculty. Emphasized are transferrable and in demand skills, such as data analysis and visualization, teamwork, and science communication. Electives allow students to pursue coursework that prepares them for specific STEM careers. Graduates are prepared for careers with federal, state, and local governments, private industry, consulting firms, and not-for-profit organizations, and many graduates pursue advanced degrees.
Major Code: 025
Upon successful completion of the program, students will meet the following learning outcomes:
- 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.
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Supporting Math, Science & Writing | ||
| Math | ||
| MTH 251Z | +*DIFFERENTIAL CALCULUS | 4 |
| MTH 252Z | INTEGRAL CALCULUS | 4 |
| Statistics | ||
| ST 351 | INTRODUCTION TO STATISTICAL METHODS | 4 |
| ATS 302 | MATHEMATICAL APPLICATIONS IN THE EARTH SCIENCES | 4 |
| or GEOG 360 | GISCIENCE I: GEOGRAPHIC INFORMATION SYSTEMS AND THEORY | |
| or ST 352 | INTRODUCTION TO STATISTICAL METHODS | |
| Biology | ||
| BI 221Z | +*PRINCIPLES OF BIOLOGY: CELLS | 5 |
| BI 222Z | *PRINCIPLES OF BIOLOGY: ORGANISMS | 5 |
| or BI 223Z | *PRINCIPLES OF BIOLOGY: ECOLOGY AND EVOLUTION | |
| Chemistry | ||
| CH 121 | +GENERAL CHEMISTRY | 5 |
| or CH 221Z & CH 227Z | GENERAL CHEMISTRY I and +*GENERAL CHEMISTRY I LABORATORY | |
| CH 122 | *GENERAL CHEMISTRY | 5 |
| or CH 222Z & CH 228Z | GENERAL CHEMISTRY II and *GENERAL CHEMISTRY II LABORATORY | |
| 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 | |
| Writing Elevation | ||
| WR 227Z | +*TECHNICAL WRITING | 3-4 |
| or WR 362 | +*SCIENCE WRITING | |
| or WR 375 | +WRITING IN THE NATURAL SCIENCES | |
| 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 203 | +OCEANS, COASTS, AND PEOPLE | 3 |
| 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 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 |
| or OC 445 | ^DEEP SEA OCEANOGRAPHY | |
| OC 498 | GRAND CHALLENGES IN OCEANOGRAPHY | 3 |
| GEOG 333/ENSC 333 | +*ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE | 3 |
| or BI 346 | +OCEAN JUSTICE | |
| Experiential Learning | ||
| OEAS 497 | +RESEARCH IN EARTH AND ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES | 3 |
| or OEAS 498 | +INTERNSHIP IN EARTH AND ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES | |
| Oceanography Electives | ||
| Select 18 credits from the following pre-approved upper-division courses: 1 | 18 | |
| Oceanography | ||
| PRINCIPLES OF PHYSICAL OCEANOGRAPHY (if not used above) | ||
| COASTAL AND ESTUARINE OCEANOGRAPHY (if not used above) | ||
| ESTUARINE ECOLOGY | ||
| ACOUSTICAL OCEANOGRAPHY | ||
| ^POLAR OCEANOGRAPHY (if not used above) | ||
| ^DEEP SEA OCEANOGRAPHY (if not used above) | ||
| ECOLOGICAL THEORIES IN BIOLOGICAL AND FISHERIES OCEANOGRAPHY DATA | ||
| CHEMISTRY OF NATURAL WATERS | ||
| CENOZOIC PALEOCEANOGRAPHY | ||
| EARLY LIFE HISTORY OF FISHES | ||
| Geology | ||
| *ASTROBIOLOGY: LIFE BEYOND EARTH | ||
| STRATIGRAPHY AND SEDIMENTOLOGY | ||
| COASTAL GEOMORPHOLOGY | ||
| ^GEOPHYSICS AND TECTONICS | ||
| GLACIAL GEOLOGY | ||
| INTRODUCTION TO BIOGEOCHEMISTRY | ||
| QUATERNARY PALEOCLIMATOLOGY | ||
| Climate Science | ||
| METEOROLOGY | ||
| +*SNOW, SMOKE, AND STORMS: CLIMATE CHANGE IMPACTS IN THE PACIFIC NORTHWEST | ||
| CLIMATE PHYSICS | ||
| CLIMATE MODELING | ||
| ^CLIMATOLOGY | ||
| Biology | ||
| MARINE ECOLOGY | ||
| PACIFIC NORTHWEST COASTAL ECOSYSTEMS | ||
| ECOLOGY | ||
| +*FOOD FROM THE SEA | ||
| MARINE CONSERVATION BIOLOGY | ||
| AQUATIC MICROBIOLOGY | ||
| Mathematics | ||
| Remaining Core Ed and Electives | 48-50 | |
| Total Credits | 180 | |
- *
Baccalaureate Core course. Applies to general education requirements for undergraduate students in a catalog year up to 2024-2025
- +
Core Education course. Applies to general education requirements for undergraduate students in catalog year 2025-2026 and beyond
- ^
Writing Intensive Curriculum (WIC) course
- 1
Other courses may be selected with prior approval from the Oceanography Program Director
Major Code: 025
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.
| First Year | ||
|---|---|---|
| Fall | Credits | |
| CH 121 | +GENERAL CHEMISTRY or GENERAL CHEMISTRY I and +*GENERAL CHEMISTRY I LABORATORY | 5 |
| MTH 251Z | +*DIFFERENTIAL CALCULUS | 4 |
| OC 201 | +*OCEANOGRAPHY | 4 |
| Core Ed: Transitions | 2 | |
| Credits | 15 | |
| Winter | ||
| CH 122 | *GENERAL CHEMISTRY or GENERAL CHEMISTRY II and *GENERAL CHEMISTRY II LABORATORY | 5 |
| MTH 252Z | INTEGRAL CALCULUS | 4 |
| OC 202 | +*INTRODUCTION TO BIOLOGICAL OCEANOGRAPHY | 4 |
| Elective | 2 | |
| Credits | 15 | |
| Spring | ||
| ST 351 | INTRODUCTION TO STATISTICAL METHODS | 4 |
| WR 121Z | +*COMPOSITION I | 4 |
| Core Ed: Arts & Humanities General | 3-4 | |
| Elective | 3 | |
| Credits | 14 | |
| Second Year | ||
| Fall | ||
| BI 221Z | +*PRINCIPLES OF BIOLOGY: CELLS | 5 |
| ATS 201 | +*CLIMATE SCIENCE | 4 |
| OC 203 | +OCEANS, COASTS, AND PEOPLE | 3 |
| OC 301 | OCEANOGRAPHIC DATA ANALYSIS | 4 |
| Credits | 16 | |
| Winter | ||
| BI 222Z or BI 223Z | *PRINCIPLES OF BIOLOGY: ORGANISMS or *PRINCIPLES OF BIOLOGY: ECOLOGY AND EVOLUTION | 5 |
| ATS 302 | MATHEMATICAL APPLICATIONS IN THE EARTH SCIENCES or GISCIENCE I: GEOGRAPHIC INFORMATION SYSTEMS AND THEORY or INTRODUCTION TO STATISTICAL METHODS | 4 |
| OC 332 | COASTAL OCEANOGRAPHY | 3 |
| Core Ed: Communications, Media & Society | 3-4 | |
| Credits | 15 | |
| Spring | ||
| OC 298 | INTRODUCTION TO PHYSICAL OCEANOGRAPHY | 4 |
| WR 227Z | +*TECHNICAL WRITING or +*SCIENCE WRITING or +WRITING IN THE NATURAL SCIENCES | 3-4 |
| Core Ed: Arts & Humanities Global | 3-4 | |
| Core Ed: Difference, Power & Oppression Foundations | 3-4 | |
| Elective | 3 | |
| Credits | 16 | |
| Third Year | ||
| Fall | ||
| GEO 201 | +*PHYSICAL GEOLOGY | 4 |
| OC 350 | CHEMICAL OCEANOGRAPHY | 4 |
| PH 201 or PH 211 | +*GENERAL PHYSICS or +*GENERAL PHYSICS WITH CALCULUS | 4-5 |
| Elective | 3 | |
| Credits | 15 | |
| Winter | ||
| OC 295 | INTRODUCTION TO FIELD OCEANOGRAPHY - LAND | 1 |
| OC 360 | GEOLOGICAL OCEANOGRAPHY | 4 |
| PH 202 or PH 212 | *GENERAL PHYSICS or *GENERAL PHYSICS WITH CALCULUS | 4-5 |
| Oceanography Elective | 4 | |
| Elective | 3 | |
| Credits | 16 | |
| Spring | ||
| OC 296 | INTRODUCTION TO FIELD OCEANOGRAPHY - SEA | 2 |
| OC 340 | BIOLOGICAL OCEANOGRAPHY | 4 |
| Additional BI, PH or CH Course | 4-5 | |
| Core Ed: Seeking Solutions | 3-4 | |
| Credits | 15 | |
| Fourth Year | ||
| Fall | ||
| OC 430 or OC 433 | PRINCIPLES OF PHYSICAL OCEANOGRAPHY or COASTAL AND ESTUARINE OCEANOGRAPHY | 4 |
| OEAS 497 or OEAS 498 | +RESEARCH IN EARTH AND ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES or +INTERNSHIP IN EARTH AND ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES | 3 |
| Oceanography Elective | 4 | |
| Elective | 4 | |
| Credits | 15 | |
| Winter | ||
| GEOG 333/ENSC 333 or BI 346 | +*ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE or +OCEAN JUSTICE | 3 |
| OC 444 or OC 445 | ^POLAR OCEANOGRAPHY or ^DEEP SEA OCEANOGRAPHY | 3 |
| Oceanography Elective | 4 | |
| Elective | 4 | |
| Credits | 14 | |
| Spring | ||
| OC 498 | GRAND CHALLENGES IN OCEANOGRAPHY | 3 |
| Oceanography Elective | 3 | |
| Oceanography Elective | 4 | |
| Elective | 4 | |
| Credits | 14 | |
| Total Credits | 180 | |
- *
Baccalaureate Core course. Applies to general education requirements for undergraduate students in a catalog year up to 2024-2025
- +
Core Education course. Applies to general education requirements for undergraduate students in catalog year 2025-2026 and beyond
- ^
Writing Intensive Curriculum (WIC) course