Oceanography Minor
This program is available at the following location:
- Corvallis
Oceanographers study the marine environment and how it interacts with and influences our planet Earth including humankind. Oceanography is interdisciplinary, covering topics that range from ocean and atmospheric physics to ocean chemistry, biology, and ecology. The Oceanography Minor allows students to explore interdisciplinary ocean sciences, enhancing their chosen major with synergistic learning in physical, chemical, and biological oceanography.
Minor Code: 660
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.
Student must complete a minimum of 14 unique credits in the minor that do not fulfill requirements of majors, minors, options or certificates.
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Required Core | ||
| OC 201 | *OCEANOGRAPHY | 4 |
| OC 202 | +*INTRODUCTION TO BIOLOGICAL OCEANOGRAPHY | 4 |
| OC 333 | *OCEANS, COASTS, AND PEOPLE | 3 |
| Select one course from the following: | 4 | |
| INTRODUCTION TO PHYSICAL OCEANOGRAPHY | ||
| BIOLOGICAL OCEANOGRAPHY | ||
| CHEMICAL OCEANOGRAPHY | ||
| GEOLOGICAL OCEANOGRAPHY | ||
| PRINCIPLES OF PHYSICAL OCEANOGRAPHY | ||
| Electives | ||
| Select 12 credits from one or more of the following focus areas: | 12 | |
| Ocean-Atmosphere Circulation and Climate | ||
| CLIMATE PHYSICS | ||
| CLIMATE MODELING | ||
| ^CLIMATOLOGY | ||
| INTRODUCTION TO PHYSICAL OCEANOGRAPHY | ||
| COASTAL OCEANOGRAPHY | ||
| PRINCIPLES OF PHYSICAL OCEANOGRAPHY (if not used above) | ||
| COASTAL AND ESTUARINE OCEANOGRAPHY | ||
| Ocean and Estuarine Ecology | ||
| MARINE ECOLOGY | ||
| AQUATIC BIOLOGICAL INVASIONS | ||
| COASTAL ECOLOGY AND RESOURCE MANAGEMENT (taught at Hatfield Marine Science Center) | ||
| MARINE CONSERVATION BIOLOGY | ||
| AQUATIC MICROBIOLOGY | ||
| AQUATIC MICROBIOLOGY LABORATORY | ||
| MICROBE-ENVIRONMENT INTERACTIONS | ||
| OCEANOGRAPHIC DATA ANALYSIS | ||
| BIOLOGICAL OCEANOGRAPHY | ||
| CHEMICAL OCEANOGRAPHY | ||
| ESTUARINE ECOLOGY | ||
| ACOUSTICAL OCEANOGRAPHY | ||
| ^POLAR OCEANOGRAPHY | ||
| ECOLOGICAL THEORIES IN BIOLOGICAL AND FISHERIES OCEANOGRAPHY DATA | ||
| CHEMISTRY OF NATURAL WATERS | ||
| Marine and Coastal Geology | ||
| STRATIGRAPHY AND SEDIMENTOLOGY | ||
| COASTAL GEOMORPHOLOGY | ||
| INTRODUCTION TO BIOGEOCHEMISTRY | ||
| QUATERNARY PALEOCLIMATOLOGY | ||
| GEOLOGICAL OCEANOGRAPHY | ||
| CENOZOIC PALEOCEANOGRAPHY | ||
| Engineering | ||
| OCEAN ENGINEERING | ||
| COASTAL INFRASTRUCTURE | ||
| Total Credits | 27 | |
- *
Baccalaureate Core Course (BCC)
- ^
Writing Intensive Course (WIC)
- +
Core Education course. Applies only to students admitted to an OSU undergraduate degree from Summer 2025 onwards
Minor Code: 660