Program Overview

Ocean, Earth, and Atmospheric Sciences Graduate Program

The Ocean, Earth, and Atmospheric Sciences graduate degree program is built on internationally recognized faculty research programs within the College of Earth, Ocean, and Atmospheric Sciences (CEOAS), with Oregon State University currently ranked #3 in the world for Oceanography. The program pairs graduate students with faculty advisors in the student's selected concentration area and encourages rapid engagement in research at the forefront of the respective field.

Program Overview

The course curriculum for each concentration is designed primarily to provide the fundamental, specialized knowledge that enables scientific research in the corresponding field but also to give the student a broad perspective on the ocean, atmosphere, and climate systems and their interconnections. The close coordination of the five independent concentrations within the program offers unique opportunities for interdisciplinary research and education and provides a wide range of scientific and educational perspectives that enrich the graduate experience. Typically, the program has over 50 active students, pursuing both M.S. and Ph.D. degrees.

Concentrations

The program offers concentrations in the following areas:

• Atmospheric Sciences
• Geological Oceanography
• Geophysics
• Ocean Ecology & Biogeochemistry
• Physical Oceanography

Atmospheric Sciences

The Atmospheric Sciences concentration offers Master's and Ph.D. degrees. The program seeks students with an undergraduate degree in physics, mathematics, engineering, chemistry, atmospheric science, or related fields with strength in mathematics. Applicants should have completed one year of physics with calculus, one year of chemistry, and courses in vector calculus and differential equations. Experience with programming and probability/statistics are also desirable. Most students accepted for study receive either Graduate Research Assistantships (GRA) or Graduate Teaching Assistantships (GTA) covering tuition and living expenses.

Geological Oceanography

In geological oceanography (marine geology), a broad range of geological processes that influence the ocean is studied. Fields of interest include plate tectonics and the structure of the ocean basins, igneous petrology and geochemistry, paleoceanography and paleoclimatology, and coastal sedimentary processes.

Geophysics

The Geophysics concentration offers opportunities for graduate research in marine or continental regimes, including experimental, applied, or theoretical geophysics.

Ocean Ecology & Biogeochemistry

The Ocean Ecology and Biogeochemistry concentration offers both Master's and Ph.D. degrees. The course curriculum is closely integrated with the wide range of Earth science research conducted by OSU faculty. During the first year, students complete breadth courses in solid Earth, fluid Earth, and biogeochemical Earth, followed by two complementary upper-level courses: ocean ecological dynamics and ocean biogeochemical dynamics.

Physical Oceanography

The Physical Oceanography concentration offers both Master's and Ph.D. degrees. During the first year, students take a course on descriptive physical oceanography and a comprehensive 3-quarter course sequence on geophysical fluid dynamics. First-year students may also take interdisciplinary courses in other oceanographic disciplines, as well as courses offered in the Mathematics Department.

Graduate Learning Outcomes

The program aims to provide students with a broad perspective on the ocean, atmosphere, and climate systems and their interconnections, as well as specialized knowledge in their chosen concentration area.

Faculty and Research

The Ocean, Earth, and Atmospheric Sciences faculty study every marine environment on Earth, from the nearshore to the deepest trenches. The program director is Jennifer Fehrenbacher.

Careers

Graduates of the program go on to shine in careers ranging from academia to government agencies to teaching and beyond. The college is dedicated to helping students find a fulfilling job and set them on a successful career path, with most graduates employed by six months post-degree.