Florida State University
General Bulletin 1998-1999
Department of
Oceanography
- Chair: David Thistle;
- Professors: Burnett, Chanton, Clarke, Dewar, Hsueh,
Iverson, Krishnamurti, Landing, Marcus, Nof,
O’Brien, Stern, Sturges, Thistle, Weatherly,
Winchester;
- Assistant Professors: Proctor, Yager;
- Program Director, Edward Ball Marine Laboratory: Marcus
The Department of Oceanography offers no undergraduate major;
however, undergraduate programs in the departments of Chemistry
and Physics provide interdisciplinary options in oceanography.
Undergraduates interested in pursuing a graduate degree in
oceanography at The Florida State University may use the
information below for proper preparation in each of the four
areas of specialization in oceanography.
General Undergraduate Preparation. Students should complete
one year of college physics (preferably with calculus), one year
of college chemistry, and one year of calculus.
Specialty Undergraduate Preparation. Biological: one year of
organic chemistry, bachelor of science (BS) or bachelor of arts
(BA) in biology. Chemical: BS or BA in chemistry, differential
equations. Geochemical: BS or BA in geology. Physical: BS or BA
in physics, chemistry, geology, geophysics, meteorology, or
mathematics, or a BS in engineering; intermediate or advanced
mechanics; differential equations; advanced calculus, including
vector calculus; partial differential equations.
Definition of Prefixes
| ISC |
Interdisciplinary Natural
Science |
| MAP |
Mathematics: Applied |
| OCB |
Oceanography: Biological |
| OCC |
Oceanography: Chemical |
| OCE |
Oceanography |
| OCG |
Oceanography: Geological |
| OCP |
Oceanography: Physical |
| PSC |
Physical Science |
Undergraduate Courses
Elementary
| ISC 2003. |
Global Change, Its
Scientific and Human Dimensions (3). Prerequisites: Two
years high school science, two years high school math.
Global environmental change, scientific and human
dimensions, and international public policy implications. |
| OCE 1001. |
Elementary Oceanography (3).
Prerequisite: MGF 1106 or 1107. Structure and motion of
the ocean and its environs, properties, populations, and
energy budget. Not intended for upper-division science or
mathematics majors. Upper-division science or mathematics
majors are encouraged instead to take OCE 4011. |
| PSC 2800C. |
Earth Science for EC/EE
Teachers (4). For a complete description, see
interdisciplinary science courses listed in the College
of Arts and Sciences section of this General Bulletin. |
Science Preparatory
| ISC 4931r. |
Special Topics in
Environmental Science (13). Analyzes new scientific
developments in the Earths changing environment system
and its links to human activities and policies. An
emphasis on ocean, atmosphere, and terrestrial
environments, and the human dimensions of their change
will strengthen students interdisciplinary understanding
of environmental science. Specific topics will vary from
year to year. May be repeated to a maxinum of nine (9)
semester hours. |
| OCE 4011. |
Principles of Oceanography
(3). Prerequisite: Some background in college chemistry
and physics. Dynamic motions and life processes in the
marine environment. Long-term geologic history of the
oceans and recent changes caused by man. An overview of
oceanography for upper-division students majoring in
science, mathematics, or science teaching. |
Advanced
| OCB 4637. |
Marine Benthic Ecology (3).
Prerequisite: ZOO 4203C or as a corequisite with
permission of instructor. The physical setting and
ecological organization of the communities found in the
rocky intertidal, in the fouling habitat, on sandy
beaches, in subtidal soft bottoms, and in the deep sea is
presented through lectures, substantial reading, and
class discussions. |
| OCC 4002. |
Basic Chemical Oceanography
(3). Prerequisites: CHM 1046. Chemical composition of
seawater, carbon dioxide system, nutrients, trace
elements, biogeochemistry. |
| OCG 4050. |
Geological Oceanography (3).
Structural and oceanographic setting of continents and
ocean basins, plate techtonics, ocean margins, marine
sediments, and ocean history. |
| OCP 4005. |
Basic Physical Oceanography
(3). Prerequisite: MAC 2311. Seawater properties,
currents, waves, tides, and acoustics. |
Specialized Instruction
| OCE 4905r. |
Directed Individual Study
(1-3). (S/U grade only.) May be repeated to a maximum of
ten (10) semester hours. |
| OCE 4906r. |
Directed Individual Study
(1-4). Prerequisite: Consent of instructor. May be
repeated, subject to limitations which may apply from the
individual students major departments, to a maximum of
eighteen (18) semester hours. |
| OCE 4930r. |
Studies in Oceanography
(1-4). Prerequisite: See instructor. Topics vary. May be
repeated when content changes. |
| PEN 1136C. |
Theory and Practice of
Compressed-Gas Diving (3). An introduction to the field
of compressed-gas diving that exposes the students to the
use of underwater technology and techniques in support of
science. |
Graduate Courses
Note: some graduate courses the department offers are open to
advanced undergraduates with consent of the instructor. For more
information, refer to the Department of Oceanography entry in the
Graduate Bulletin.
Core Curriculum
| OCB 5050. |
Basic Biological
Oceanography (3). |
| OCC 5050. |
Basic Chemical Oceanography
(3). |
| OCG 5051. |
Basic Geological
Oceanography (3). |
| OCP 5050. |
Basic Physical Oceanography
(3). |
Biological Oceanography
| OCB 5515. |
Marine Microbiology (3). |
| OCB 5556. |
Zooplankton Ecology (3). |
| OCB 5565. |
Marine Primary Production
(3). |
| OCB 5600. |
Biological Fluid Dynamics
(3). (S/U grade only.) |
| OCB 5636. |
Marine Microbial Ecology
(3). |
| OCB 5639. |
Marine Benthic Ecology (3). |
Chemical and Geological Oceanography
| OCC 5052. |
Aquatic Chemistry (3). |
| OCC 5062. |
Marine Isotopic Chemistry
(2). |
| OCC 5065. |
Environmental Chemistry (3). |
| OCC 5415. |
Marine Geochemistry (3). |
| OCC 5416. |
Organic Geochemistry (3). |
| OCC 5417. |
Geochemical Ocean Tracers
(3). |
| OCC 5554. |
Atmospheric Chemistry (3). |
| OCG 5290. |
Stable Isotopes as Tracers
in Aquatic Ecosystems (3). |
Physical Oceanography
| MAP 5431. |
Introduction to Fluid
Dynamics (3). |
| MAP 6434r. |
Advanced Topics in
Hydrodynamics (2). |
| OCP 5056. |
Introduction to Physical
Oceanography (3). |
| OCP 5160. |
Ocean Waves (3). |
| OCP 5253 |
Fluid Dynamics: Geophysical
Applications (3). |
| OCP 5255. |
Stability of Geophysical
Fluid Flows (3). |
| OCP 5259. |
Dynamics of Isolated Eddies
(3). |
| OCP 5262. |
Coastal Ocean Dynamics (3). |
| OCP 5263. |
Equatorial Dynamics (3). |
| OCP 5265. |
Main Ocean Thermocline (3). |
| OCP 5271. |
Turbulence (3). |
| OCP 5285. |
Dynamic Oceanography (3). |
| OCP 5551. |
Physics of the Air-Sea
Boundary Layer (2). |
Specialized Instruction and Seminar
| OCB 5930r. |
Special Topics in Biological
Oceanography (13). |
| OCC 5930r. |
Special Topics in Chemical
Oceanography (13). |
| OCP 5930r. |
Special Topics in Physical
Oceanography (13). |
| OCE 5009. |
Advanced General
Oceanography (3). |
| OCE 5908r. |
Directed Individual Study
(112). (S/U grade only.) |
| OCE 5910r. |
Supervised Research (15).
(S/U grade only.) |
| OCE 5940r. |
Supervised Teaching (15).
(S/U grade only.) |
| OCB 5939r. |
Biological Oceanography
Seminar (1). (S/U grade only.) |
| OCC 5939r. |
Chemical Oceanography
Seminar (1). (S/U grade only.) |
| OCP 5939r. |
Physical Oceanography
Seminar (1). (S/U grade only.) |
For listings relating to graduate course work for thesis,
dissertation, and masters and doctoral examinations and defense,
consult the Graduate Bulletin.