2009-2010 FSU Undergraduate Bulletin
Department of Oceanography
College of Arts and Sciences
Chair: William K. Dewar; Professors: Burnett, Chanton, Chassignet, Clarke, Dewar, Froelich, Huettel, Kostka, Landing, Marcus, Nof, Speer, Thistle; Associate Professor: St. Laurent; Assistant Professors: Arbic, Baco-Taylor, Wetz; Professors Emeriti: Hsueh, Iverson, Krishnamurti, Stern, Sturges, Weatherly, Winchester
The Department of Oceanography offers no undergraduate major; however, undergraduate programs in the Departments of Chemistry and Biochemistry and Physics provide interdisciplinary options in oceanography. Undergraduates interested in pursuing a graduate degree in oceanography at 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, one year of college chemistry, and one year of calculus.
Specialty Undergraduate Preparation. Biological: one year of organic chemistry, Bachelor of Science or Bachelor of Arts in biology. Chemical: BS or BA in chemistry or differential equations. Geological: 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, or partial differential equations.
Graduate Study
The Department of Oceanography offers courses leading to the certificate in oceanography, the non-thesis master's in aquatic environmental science, the research-based master of science in oceanography, and the Doctor of Philosophy in oceanography. Consult the Graduate Bulletin or http://www.ocean.fsu.edu for details.
Definition of Prefixes
ESC—Earth Science
ISC—Interdisciplinary Sciences
MAP—Mathematics Applied
OCB—Biological Oceanography
OCC—Chemical Oceanography
OCE—General Oceanography
OCG—Geological Oceanography
OCP—Physical Oceanography
PEN—Physical Education Activities (General): Water, Snow, Ice
Undergraduate Courses
Elementary
ESC 2200C. Earth Science for EC/EE Teachers (4).
ISC 2003. Global Change, Its Scientific and Human Dimensions (3). Prerequisites: Two years high school science and two years high school math. Global environmental change, scientific and human dimensions, and international public policy implications.
OCB 2302. Biology of Marine Animals (3). Prerequisite: BSC 1005. This course explores marine mammals such as cetaceans, pinnipeds, sirenians, and sea otters from the point of view of their biology and ecology. More specifically, the course offers an overview of the evolution, taxonomy, anatomy, and physiology of marine mammals, as well as an in-depth examination of their acoustics, ecology, and behavior. Course lecture is accompanied by discussions of the current specific literature.
OCE 1001. Elementary Oceanography (3). Prerequisite: MGF 1106 or MGF 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 4008.
Science Preparatory
OCE 4008. Principles of Oceanography (3). Prerequisite: A science major or minor status and junior or senior standing. Dynamic motions and life processes in the marine environment. Long-term geologic history of the oceans and recent changes caused by man.
Advanced
OCB 4637. Marine Benthic Ecology (3). Prerequisite and Corequisite: ZOO 4203C or instructor permission. 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 are presented through lectures, substantial reading, and class discussions.
OCC 4002. Basic Chemical Oceanography (3). Prerequisite: CHM 1046. Chemical composition of seawater, carbon dioxide system, nutrients, trace elements, and biogeochemistry.
OCE 4017. Current Issues in Environmental Science (3). Taught at an introductory level, this class includes discussions of current ground-breaking research, environmental problems, and approaches to solving them. This course consists of presentations by experts on their current research topics or environmental issues.
OCG 4050. Geological Oceanography (3). Structural and oceanographic setting of continents and ocean basins, plate tectonics, ocean margins, marine sediments, and ocean history.
OCP 4005. Introduction to Physical Oceanography (3). Prerequisite: MAC 2313. This course examines waves, currents, tides, El Niño, and climate change prediction.
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: Instructor permission. May be repeated, subject to limitations that may apply from the individual student's major departments, to a maximum of eighteen (18) semester hours.
OCE 4930r. Studies in Oceanography (1–4). Prerequisite: Instructor permission. Topics vary. May be repeated to a maximum of nine (9) semester hours when content changes.
PEN 1136. Theory and Practice of Compressed-Gas Diving (1). 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 5015. Marine Nekton: Larval Fish to Whales (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 (3).
OCC 5415. Marine Geochemistry (3).
OCC 5417. Geochemical Ocean Tracers (3).
OCC 5554. Atmospheric Chemistry (3).
OCG 5457. Stable Isotopes as Tracers in Aquatic Ecosystems (3).
OCG 5664. Paleoceanography (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 5256. Fluid Dynamics: Geophysical Applications (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 (3).
Specialized Instruction and Seminar
OCB 5930r. Special Topics in Biological Oceanography (1–3).
OCB 5939r. Biological Oceanography Seminar (1). (S/U grade only.)
OCC 5419C. Advanced Biogeochemistry: Field Methods and Concepts (3).
OCC 5930r. Special Topics in Chemical Oceanography (1–3).
OCC 5939r. Chemical Oceanography Seminar (1). (S/U grade only.)
OCE 50009L. Coastal Oceanography and Marine Field Methods (4).
OCE 5908r. Directed Individual Study (1–12). (S/U grade only.)
OCE 5910r. Supervised Research (1–5). (S/U grade only.)
OCE 5940r. Supervised Teaching (1–5). (S/U grade only.)
OCP 5930r. Special Topics in Physical Oceanography (1–3).
OCP 5939r. Physical Oceanography Seminar (1). (S/U grade only.)
General
OCE 5009. Advanced General Oceanography (3).
OCE 5018. Current Issues in Environmental Science (3).
OCE 5554. Habitable Planet (3).
OCG 5106. The Earth System (3).
For listings relating to graduate course work for thesis, dissertation, and master's and doctoral examinations and defense, consult the Graduate Bulletin.