Overview
The BSMAS in Oceanography is designed to give students a broad foundation in both the basic sciences (mathematics, physics, chemistry and biology) and the Ocean Sciences (physical, chemical and biological oceanography, and elements of Earth and atmospheric sciences), together with specialized knowledge in one or more of these subdisciplines. Students are encouraged, but not required, to complete a minor in chemistry, physics, biology, geological sciences, meteorology, mathematics, computer science or engineering.
Undergraduate students are encouraged to work with the faculty and are able to earn course credit by conducting independent research under the supervision of leading scientists in their field. Research is conducted in all branches of physical , chemical and biological oceanography.
The BSMAS degree program is designed to prepare students for graduate studies in Ocean Sciences, for professional school, or for a technical career in government or private industry.
Curriculum Requirements
| Code | Title | Credit Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Oceanography Core Requirements | ||
| ATM 103 | Survey of Modern Meteorology | 3 |
| MSC 111 | Introduction to Marine Science | 3 |
| MSC 112 | Introduction to Marine Science Lab | 1 |
| MSC 203 | Foundations of Computational Marine Science | 4 |
| MSC 215 | Chemical Oceanography | 3 |
| MSC 216 | Chemical Oceanography Laboratory | 1 |
| MSC 218 | Biological Oceanography | 3 |
| or MBE 230 | Introduction to Marine Biology | |
| MSC 301 | Introduction to Physical Oceanography | 3 |
| or MSC 351 | Climate, Oceanography, and Biogeography of the Galapagos | |
| MSC 302 | Introduction to Physical Oceanography Lab | 1 |
| Oceanography Core Elective Requirements | ||
| Select 12 credit hours from the following courses, or 500-level OCE courses may be selected. 1 | 12 | |
| Earth's Ancient Atmospheres, Climates, and Sea Levels | ||
| Hydrogeology | ||
| Biological Oceanography (If both MSC 218 and MBE 230 are taken, one of these courses may be counted toward the required 12 credits of Oceanography electives.) | ||
| Climate and Global Change | ||
| Introduction to Marine Biology (If both MSC 218 and MBE 230 are taken, one of these courses may be counted toward the required 12 credits of Oceanography electives.) | ||
| Earth's Biogeochemistry | ||
| Scientific Computing in Marine and Atmospheric Sciences | ||
| Biology of Fishes | ||
| Biological Oceanographic Techniques | ||
| Marine Genomics | ||
| Ocean Human Health | ||
| Coastal Oceanography | ||
| Climate Science and Policy | ||
| Sea Level Rise | ||
| Climate, Oceanography, and Biogeography of the Galapagos | ||
| Biophysical Dynamics in the Ocean: Biogeography and Evolution of the Galapagos | ||
| Life in Moving Fluids | ||
| Tropical Coastal Ecosystems | ||
| Ocean Dynamics | ||
| Ocean Acidification | ||
| Marine Environmental Toxicology | ||
| Observing the Ocean | ||
| Marine Conservation Science | ||
| Research in Marine Biology and Ecology (maximum of 3 credits combined from MSC and MBE) | ||
| Research in Marine Science (maximum of 3 credits combined from MSC and MBE) | ||
| Undergraduate Thesis in Marine Science | ||
| Coral Reef Science and Management | ||
| Marine Biota and Biogeochemical Cycles | ||
| Microbial Geochemistry of the Ocean | ||
| Political Ecology of the Galapagos | ||
| Marine Ecology of the Galapagos | ||
| Marine Conservation Biology and Fisheries of the Galapagos | ||
| Origin and Geology of the Galapagos Islands. | ||
| Research in Microbial Genomics | ||
| Vertebrate Zoology of the Galapagos | ||
| Comparative Ecology of Terrestrial and Marine Systems | ||
| Spatial Applications in Marine Science | ||
| Conservation Genomics | ||
| Introductory Geochemistry | ||
| Supplemental Science Courses | ||
| Select 9 credit hours of science courses from the following: | 9 | |
| Evolution and Biodiversity | ||
| Genetics | ||
| Cellular and Molecular Biology | ||
| Introduction to Structure and Dynamics | ||
| Physical Chemistry I (Lecture) | ||
| Introduction to Marine Geology | ||
| Introduction to Linear Algebra | ||
| Calculus III | ||
| Introduction to Ordinary Differential Equations | ||
| Terrestrial Biology and Adaptations of the Galapagos. | ||
| Biology Requirements | ||
| BIL 150 & BIL 151 | General Biology and General Biology Laboratory | 5 |
| Chemistry Requirements | ||
| CHM 121 | Principles of Chemistry (minimum grade of C- required) | 4 |
| CHM 113 | Chemistry Laboratory I | 1 |
| Geological Sciences Requirement | ||
| Select one of the following: | 3-4 | |
| The Earth System | ||
| Earth System History | ||
| Origin and Geology of the Galapagos Islands. 2 | ||
| Mathematics Requirements | ||
| MTH 161 | Calculus I (minimum grade of C- required) | 4 |
| or MTH 171 | Calculus I | |
| MTH 162 | Calculus II (fulfills the Rosenstiel BS quantitative skills requirement) | 4 |
| or MTH 172 | Calculus II | |
| Statistics Requirement 3 | ||
| MSC 204 | Environmental Statistics | 3 |
| or MTH 224 | Introduction to Probability and Statistics | |
| Physics Requirements | ||
| Select one of the following options: | 10 | |
| Option 1 (recommended): | ||
| University Physics I for the Sciences and Physics Laboratory 1 | ||
| University Physics II for the Sciences and Physics Laboratory 2 | ||
| Option 2: | ||
| University Physics I | ||
| University Physics II | ||
| University Physics III | ||
| Physics Laboratory 1 | ||
or PHY 108 | Physics Laboratory 2 | |
| General Education Requirements | ||
| Written Communication Skills: | ||
| WRS 105 | First-Year Writing I | 3 |
| WRS 107 | First-Year Writing II: STEM | 3 |
| or WRS 106 | First-Year Writing II | |
| or ENG 106 | Writing About Literature and Culture | |
| Quantitative Skills: | ||
| Calculus I (fulfilled through the major) | ||
or MTH 171 | Calculus I | |
| Areas of Knowledge: | ||
| Arts and Humanities Cognate | 9 | |
| People and Society Cognate | 9 | |
| STEM Cognate (9 credits) (fulfilled through the major) | ||
| Electives | ||
| Additional Electives | 19 | |
| Total Credit Hours | 120-121 | |
- 1
OCE majors adding on Marine Biology and Ecology as an additional major must take 16 credits.
- 2
Students who participate in the UGalapagos Program may use MSC 424 (a 3-credit course) to fulfill the Geological Sciences requirement.
- 3
Equivalent Statistics course may be substituted with permission from the Oceanography Undergraduate Program Director.
Sample Plan of Study
This is only a sample. There are numerous ways students can create plans of study for the Oceanography major. Students should feel empowered to use the information listed in the Academic Bulletin to take charge of their education, pursue their own academic interests, and create their own, unique plans of study.
| Freshman Year | ||
|---|---|---|
| Fall | Credit Hours | |
| MSC 111 | Introduction to Marine Science | 3 |
| MSC 112 | Introduction to Marine Science Lab | 1 |
| BIL 150 | General Biology | 4 |
| BIL 151 | General Biology Laboratory | 1 |
| WRS 105 | First-Year Writing I | 3 |
| MTH 161 | Calculus I | 4 |
| Credit Hours | 16 | |
| Spring | ||
| BIL 160 | Evolution and Biodiversity (Supplement Science Elective Course) | 4 |
| BIL 161 | Evolution and Biodiversity Laboratory (General Elective Course) | 1 |
| GSC 111 | Earth System History | 4 |
| WRS 107 | First-Year Writing II: STEM | 3 |
| MTH 162 | Calculus II | 4 |
| Credit Hours | 16 | |
| Sophomore Year | ||
| Fall | ||
| ATM 103 | Survey of Modern Meteorology | 3 |
| MSC 204 | Environmental Statistics | 3 |
| CHM 121 | Principles of Chemistry | 4 |
| CHM 113 | Chemistry Laboratory I | 1 |
| A&H Course #1 | 3 | |
| Credit Hours | 14 | |
| Spring | ||
| MBE 230 | Introduction to Marine Biology | 3 |
| MSC 203 | Foundations of Computational Marine Science | 4 |
| PHY 201 | University Physics I for the Sciences | 4 |
| PHY 106 | Physics Laboratory 1 | 1 |
| A&H Course #2 | 3 | |
| Credit Hours | 15 | |
| Junior Year | ||
| Fall | ||
| MSC 215 | Chemical Oceanography | 3 |
| MSC 216 | Chemical Oceanography Laboratory | 1 |
| MSC 301 | Introduction to Physical Oceanography | 3 |
| PHY 202 | University Physics II for the Sciences | 4 |
| PHY 108 | Physics Laboratory 2 | 1 |
| P&S Course #1 | 3 | |
| Credit Hours | 15 | |
| Spring | ||
| MSC 302 | Introduction to Physical Oceanography Lab | 1 |
| MSC 338 | Coastal Oceanography (Oceanography Elective Course) | 4 |
| MSC 405 | Observing the Ocean (Oceanography Elective Course) | 3 |
| MSC 419 | Microbial Geochemistry of the Ocean (Oceanography Elective Course) | 3 |
| General Elective Course | 3 | |
| Credit Hours | 14 | |
| Senior Year | ||
| Fall | ||
| Supplemental Science Elective Course | 3 | |
| Supplemental Science Elective Course | 3 | |
| A&H Course #3 | 3 | |
| P&S Course #2 | 3 | |
| General Elective Course | 3 | |
| Credit Hours | 15 | |
| Spring | ||
| Oceanography Elective Course | 3 | |
| P&S Course #3 | 3 | |
| General Elective Course | 3 | |
| General Elective Course | 3 | |
| General Elective Course | 3 | |
| Credit Hours | 15 | |
| Total Credit Hours | 120 | |
Additional Major Curriculum Requirements
Students who wish to complete the additional major must complete the course pre-requisites in addition to any core major requirements. Please note that there may be financial aid implications if adding the additional major increases the length of a student’s degree beyond 120 credits. Students are strongly encouraged to consult with a financial aid representative before declaring the additional major.
If a student would like to add Oceanography as an additional major, they need to meet with the Oceanography Program Director before submitting their Academic Change Form to their Cane Navigator for processing.
| Code | Title | Credit Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Pre-Requisite Mathematics Requirements | ||
| Calculus I (minimum grade of C- required) | ||
or MTH 171 | Calculus I | |
| Calculus II (fulfills the Rosenstiel BS quantitative skills requirement) | ||
or MTH 172 | Calculus II | |
| Pre-Requisite Statistics Requirement | ||
| Environmental Statistics | ||
or MTH 224 | Introduction to Probability and Statistics | |
An equivalent Statistics course may be substituted with permission from the Oceanography Undergraduate Program Director for students required to complete a Statistics course for their primary major. Approved courses include but are not limited to ECS 204, EPS 351, ISE 311, MAS 201, MAS 311, NUR 202, PSY 291, PSY 292, SOC 211. | ||
| Pre-Requisite Supplemental Science Courses (Select 9 credit hours of science courses from the following): | ||
| Marine Affairs primary majors must complete 5 credits while all other majors are required to complete 9 credits. | ||
| Evolution and Biodiversity | ||
| Genetics | ||
| Cellular and Molecular Biology | ||
| Introduction to Structure and Dynamics | ||
| Physical Chemistry I (Lecture) | ||
| Introduction to Marine Geology | ||
| Terrestrial Biology and Adaptations of the Galapagos. | ||
| Introduction to Linear Algebra | ||
| Calculus III | ||
| Introduction to Ordinary Differential Equations | ||
| Pre-Requisite Biology Requirements | ||
| General Biology and General Biology Laboratory | ||
| Pre-Requisite Chemistry Requirements | ||
| Principles of Chemistry (minimum grade of C- required) | ||
| Chemistry Laboratory I | ||
| Pre-Requisite Geological Sciences Requirement | ||
| Select one of the following: | ||
| The Earth System | ||
| Earth System History | ||
| Origin and Geology of the Galapagos Islands. 1 | ||
| Pre-Requisite Physics Requirements | ||
| Select one of the following options: | ||
Option 1 (recommended): | ||
| University Physics I for the Sciences and Physics Laboratory 1 | ||
| University Physics II for the Sciences and Physics Laboratory 2 | ||
Option 2: | ||
| University Physics I | ||
| University Physics II | ||
| University Physics III | ||
| Physics Laboratory 1 | ||
or PHY 108 | Physics Laboratory 2 | |
| Oceanography Core Requirements | ||
| ATM 103 | Survey of Modern Meteorology | 3 |
| MSC 111 | Introduction to Marine Science | 3 |
| MSC 112 | Introduction to Marine Science Lab | 1 |
| MSC 203 | Foundations of Computational Marine Science | 4 |
| MSC 215 | Chemical Oceanography | 3 |
| MSC 216 | Chemical Oceanography Laboratory | 1 |
| MSC 218 | Biological Oceanography 2 | 3 |
| or MBE 230 | Introduction to Marine Biology | |
If both MSC 218 and MBE 230 are taken, one of these courses may be counted toward the required 12 credits of Oceanography electives. Marine Biology and Ecology primary majors must complete both MSC 218 and MBE 230 as core requirements needed to complete the two majors. Marine Affairs primary majors must take MBE 230. MSC 218 can be used towards the Oceanography electives. | ||
| MSC 301 | Introduction to Physical Oceanography | 3 |
| or MSC 351 | Climate, Oceanography, and Biogeography of the Galapagos | |
| MSC 302 | Introduction to Physical Oceanography Lab | 1 |
| Oceanography Core Elective Requirements | ||
| Select 12 credit hours from the following courses, or 500-level OCE courses may be selected 2 | 12 | |
| Marine Biology and Ecology primary majors must complete 16 credits. All other majors are required to complete 12 credits. | ||
| Earth's Ancient Atmospheres, Climates, and Sea Levels | ||
| Hydrogeology | ||
| Biological Oceanography (If both MSC 218 and MBE 230 are taken, one of these courses may be counted toward the required 12 credits of Oceanography electives. Marine Biology and Ecology primary majors must complete both MSC 218 and MBE 230 as core requirements needed to complete the two majors. Marine Affairs primary majors must take MBE 230. MSC 218 can be used towards the Oceanography electives.) | ||
| Climate and Global Change | ||
| Introduction to Marine Biology (If both MSC 218 and MBE 230 are taken, one of these courses may be counted toward the required 12 credits of Oceanography electives. Marine Biology and Ecology primary majors must complete both MSC 218 and MBE 230 as core requirements needed to complete the two majors. Marine Affairs primary majors must take MBE 230. MSC 218 can be used towards the Oceanography electives.) | ||
| Earth's Biogeochemistry | ||
| Scientific Computing in Marine and Atmospheric Sciences | ||
| Biology of Fishes | ||
| Biological Oceanographic Techniques | ||
| Marine Genomics | ||
| Ocean Human Health | ||
| Coastal Oceanography | ||
| Climate Science and Policy | ||
| Sea Level Rise | ||
| Climate, Oceanography, and Biogeography of the Galapagos | ||
| Biophysical Dynamics in the Ocean: Biogeography and Evolution of the Galapagos | ||
| Life in Moving Fluids | ||
| Tropical Coastal Ecosystems | ||
| Ocean Dynamics | ||
| Ocean Acidification | ||
| Marine Environmental Toxicology | ||
| Observing the Ocean | ||
| Marine Conservation Science | ||
| Research in Marine Biology and Ecology (maximum of 3 credit combined from MBE and MSC) | ||
| Research in Marine Science (maximum of 3 credit combined from MBE and MSC) | ||
| Undergraduate Thesis in Marine Science | ||
| Coral Reef Science and Management | ||
| Marine Biota and Biogeochemical Cycles | ||
| Microbial Geochemistry of the Ocean | ||
| Political Ecology of the Galapagos | ||
| Marine Ecology of the Galapagos | ||
| Marine Conservation Biology and Fisheries of the Galapagos | ||
| Origin and Geology of the Galapagos Islands. | ||
| Research in Microbial Genomics | ||
| Vertebrate Zoology of the Galapagos | ||
| Comparative Ecology of Terrestrial and Marine Systems | ||
| Spatial Applications in Marine Science | ||
| Conservation Genomics | ||
| Introductory Geochemistry | ||
| Total Credit Hours | 34 | |
- 1
Students who participate in the UGalapagos Program may use MSC 424 (a 3-credit course) to fulfill the Geological Sciences requirement.
- 2
If both MSC 218 and MBE 230 are taken, one of these courses may be counted toward the required 12 credits of Oceanography electives. Marine Biology and Ecology primary majors must complete both MSC 218 and MBE 230 as core requirements needed to complete the two majors. Marine Affairs primary majors must take MBE 230. MSC 218 can be used towards the Oceanography electives.
- Note:
Your primary major must have a minimum of 24 credits of core major requirements. They must be different than those used for this additional major.
Mission
The mission of the Rosenstiel School of Marine, Atmospheric, and Earth Science is to deepen our collective knowledge of our planet through cutting-edge scientific research on the oceans, atmosphere, geology, biota, and the human dimension, while training the next generation of scientists. We transfer the knowledge gained to our students, the national and international scientific community, and to policymakers and the public.
The educational mission of the BSMAS degree in Oceanography at the University of Miami is to graduate students with the ability and desire to integrate knowledge of oceanography into their future careers.
Goals
Students completing the BSMAS in Oceanography will have acquired a broad overview of physical, chemical and biological oceanography, meteorology and earth history. In addition students will have a firm foundation in basic sciences including mathematics, physics, chemistry and biology, and will have familiarity with modern scientific computational and data analysis tools. Integration and mastery of these tools gives students the skills to:
- Have a firm understanding of the scientific process.
- Contribute to active research projects led by professors and researchers who are experts in their fields.
- Prepare students for graduate school or for successful careers in industry or public workplaces
Student Learning Outcomes
- Students will demonstrate an ability to communicate effectively, both verbally and in writing.
- Students will acquire analytical and quantitative skills that will provide a basis for both critical thinking and quantitative data analysis.
- Student will have the skills to perform supervised research in oceanography.
