The Marine and Freshwater Biology concentration provides education and training opportunities for students broadly interested in aquatic sciences. Marine-science-focused courses are included in this concentration in response to interest shown by a large number of Purdue students enrolled in classes such as FNR 20100 Marine Biology. These courses include a Marine Biology Practicum experience along the Gulf Coast, an Advanced Marine Biology course and a physical sciences requirement (for example, oceanography). This concentration provides students with rigorous training in the marine sciences and places Purdue among the leaders in marine science education in the Midwest. The AQSC major also offers a new course in Limnology - a critical knowledge area for marine and freshwater biologists.

The study of atmospheric and oceanic sciences includes all aspects of the atmosphere and physical oceanography, their mutual interaction, and their interaction with space and the rest of the earth system. Although a primary goal is to understand the atmosphere and ocean for the purpose of predicting the weather, atmospheric and oceanic sciences embraces much more: motions at large, medium, and small scales; past, present, and future climates; air chemistry and quality; clouds and precipitation; and solar and terrestrial radiation. In many areas, new remote-sensing technology including satellites is used to provide circulation patterns at both global and local scales.

Many undergraduates take an elementary atmospheric and oceanic sciences course to meet part of their natural or physical science breadth requirements. Other students, who have had sufficient mathematics and physics preparation, take higher-level atmospheric and oceanic sciences courses to complement their major work in other fields of natural science. An atmospheric and oceanic sciences major receives a thorough introduction to the basic concepts and tools in the core courses, which cover the physics and dynamics of the atmosphere and ocean. An array of elective courses are offered in the senior year, with tracks in the areas of weather systems, earth/environmental science, and general and applied atmospheric and oceanic sciences. Elective groups are tailored individually. Some students will want preparation for careers in areas such as operational forecasting, environmental consulting, and broadcasting. Others will seek preparation for graduate work leading to a broader range of careers.

SoMAS is one of the nation's leading coastal oceanographic and atmospheric institutions, and the expertise of SoMAS' faculty places Stony Brook in the forefront in addressing and answering questions about regional environmental problems, as well as problems relating to the global ocean and atmosphere. The primary focus of the SoMAS faculty is on fundamental research designed to increase understanding of the processes that characterize the coastal ocean and the atmosphere. SoMAS faculty are also committed to applying the results of research to solve problems arising from society's uses and misuses of the environment. SoMAS includes mission-oriented institutes in several major areas: the Institute for Terrestrial and Plane­tary Atmospheres, the Living Marine Resources Institute, the Institute for Ocean Conservation Science, the Long Island Groundwater Resource Insti­tute, and the Waste Reduction and Manage­ment Institute. These institutes add a wealth of varied resources to education and research.

The SoMAS offers undergraduate majors in  atmospheric and oceanic sciences, environmental studies, marine sciences, and marine vertebrate biology; and minors in environmental studies and marine sciences. See the separate entries for environmental studies (ENS),  marine sciences (MAR), and marine vertebrate biology (MVB) in the alphabetical listings of Approved Majors, Minors, and Programs. The SoMAS also offers several cooperative programs with departments in the College of Arts and Sciences (Chemistry, Biology, and Geosciences) and the College of Engineering and Applied Sciences (Chemical and Molec­ular Engineering). See the entries for those programs in the alphabetical listings of Approved Majors, Minors, and Programs for more information. Research opportunities in marine sciences, atmospheric sciences, envi­ronmental studies, and waste management are available to undergraduates. Information on research opportunities may be found by contacting faculty directly or on the SoMAS Web site at http://www.somas.stonybrook.edu/.

The M.S. and Ph.D. degrees are offered in several concentration areas of oceanography: physical, chemical, biological, geological and fisheries oceanography. 

Oceanography is both interdisciplinary and multidisciplinary. The M.S. and Ph.D. degrees emphasize processes that influence the ocean as a system, including its circulation, composition, biological productivity and geology. Students considering graduate study in oceanography should have a strong background in physics, chemistry, biology, geology or mathematics and a working familiarity with the other subjects. 

Ocean engineering is a field of study that seeks to solve engineering problems associated with the ocean, including those problems associated with the sustainable utilization of ocean resources and the scientific exploration and study of the ocean environment. Ocean engineering is an interdisciplinary field with roots in mechanical, electrical, civil, and environmental engineering, with strong ties to physical, chemical, biological, and geological oceanography. Students of ocean engineering are best served when they are formally trained inside a framework that fuses the expertise of these often-disparate fields.

The BSOE curriculum provides students with a solid engineering core and prepares students for professional engineering careers or for graduate study. The BSOE starts with foundational classes in math, physics, chemistry, and engineering computing, along with introductions to ocean engineering through seminars and oceanography coursework. Students develop their engineering acumen through coursework and laboratory studies that are focused on analysis, experimentation, and design. Students proceed to increasingly advanced coursework in ocean instrumentation, waves and tides, the design of ocean structures, coastal engineering, ocean measurements, and ocean acoustics. Opportunities exist for at least four technical electives, which help students gain further competence in an area of their choice. Students finish their curriculum with a two-semester senior capstone design project. Elective courses in the arts, humanities, and the social sciences are included to provide a well-rounded education.

The Oceanography program creates and communicates integrated understanding of oceanographic processes by weaving fundamentals from basic sciences and mathematics into a fully interdisciplinary, marine context. As leaders in ocean observation and prediction, we focus expertise on the Gulf of Maine and maintain active research programs throughout the world’s oceans. Mentoring of students in the Program emphasizes fundamentals, novel composites of disciplines tailored to the students’ research, and an adaptive, problem-solving skill set that prepares students for the rapid change that has become characteristic within both their profession and the oceans themselves.

Students in both the M.S. and the Ph.D. degree programs complete four core courses in, respectively, the physical, chemical, biological and geological aspects of the marine system, and supplementary courses based on student needs and interests. Most of the coursework is taken in Orono, especially during the student’s first year, whereas the thesis research may be carried out either at Orono or the University of Maine’s marine laboratory, the Ira C. Darling Marine Center.

Course requirements for the master's degree are satisfied by completion of a departmentally approved program of study. Each program of study must consist of at least nine courses (36 units), six (24 units) of which must be entry level graduate courses drawn from a list maintained and published on the website by the department and chosen to ensure proper breadth and preparation. The minimum of 12 additional units of coursework is chosen from the 200-series to prepare for their specific research area. The advanced course requirements also may be partially satisfied by: (1) 200-series courses taken for a grade outside of the department; (2) directed studies courses (596) within the department; and, in case of thesis plan students, (3) research courses (598) within the department. Only one 500-series course (four units) may be applied toward the minimum graduate course requirement for the master's degree. Each student submits their program of study to the department prior to the beginning of the Spring quarter of their first year. Subject to the approval of the student's faculty advising committee, the program of study may be amended at any time, based on course offerings and evolving interests. The final program of study will be the basis for the departmental oral comprehensive examination. Satisfactory completion of the program of study requires an S grade for all S/U grades courses and a B average in all letters-graded courses that are part of the program of study.

Fundamental concepts from mathematics, chemistry, physics, and computer science are applied to understand the basic principles that control our weather and climate, from extreme events like tornadoes to the millennial changes of ice ages and the results of human modification of our environment. Coursework in the first two years emphasizes mastery of these fundamentals. Coursework in the last two years provides a comprehensive survey of atmospheric and oceanic science, while specialty courses and guided research allow the student to develop expertise in an area of concentration. The Department has particular strengths in computer modeling and remote sensing of the atmosphere and ocean, atmospheric chemistry, and climate studies. In addition to the Department, nearby research laboratories such as the NOAA National Centers for Environmental Prediction and NASA Goddard Space Flight Center offer the student many research opportunities. Courses offered by this department may be found under the following acronyms: AOSC

Oceanography is a broad, multidisciplinary science that seeks to unlock the mysteries of the oceans that cover 70% of our planet. Students in Florida Tech’s oceanography program study and apply biology, chemistry, geology, meteorology, physics, and mathematics toward a better understanding of marine ecosystem dynamics, geophysical fluid dynamics, sea floor geology, and more.

Whether you want to develop a new way to restore wetlands and shorelines, design and manage parks and sanctuaries, or solve the mysteries of Red Tide, an oceanography degree from Florida Tech will give you the background and skillset you need in oceanography, engineering, and technology.

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 foci include air-sea interaction and remote sensing, biogeochemical cycles in the ocean, large-scale ocean dynamics, and biophysical interactions.

The Bachelor of Science degree program is meant for students planning to continue with graduate studies in ocean science, as preparation for professional school or as preparation for a technical career in government or private industry