Course Recommendations for Undergraduates

Florida State University offers no undergraduate major or minor in oceanography. Students planning to enter the graduate program in oceanography should have substantial undergraduate training in science and mathematics. The following are suggestions for proper preparation for each of the four areas of specialization within oceanography.

I. General Undergraduate Preparation

All areas of oceanography:

one year of college physics (preferably taught with calculus)
one year of college chemistry
one year of college calculus
a course in computer language(s)

II. Specialty Undergraduate Preparation

Biological Oceanography

all items in I
BS or BA in biology
one year of organic chemistry
an introductory course in statistics

Chemical Oceanography or Environmental Chemistry

all items in I
BS or BA in chemistry
course-work in geochemistry
environmental or global change science

Geological Oceanography

all items in I
BS or BA in geology

Physical Oceanography

all items in I
BS or BA degree in physics, geophysics, or mathematics or a BA in engineering
a course in advanced mechanics (physics)
ordinary differential equations
advanced calculus, including vector calculus
a course in partial differential equations
a course in asymplistic methods will be very useful
a course in fluid mechanics is desirable