Introductory Oceanography with Laboratory
This class relies more on intuitive reasoning rather than complicated mathematical formulas to convey basic concepts about how the ocean works. For this reason, the class is very accessible to non-science majors. The class covers standard material about how the ocean works, but also includes current environmental threats facing the ocean such as global warming, ocean acidification, overfishing and coastal pollution. Students will gain a depth of knowledge about the ocean and global warming to enable them to speak and write confidently about contemporary public issues regarding the health of the ocean, global warming and a sustainable future. This course satisfies the Physical and Biological Sciences (PBS) requirement for students in most colleges and the Introductory Life Sciences/Biological Sciences requirement for students in CALS. For students in A&S and CALS, this course counts as in-college credit. This course is suitable for non-life sciences majors.
Topics
- Realize that the ocean operates as an integrated system of geological, physical, biological, and chemical interactions.
- Identify the extent of environmental threats facing the ocean resulting from global warming, ocean acidification, ocean deoxygenation, marine pollution and unsustainable fishing practices.
- Compose a letter to congressional leaders, or other high ranking decision makers, with a request to act on a personal environmental concern that was brought to light in the class.
- Measure, experimentally, the impact of ocean acidification on life in the ocean.
- Apply orbiting satellite observations to monitor variability in ocean biology at global scales.
- Give an oral presentation of results from citizen science efforts that address the conservation of living marine resources.
Official roster learning outcomes
Sources
- Course catalogue ↗2026-2027