Oceanography (M.S.)

The Oceanography (OCE) graduate program has a diverse set of faculty, staff, and students who examine ocean processes in broad fields of physical, biological, chemical, and geological oceanography and geophysics.  Basic and applied research of an experimental, numerical, and analytical nature is conducted in oceanic settings that range from shallow nearshore and estuarine waters to the deep ocean and span all ocean basins on earth including the Arctic. 

OCE offers programs leading to M.S. and Ph.D. degrees.  These interdisciplinary programs prepare students for professional careers in ocean-relate fields.  In addition, students can also pursue an ocean mapping option within the Department of Earth Sciences and carried out within the Center for Coastal and Ocean Mapping.

Research and Facilities

The oceanography graduate program within the Department of Earth Sciences and the School of Marine Science and Ocean Engineering (SMSOE) is enhanced by the ocean engineering and marine biology graduate programs, and by other departments and institutes at UNH, including the civil and mechanical engineering and biology departments; the Institute for the Study of Earth, Oceans, and Space (EOS); the Center for Coastal and Ocean Mapping (CCOM); and the Ocean Processes Laboratory (OPAL). Other related programs include the N.H. Sea Grant Program, the Center for Collaborative Science, and the Atlantic Marine Aquaculture Center, Coastal Response Research Center (CRRC), Northeast Consortium (NEC), and the Piscataqua Region Estuaries Partnership (PREP). Oceanographic laboratories at UNH include the Shoals Marine Laboratory (SML) on Appledore Island, the Coastal Marine Laboratory (CML) in Newcastle, the Jackson Estuarine Laboratory (JEL) at Adams Point on the Great Bay, and the Chase Ocean Engineering Laboratory (COEL) on the main UNH campus. Additional laboratories for the oceanography faculty are located on campus in James, Morse, Rudman, and Spaulding Halls. The SMSOE operates a marine support facility and two UNH research vessels moored in Portsmouth Harbor at the UNH pier, the R/V Gulf Challenger and the R/V Gulf Surveyor, as well as a number of small boats. The SMSOE also supports the UNH Diving Program and oversees a shared­ use Instrumentation Pool for student and faculty use.

Admission Requirements

Applicants should have completed an undergraduate major related to one of the oceanography disciplines, including biology, chemistry, engineering, geology, physics, or mathematics, or an appropriate array of science and engineering courses within their major field. Applicants are expected to have completed one year each of calculus and chemistry and two semesters of physics and/or biology. It is not necessary to have had previous coursework in oceanography. Students still working to strengthen a particular component of their foundational coursework may be admitted provided they are prepared to complete courses, in addition to their graduate degree requirements, as needed.

Degree Requirements

Students must complete a minimum of 30 credits for the thesis option or 34 credits for the non-thesis option.

Accelerated Master's Overview

Accelerated Master’s programs offer qualified University of New Hampshire undergraduate students the opportunity to begin graduate coursework in select graduate programs while completing a bachelor’s degree. Accelerated master's programs are designed to provide students with an efficient and cost-effective pathway to earn both a bachelor's and master's degree or graduate certificate, enhancing career opportunities and long-term earning potential.

Accelerated Master's Highlights

• Begin studying advanced topics while an undergraduate student with the opportunity to complete a master’s degree or graduate certificate early.
• Master’s degree program students: Earn up to 12* graduate (800-level) course credits while completing a bachelor’s degree. This coursework will count as dual-credit toward both the bachelor’s and master’s degrees.
• Graduate certificate program students: Earn up to 8* graduate (800-level) course credits while completing a bachelor’s degree. This coursework will count as dual-credit toward both the bachelor’s degree and the graduate certificate.
• Students complete the bachelor’s degree, and then officially matriculate into the master’s or graduate certificate program to complete the remaining required graduate-level coursework.

*Some exceptions apply. 

Accelerated Master's Admission Requirements

• A minimum 3.2 cumulative GPA is required.*
• A minimum of 90 undergraduate credits must be completed prior to enrolling in graduate (800-level) courses.
• Streamlined Graduate School Application (two letters of recommendation; most standardized tests and application fee are waived).*

*Some exceptions apply.

Accelerated Master's Requirements

• Students must attend a mandatory orientation session.
• Students must submit a special registration form each semester for dual-credit courses and note any DegreeWorks exceptions.
• Students may defer graduate matriculation for up to one year after earning their bachelor’s degree in most programs.
• See the Accelerated Master’s Catalog Policy and Accelerated Master’s Website for additional information and a list of programs. Note that some programs have additional requirements (e.g. higher-grade expectations) compared to the general policy.

Oceanography (M.S.) Accelerated Option

This graduate degree program is approved to be taken on an accelerated basis in articulation with the following undergraduate program(s): 

Program Learning Outcomes

• Demonstrate knowledge of core concepts and qualitative/quantitative techniques in at least 2 of the 4 main branches of oceanography (geological, biological, physical, chemical) that results in sufficient expertise to conduct substantive supervised research.
• Review, critically evaluate, and synthesize published research in the Earth sciences and related fields of mathematics, statistics, physics, chemistry, and biology.
• Develop testable research questions and implement a rigorous study using appropriate methodologies to generate findings, develop evidence-based interpretations, and reach well-supported conclusions.
• Prepare written manuscripts in a scientific style of English that meets the level and standards of leading academic journals and respond appropriately to recommendations for revision.
• Clearly convey research findings to specialist and non-specialist audiences through oral and written presentations supported by appropriate digital media.
• Demonstrate collaboration and leadership in creating a productive and welcoming work environment that is supportive, inclusive and equitable.
• Make effective contributions to university, community and professional service.