Lower-Division

An interdisciplinary introduction to oceanography focusing on biological, chemical, geological, and physical processes. Covers topics such as origins and structure of planet Earth and its oceans, co-evolution of Earth and life, plate tectonics, liquid water and the hydrologic and hydrothermal cycles, salinity and elemental cycles, ocean circulation, primary production and nutrient cycles, plankton and nekton, life on the sea floor, near shore and estuarine communities, future environmental problems our oceans face. Students may also enroll in and receive credit for Earth Sciences 1.

The ecology of plants and animals in oceans and coastal areas. Consideration of life in various marine habitats, including the open ocean, rocky shores, estuaries, and the sea. Includes field trips. High school biology and chemistry courses are recommended prior to taking this course.

Interdisciplinary scientific perspective on Earth system, focusing on human impacts on global environment. Introduces concepts of Earth system science and explores topics such as global warming, ozone depletion, pollution, deforestation, and future climate change. Prerequisite(s): high school chemistry course recommended.

Quantitative introduction to climate comprising five modules: atmosphere-ocean circulation, atmospheric teleconnections, El-Nino Southern Oscillation, the Pacific Decadal Oscillation, and global warming. Hands-on statistical methods are applied to real-world observations to develop a quantitative understanding of climate.