The Center for Coastal Physical Oceanography is part of the Department of Ocean Earth and Atmospheric Sciences. Academic information and requirements are provided on the main department web site). Please note that there is no atmospheric sciences program at ODU.

Physical oceanography is the study of the physics of the ocean. Topics include an examination of the properties of ocean water such as salt or oxygen content along with density; speed and direction of water motion; time and space structure of variability of ocean flow; intensity of ocean mixing; estimation of ocean physics from various observations; and, analysis and prediction of the ocean through computer models.

Graduate students studying physical oceanography are expected to have a broad science background (chemistry and biology) and have considerable training in physics and mathematics. Students are expected to have some familiarity with computers and computer programming.

Two graduate programs in physical oceanography are offered:   Master of Science in ocean sciences and the Doctor of Philosophy in oceanography.  
The Master of Science degree has two tracks: thesis and non-thesis. The Doctor of Philosophy degree requires that original research be done and a dissertation be written.

Detailed requirements for graduate study in the Department of Oceanography, Earth and Atmospheric Sciences are provided on the OEAS departmental web site.
    
OEAS graduate handbook provides additional details for oceanography graduate students.



The following classes are offered for the subject of physical oceanography. Some are offered every year; others are offered every other year or less frequently.

OEAS 405/505 - Physical oceanography.
Lecture, Lab, Credit hours: 3,0,3: A senior undergraduate survey of physical oceanography.

OEAS  432 -  Fluid dynamics and thermodynamics.
Lecture, Lab, Credit hours: 3,0,3: A senior undergraduate introduction to fluid dynamics and thermodynamics.

OEAS  433 -  Geophysical fluid dynamics.
Lecture, Lab, Credit hours: 3,0,3: A senior undergraduate introduction to fluid dynamics on the spinning earth. Effects of rotation and stratification are analyzed.

OEAS 441W - Ocean and Earth Sciences Field Study I.
Lecture, Lab, Credit hours: 1,4,3: A senior undergraduate class in the practice of oceanography. This is the first semester of a two semester class.

OEAS 442W - Ocean and Earth Sciences Field Study II.
Lecture, Lab, Credit hours: 1,4,3: A senior undergraduate class in the practice of oceanography.  This is the second semester of a two semester class.

OEAS 451 - Data Collection and Analysis in the Ocean.
Lecture, Lab, Credit hours: 3,0,3: A senior undergraduate class in the details of the operation of ocean observing instruments along with the evaluation and analysis of the observations.

OEAS 506 - Matlab for Oceanographers.
Lecture, Lab, Credit hours: 2,0,1: An introduction into the use of the software package MATLAB. The focus is on making graphics, evaluating mathematical expressions and manipulating observations.

OEAS 415/515 - Waves and Tides.
Lecture, Lab, Credit hours: 3,0,3: A senior undergraduate and graduate class on the theory, observations and analysis of ocean waves and tides.

OEAS 604 - Introduction to Physical Oceanography.
Lecture, Lab, Credit hours: 3,0,3: A graduate class providing an overview of dynamical and descriptive physical oceanography.

OEAS 605 - Intro to Ocean Modeling and Prediction.
Lecture, Lab, Credit hours: 3,0,3: A graduate class introducing the art of numerical ocean circulation modeling and its applications.

OEAS 606 - Experimental Procedures in Physical Oceanography.
Lecture, Lab, Credit hours: 3,0,3:  A graduate class in the details of the operation of ocean observing instruments along with the evaluation and analysis of the       observations.

OEAS 630 - Dynamical Oceanography I.
Lecture, Lab, Credit hours: 3,0,3: A graduate class in the dynamics of fluid motion on the rotating earth. The first semester focuses on the effects of rotation with some introduction to the effect of density variation. The basic focus is on large scale ocean circulation.

OEAS 651 - Introduction to the Physics of Estuaries.
Lecture, Lab, Credit hours: 3,0,3: A graduate class in the processes that drive circulation and mixing in estuaries.

OEAS 698 - Research.
Lecture, Lab, Credit hours: 0,0,1-9:

OEAS 703/803 -  Stability of Ocean Flow.
Lecture, Lab, Credit hours: 3,0,3: A graduate class using mathematics to analyze the circumstances during with ocean flow becomes unstable and the nature of the variability that is created from these instabilities.

OEAS 704/804 - Time Series in Oceanography.
Lecture, Lab, Credit hours: 3,0,3: A graduate class on the details of analyzing time series to include smoothing, spectra, correlation, and coherence.

OEAS 708/808 - Simulation Techniques for Ocean Circulation.
Lecture, Lab, Credit hours: 3,0,3: A graduate class in finite difference methods for the numerical solution of the quasi-geostrophic and primitive equations applied to large scale wind driven ocean circulation.

OEAS 711/811 - Descriptive Regional Oceanography
Lecture, Lab, Credit hours: 3,0,3: A graduate class describing the temperature and salinity structure of the ocean, and how these distributions are produced and how they indicate how the ocean circulates.

OEAS 730/830 -  Dynamical Oceanography II.
Lecture, Lab, Credit hours: 3,0,3: A graduate class in the dynamics of fluid motion on the rotating earth. The second semester focuses on the effects of rotation with some introduction to the effect of density variation.

OEAS 755/855 - Mathematical  Modeling of Marine Ecosystems.
Lecture, Lab, Credit hours: 3,0,3: A graduate class in the formulation and solution (analytical and numerical) of mathematical models of interacation in various types of marine ecosystems.

OEAS 823 - Ocean Turbulence and  Mixing Processes.
Lecture, Lab, Credit hours: 3,0,3: A graduate class analyzing the structure and dynamics of turbulent flow.

OEAS 895 - Advanced Topics in Oceanography.
Lecture, Lab, Credit hours: 0,0,1-4:

OEAS 895c - Structure of Marine Ecosystems.
Lecture, Lab, Credit hours: 3,0,3: A graduate class analyzing various types of marine ecosystems to include the species in the ecosystems and there mutual interaction and there response to environmental and other external influences.