Oceanography Graduate Students
BASICS
UW School of Oceanography graduate students must select the option in which they pursue their degrees. There are four options, Biological Oceanography, Chemical Oceanography, Marine Geology & Geophysics, and Physical Oceanography, but there is also an out-of-option option for students seeking a Master's degree. For each option, the student must complete prescribed courses, attend the weekly seminar, and complete advanced course work. The program offers Master's degrees and the Ph.D. in Oceanography.
Graduate degree requirements are outlined in detail on the GRADUATE DEGREE REQUIREMENTS page.
No graduate student's library is complete without the GRADUATE STUDENT GUIDE.
Visit the UW Graduate School RESOURCES for GRADUATE STUDENTS page.
Find out how to obtain the mentoring you need from the GRADUATE STUDENT MENTOR GUIDE.
And don't forget the UW ACADEMIC CALENDAR!
Exam Requests Online
You must have approval from all committee members before filling out requests.
Need to go on leave?
Prior to your leave, fill out and submit these two forms:
On-leave Graduate School Form - INFORMATION and PETITION FOR ON-LEAVE STATUS
Complete and sign the Petition for On-Leave Status
Acquire Graduate Program Coordinator's signature on petition (i.e., your graduate program faculty adviser)
Pay the non-refundable on-leave fee to the Cashier's office
Submit the petition to the Registration office by the fifth day of class
ON-LEAVE SCHOOL of OCEANOGRAPHY FORM
Acquire Adviser's Statement of Support
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Submit the completed form to the Academic Adviser: Michelle Townsend, Room 108 OTB
OCEAN 600, 700 and 800
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OCEAN 600 Independent Study or Research- register for this if you haven't done your general exam yet and are not doing the thesis option MS (most of you)
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OCEAN 700 Master's Thesis - register for this if you are doing a thesis option MS (maybe one or two of you)
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OCEAN 800 Doctoral Dissertation - register for this if you have passed your general exam (you know who you are)
Register for 10 credits of OCEAN 600, 700 or 800 unless it is Summer Quarter, your last quarter here, or if 10 credits will take your credit load above 18 credits.
COMMITTEE TYPES
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Advisory Committee (established at the beginning of Autumn Quarter of your first year)- your chair and two other Oceanography faculty members.
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Master's Supervisory Committee (established in Spring Quarter of your second year) - your chair and at least two other Oceanography faculty members (one being outside your option, but still in Oceanography)
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Doctoral Supervisory Committee (established four months prior to application for General Exam) - your chair and at least two other Oceanography faculty members (one being outside your option, but still in Oceanography) and a GSR (faculty member outside Oceanography)
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Reading Committee (established one month prior to Final Exam) - your chair and two other members of your Doctoral Supervisory Committee.
Enhancing Your UW Experience
Oceanography Graduate students get to travel far and wide for MEETINGS and on CRUISES (Google maps).
But life at UW School of Oceanography consists of much more than coursework. You may consider enhancing your UW experience by joining the UW Chapter of the COASTAL SOCIETY.
Indoor and outdoor recreational facilities are available at the IMA-INTRAMURAL ACTIVITIES CENTER on Montlake Blvd.
Looking for course alternatives? Try the UW WOMEN'S CENTER that helps build gender equity campus-wide and offers non-credit classes, temporarily located in room 484 of Bagley Hall, 
or the ASUW EXPERIMENTAL COLLEGE, established in 1968 by a group of UW students, which offers hundreds of fun, non-credit classes in over twenty categories.
Feeling Overwhelmed?
UW COUNSELING CENTER: 206-543-1240, Schmitz 401.
UW HALL HEALTH MENTAL HEALTH CLINIC: 206-543-5030, Hall Health Building, 315 East Stevens Way
CRISIS CLINIC: 1-866-427-4747 or 206-461-3222, Open 24-hours
GRAD SHARE: a community of graduate students like you who have questions and answers about succeeding in graduate school.
MENTORING
Mentoring Physical Oceanography Women to increase Retention (MPOWIR) is a multifaceted mentoring program initiated by the Physical Oceanography community and supported by NSF, NASA, DOE, and ONR.
TEACHING RESOURCES
Courses, guides, and various resources await you at TEACHING RESOURCES.
GRANTS and FUNDING
There are free of charge quarterly workshops for graduate students, as well as grant and fellowship opportunities to help you through your graduate career financially. Go to GRANTS and FUNDING.
CAREER RESOURCES
Northwest WaterWorks, UW Career Center and links to career opportunities await you at CAREER RESOURCES.
WORKSHOPS and CONFERENCES
Enhance your graduate experience and extend your network by attending workshops and conferences, available at WORKSHOPS and CONFERENCES.
CERTIFICATE PROGRAMS
RESEARCH OPPORTUNITIES
Gain international research experience or involve yourself in a summer internship to enhance your research skills. The opportunities may be found at RESEARCH OPPORTUNITIES for GRADUATE STUDENTS.