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The Ocean, Earth, and Atmospheric Sciences program is a multidisciplinary graduate field that begins with foundational courses exploring Earth's systems and the transfer of mass and energy between them. Students subsequently specialize through advanced coursework and research in specific concentration areas, guided by their academic committee.
Atmospheric science naturally bridges multiple disciplines, incorporating principles from physics, chemistry, biology, mathematics, and computational techniques. The field continues to evolve, now encompassing research on climate-human interactions, including health impacts. Professionals in this field may specialize in observational studies, satellite data interpretation, computational modeling, or laboratory experiments, often combining approaches to examine atmospheric phenomena across all scales. Their work frequently investigates connections between atmospheric dynamics and other climate system elements like oceans, ice sheets, and terrestrial ecosystems.
Geophysics focuses on Earth's physical properties and processes, particularly its internal structure, along with seismic, gravitational, thermal, electrical, and magnetic phenomena and their geological implications. The geophysics concentration provides graduate education leading to MA, MS, and PhD degrees. Prospective students should hold undergraduate degrees in physics, mathematics, engineering, geology, or geophysics, with coursework through differential equations being mandatory and mathematical physics preferred. GRE scores are required for all applicants. Research opportunities span diverse geophysical challenges in both marine and terrestrial environments, with emphasis on experimental, applied, and theoretical investigations.