A rigorous semester-length academic and practical experience leading to an understanding of the oceans. The Sea Semester is composed of two intensive six-week components taken off-campus. The Shore Component is six weeks at Woods Hole, Massachusetts, with formal study in: Oceanography, Maritime Studies, and Nautical Science. This is followed by six weeks aboard a sailing research vessel, during which students conduct oceanographic research projects as part of the courses, Practical Oceanography I and II.


Maritime Studies. A multidisciplinary study of the history, literature, and art of our maritime heritage, and the political and economic problems of contemporary maritime affairs.


Nautical Science. The technologies of operation at sea. Concepts of navigation, naval architecture, ship construction, marine engineering systems, and ship management are taught from their bases in physics, mathematics, and astronomy.


Practical Oceanography I. Taken aboard SSV Westward or SSV Corwith Cramer. Theories and problems raised in the shore component are tested in the practice of oceanography at sea. Students are introduced to the tools and techniques of the practicing oceanographer. During two lectures daily and while standing watch, students learn the operation of basic oceanographic equipment, the methodologies involved in the collection, reduction, and analysis of oceanographic data, and the attendant operations of a sailing oceanographic research vessel. Practical Oceanography II. Taken aboard SSV Westward or SSV Corwith Cramer. Students assume increasing responsibility for conducting oceanographic research and the attendant operations of the vessel. The individual student is responsible directly to the chief scientist and the master of the vessel for the safe and orderly conduct of research activities and related operation of the vessel. Each student completes an individual oceanographic research project designed during the shore component.

A rigorous semester-length academic and practical experience leading to an understanding of the oceans. The Sea Semester is composed of two intensive six-week components taken off-campus. The Shore Component is six weeks at Woods Hole, Massachusetts, with formal study in: Oceanography, Maritime Studies, and Nautical Science. This is followed by six weeks aboard a sailing research vessel, during which students conduct oceanographic research projects as part of the courses, Practical Oceanography I and II.


Maritime Studies. A multidisciplinary study of the history, literature, and art of our maritime heritage, and the political and economic problems of contemporary maritime affairs.


Nautical Science. The technologies of operation at sea. Concepts of navigation, naval architecture, ship construction, marine engineering systems, and ship management are taught from their bases in physics, mathematics, and astronomy.


Practical Oceanography I. Taken aboard SSV Westward or SSV Corwith Cramer. Theories and problems raised in the shore component are tested in the practice of oceanography at sea. Students are introduced to the tools and techniques of the practicing oceanographer. During two lectures daily and while standing watch, students learn the operation of basic oceanographic equipment, the methodologies involved in the collection, reduction, and analysis of oceanographic data, and the attendant operations of a sailing oceanographic research vessel. Practical Oceanography II. Taken aboard SSV Westward or SSV Corwith Cramer. Students assume increasing responsibility for conducting oceanographic research and the attendant operations of the vessel. The individual student is responsible directly to the chief scientist and the master of the vessel for the safe and orderly conduct of research activities and related operation of the vessel. Each student completes an individual oceanographic research project designed during the shore component.

A rigorous semester-length academic and practical experience leading to an understanding of the oceans. The Sea Semester is composed of two intensive six-week components taken off-campus. The Shore Component is six weeks at Woods Hole, Massachusetts, with formal study in: Oceanography, Maritime Studies, and Nautical Science. This is followed by six weeks aboard a sailing research vessel, during which students conduct oceanographic research projects as part of the courses, Practical Oceanography I and II.


Maritime Studies. A multidisciplinary study of the history, literature, and art of our maritime heritage, and the political and economic problems of contemporary maritime affairs.


Nautical Science. The technologies of operation at sea. Concepts of navigation, naval architecture, ship construction, marine engineering systems, and ship management are taught from their bases in physics, mathematics, and astronomy.


Practical Oceanography I. Taken aboard SSV Westward or SSV Corwith Cramer. Theories and problems raised in the shore component are tested in the practice of oceanography at sea. Students are introduced to the tools and techniques of the practicing oceanographer. During two lectures daily and while standing watch, students learn the operation of basic oceanographic equipment, the methodologies involved in the collection, reduction, and analysis of oceanographic data, and the attendant operations of a sailing oceanographic research vessel. Practical Oceanography II. Taken aboard SSV Westward or SSV Corwith Cramer. Students assume increasing responsibility for conducting oceanographic research and the attendant operations of the vessel. The individual student is responsible directly to the chief scientist and the master of the vessel for the safe and orderly conduct of research activities and related operation of the vessel. Each student completes an individual oceanographic research project designed during the shore component.

A rigorous semester-length academic and practical experience leading to an understanding of the oceans. The Sea Semester is composed of two intensive six-week components taken off-campus. The Shore Component is six weeks at Woods Hole, Massachusetts, with formal study in: Oceanography, Maritime Studies, and Nautical Science. This is followed by six weeks aboard a sailing research vessel, during which students conduct oceanographic research projects as part of the courses, Practical Oceanography I and II.


Maritime Studies. A multidisciplinary study of the history, literature, and art of our maritime heritage, and the political and economic problems of contemporary maritime affairs.


Nautical Science. The technologies of operation at sea. Concepts of navigation, naval architecture, ship construction, marine engineering systems, and ship management are taught from their bases in physics, mathematics, and astronomy.


Practical Oceanography I. Taken aboard SSV Westward or SSV Corwith Cramer. Theories and problems raised in the shore component are tested in the practice of oceanography at sea. Students are introduced to the tools and techniques of the practicing oceanographer. During two lectures daily and while standing watch, students learn the operation of basic oceanographic equipment, the methodologies involved in the collection, reduction, and analysis of oceanographic data, and the attendant operations of a sailing oceanographic research vessel. Practical Oceanography II. Taken aboard SSV Westward or SSV Corwith Cramer. Students assume increasing responsibility for conducting oceanographic research and the attendant operations of the vessel. The individual student is responsible directly to the chief scientist and the master of the vessel for the safe and orderly conduct of research activities and related operation of the vessel. Each student completes an individual oceanographic research project designed during the shore component.

Public perceptions and attitudes concerning the causes and importance of globalwarming have changed. Global Climate Change provides a sound theoretical understanding of global warming through an appreciation of the Earth's climate system and how and why this has changed through time. We will describe progress in understanding of the human and natural drivers of climate change, climate processes and attribution, and estimates of projected future climate change. We will assess scientific, technical and socio-economic information relevant for the understanding of climate change, its potential impacts and options for adaptation and mitigation.

Public perceptions and attitudes concerning the causes and importance of globalwarming have changed. Global Climate Change provides a sound theoretical understanding of global warming through an appreciation of the Earth's climate system and how and why this has changed through time. We will describe progress in understanding of the human and natural drivers of climate change, climate processes and attribution, and estimates of projected future climate change. We will assess scientific, technical and socio-economic information relevant for the understanding of climate change, its potential impacts and options for adaptation and mitigation.

This course will expose students to the principles that underlie our understanding of how the Earth works. The goal of Earth Systems Science is to obtain a scientific understanding of the entire Earth system by describing its component parts (lithosphere, hydrosphere, atmosphere, biosphere) and their interactions, and describe how they have evolved, how they function, and how they may be expected to respond to human activity. The challenge to Earth Systems Science is to develop the capability to predict those changes that will occur in the next decade to century, both naturally and in response to human activity. Energy, both natural and human-generated, will be used as a unifying principle. Knowledge gained through this course will help students make informed decisions in all spheres of human activity: science, policy, economics, etc.

This course will expose students to the principles that underlie our understanding of how the Earth works. The goal of Earth Systems Science is to obtain a scientific understanding of the entire Earth system by describing its component parts (lithosphere, hydrosphere, atmosphere, biosphere) and their interactions, and describe how they have evolved, how they function, and how they may be expected to respond to human activity. The challenge to Earth Systems Science is to develop the capability to predict those changes that will occur in the next decade to century, both naturally and in response to human activity. Energy, both natural and human-generated, will be used as a unifying principle. Knowledge gained through this course will help students make informed decisions in all spheres of human activity: science, policy, economics, etc.

This course will expose students to the principles that underlie our understanding of how the Earth works. The goal of Earth Systems Science is to obtain a scientific understanding of the entire Earth system by describing its component parts (lithosphere, hydrosphere, atmosphere, biosphere) and their interactions, and describe how they have evolved, how they function, and how they may be expected to respond to human activity. The challenge to Earth Systems Science is to develop the capability to predict those changes that will occur in the next decade to century, both naturally and in response to human activity. Energy, both natural and human-generated, will be used as a unifying principle. Knowledge gained through this course will help students make informed decisions in all spheres of human activity: science, policy, economics, etc.

This course will expose students to the principles that underlie our understanding of how the Earth works. The goal of Earth Systems Science is to obtain a scientific understanding of the entire Earth system by describing its component parts (lithosphere, hydrosphere, atmosphere, biosphere) and their interactions, and describe how they have evolved, how they function, and how they may be expected to respond to human activity. The challenge to Earth Systems Science is to develop the capability to predict those changes that will occur in the next decade to century, both naturally and in response to human activity. Energy, both natural and human-generated, will be used as a unifying principle. Knowledge gained through this course will help students make informed decisions in all spheres of human activity: science, policy, economics, etc.