Oceanography

Mea Cook

Williams College,
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Private four-year institution, primarily undergraduate

Summary

This is an introductory survey of ocean science (geology, physics, chemistry, biology and human impacts).

Course Size:

31-70

Course Context:

This is a 100-level class with no prerequisites. Students are ~50% first years, and are a mix of students taking the class to fulfill the science division requirement, and students who are taking it a pure elective. It is the gateway class to the maritime studies program and geoscience department.

Course Goals:

The students will be able to

analyze depth data and draw a contour map of seafloor bathymetry.
predict the evolution of ocean basins forward and backward in time if given a tectonic map with magnetic lineations.
predict the sediment composition of any spot on the seafloor.
predict the areas of the ocean with greatest productivity.
evaluate the behavior of a seawater component based on calculating its residence time.
evaluate the effect on an ecosystem of removing (hunting/overfishing) one member.
evaluate the scientific merit of a news story on human impacts on the ocean.

How course activities and course structure help students achieve these goals:

The lab activities reinforce the major learning goals from each section of the class. The students are assessed through the exams.