Climate-Ocean-Atmosphere Program (COAP)

This program includes studies in the following curricular groups:

Applied Ocean Science

Applied Ocean Science is an interdepartmental program concerned with man's exploration of the sea.

Climate Science

Climate Sciences concerns the study of Earth's climate system with emphasis on the physical, dynamical, and chemical interactions of the atmosphere, ocean, land, ice, and the terrestrial and marine biospheres

Physical Oceanography

Physical Oceanography deals with observations of the properties and movement of ocean water and the understanding and modeling of these natural phenomena using fundamental concepts of fluid mechanics, applied physics, and mathematics.

Details:

Students admitted to COAP choose a curricular group by the end of the fall quarter. This choice is aided by the student's guidance committee, which includes a Curriculum Advisor from one of the COAP curricular groups. The guidance committee will help to arrange an individually tailored set of first-year courses for the student, and to ensure that the student has taken all necessary courses to prepare for the Departmental Exam. During the year, students may be supported in a variety of ways, but by the end of the spring quarter students must choose a research advisor. After the first year the guidance committee is dissolved, and the research advisor and dissertation committee provide guidance.