Master's Requirements 

F.C. Dobbs , Graduate Program Director
fdobbs@odu.edu

Requirements

The student shall meet all University requirements for graduate degrees outlined in the Requirements for Graduate Degree section in this Catalog. This includes at least 30 hours of graduate study, demonstration of competency in oral communications and demonstration of proficiency in technical writing. A maximum of 12 hours of credit may be transferred into a graduate degree program from non-degree status at Old Dominion University or from another accredited institution, except in the case of an approved interinstitutional program.

Course Distribution
A minimum of 12 hours of basic course work in the four sub-disciplines of oceanography is required of all M.S. students. This core program consists of OEAS 604, 610, 620, and 640. A student must achieve a grade of B or better in each of the core courses. The remaining 18 credits are chosen from a list of approved graduate courses (or graduate courses and research hours for thesis option students). At least 60 percent of all courses must be at the 600 level or above. For the non-thesis option, up to three hours of research may be used to meet course requirements. For the thesis option, up to six hours of research may be used to meet the course requirements.

Non-Thesis Option
For the non-thesis option, the student will demonstrate competency in oral communications by successfully completing OEAS 691 (1 credit). Proficiency in writing may be established by presenting for evaluation either a professional paper or technical report prepared by the student or a report on a current area of research in oceanography. This document must be approved by the student's advisor and the graduate program director. A student in the non-thesis program must pass a written comprehensive examination testing breadth of knowledge in oceanography. The examination is given twice yearly, normally in October and March. The examination grades are fail, pass, or pass with distinction. A student who has failed the examination may take it again only once.

Thesis Option
Before a student embarks on thesis research, a thesis advisory committee must be formed. Further information on University guidelines for forming this committee can be found in the Requirements for Graduate Degrees section of this Catalog. The student must also submit a thesis proposal which outlines the research to be undertaken and identifies the resources required for completion of the research. Guidelines for the preparation of the thesis proposal are available from the graduate program director. Any student whose thesis research requires departmental funding must obtain prior approval from the department chair and graduate program director. No funds will be given without this approval. The thesis proposal requires the approval of the graduate program director, the department chair, and the student's thesis advisory committee.

As part of the thesis requirement, the student is required to present a public defense of the research. The public defense and approval of the thesis by the student's Thesis Committee meet the requirements for demonstration of competency in oral communication and demonstration of proficiency in technical writing; this also satisfies the comprehensive examination requirement.

Students in the thesis program should consult the graduate program director regarding the preparation of the M.S. thesis, scheduling a thesis defense and the final submission of the thesis.

Shipboard Experience and Field Work
Each student is required to have at least ten days of shipboard experience, field work, or a combination of the two. Scheduled class field trips may not be counted toward this requirement.

Request to Graduate
The student should obtain a copy of the form Application for Graduation from the Registrar's Office and complete this application. The deadline for submitting this application is listed in the class schedule each semester and usually falls near the end of the semester preceding the one during which graduation is anticipated. It is the student's responsibility to meet these deadlines and submit the necessary paperwork for graduation.
Removal of Incompletes. At least one month prior to graduation, all incomplete grades should be cleared. An Academic Record Change form is used for this purpose, and the instructor of the course and the department chair need to sign this form.