Oceanography & Coastal Sciences, Ph.D.

(POCS)

The departmental-level academic course plan for each student will be developed in consultation with and approved by the student’s graduate advisory committee. The committee will include the student’s major advisor and at least three additional members of the graduate faculty such that the LSU Graduate School’s requirements for graduate committees are satisfied.

The degree is a PhD degree. Forty-eight hours of coursework at the graduate level must be earned including a maximum of nine hours of credit for the dissertation research project for a total of 57 credit hours. The curricular requirements include:

• At least 29 hours at the 7000 level or above, exclusive of any type of independent studies credit except for special project credit earned.
• A minor consisting of a minimum of 12 hours of earned credit in a specified field of study.
• A minimum core requirement of 12 credit hours, with a grade of “B” or higher, in biological, chemical, geological and physical oceanography. A student receiving a “C” may be allowed to repeat the course only once, or be dropped from the graduate degree program.

Other specific degree requirements include one credit hour of OCS 4030 .

The student must pass a final exam consisting of a comprehensive oral exam and an optional written exam.