The college of geosciences offers a 15 credit hour minor in oceanography for undergraduate students. Students may follow a coursework track involving 15 hours of courses, or a research track including 9 hours of coursework and 6 hours of original research with an individual faculty member. 160 the fast track degree program will enable these students to coordinate the required bachelors coursework, elective coursework, and the graduate coursework to reduce the number of credit hours required for completing each degree independently, without diminishing the scope or quality of the training. The two graduate degrees offered in the united states are the master's degree and the doctoral degree both involve a combination of research and coursework. Graduate education differs from undergraduate education in that it offers a greater depth of training, with increased specialization and intensity of instruction. Study and learning are more self directed at the graduate level than at the undergraduate level.

Graduate courses assume that students are well prepared in the basic elements of their field of study. Depending on the subject, courses may be quite formal, consisting primarily of lecture presentations by faculty members, or they may be relatively informal, placing emphasis on discussion and exchange of ideas among faculty and students. Seminars involve smaller groups of students than lecture courses, and students may be required to make presentations as well as participate in discussions. Degree requirements are stated in terms of credits sometimes called units or hours , and each course usually earns three or four credits, generally reflecting the number of hours spent in the classroom and the amount of other work involved. A student will usually accumulate 24 credits per academic year if the university operates on a traditional two semester system. The master's degree is designed to provide additional education or training in the student's specialized branch of knowledge, well beyond the level of baccalaureate study.

Master's degrees are offered in many different fields, and there are two main types of programs: academic and professional. Degrees are usually awarded in the traditional arts, sciences, and humanities disciplines. These programs usually require the completion of between 30 and 60 credit hours and could reasonably be completed in one or two academic years of full time study. The degree is the same in both cases, but the academic requirements are slightly different. Students in non thesis programs usually take more coursework in place of researching and writing a thesis, and they take a written comprehensive examination after all coursework is completed. Students in degree programs that include a thesis component generally take a comprehensive examination that is an oral exam covering both coursework and their thesis. professional master's: these degree programs are designed to lead the student from the first degree to a particular profession.

Professional master's degrees are most often terminal master's programs, meaning that they do not lead to doctoral programs. Such master's degrees are often designated by specific descriptive titles, such as master of business administration m.b.a. Other subjects of professional master's programs include journalism, international relations, architecture, and urban planning. Professional master's degrees are oriented more toward direct application of knowledge than toward original research.

They are more structured than academic degree programs, and often require that every student take a similar or identical program of study that lasts from one to three years, depending on the institution and the field of study. Professional degree programs usually require completion of between 36 and 48 units one to two years of full time study , and usually do not offer a thesis option. They do not always require that the bachelor's degree be in a specific field, but they may recommend a certain amount of prior study or coursework in the subject area. important difference: one main difference between master's programs is whether or not they are designed for students who intend to continue toward a doctoral degree. Those that specifically do not lead into doctoral programs are known as terminal master's programs. Credits earned in terminal master's programs may or may not be transferable or applicable in case you decide to continue toward a doctoral degree later on. Some institutions restrict admission to certain departments solely to potential doctoral candidates, although they may award a terminal master's degree to students who complete a certain level of coursework but do not go on to their doctoral work.

Other departments require a master's degree as part of the requirements for admission to their doctoral program. Since policies vary from institution to institution and within various departments of each institution, it is best to check directly with individual graduate departments to determine the structure and admissions policies for their master's and doctoral candidates. The doctoral degree is designed to train research scholars and, in many cases, future college and university faculty members. Receipt of a doctoral degree certifies that the student has demonstrated capacity as a trained research scholar in a specific discipline.

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Other doctoral degrees are awarded primarily in professional fields, such as education ed.d. Doctoral programs involve advanced coursework, seminars, and the writing of a dissertation that describes the student's own original research, completed under the supervision of a faculty adviser. A comprehensive examination is given, usually after three to five years of study and completion of all coursework, and when the student and adviser agree that the student is ready. This exam is designed to test the student's ability to use knowledge gained through courses and independent study in a creative and original way.

Students must demonstrate a comprehensive understanding of their chosen field of study. Successful completion of this examination marks the end of the student's coursework and the beginning of concentration on research. Degree is awarded to those students who complete an original piece of significant research, write a dissertation describing that research, and successfully defend their work before a panel of faculty members who specialize in the discipline. To earn a doctoral degree, therefore, may take anywhere from five to eight years beyond the bachelor's degree, depending on the field of study.