is an introductory course covering the major ocean sciences (biology, chemistry, geology, physics) at a level sufficient for science majors but accessible to non-science majors. It explores phenomena occurring from the shoreline to the abyss and from equatorial to polar regions. It also examines principles of marine ecology as well as how the marine environment affects humans and vice versa. The course is offered either in a blended format (combining face-to-face lectures and online interactive activities in the form of virtual oceanographic expeditions) or exclusively online.

provides a general understanding of the biological processes that occur in coastal and oceanic environments. It introduces students to the major groups of bacteria, phytoplankton, invertebrates and fish, emphasizing the biotic and abiotic factors controlling primary production and marine biomass. It shows how the physical, chemical, and geological environments interact with biology to define processes and patterns affecting nutrients and life in marine ecosystems.

introduces students to the breadth of aquaculture and fisheries science and the variety of animal species cultured and harvested. Basic aspects of aquaculture and fisheries and the links between the two are covered, including production systems, capture fisheries, environmental interactions, and the physiology, ecology and reproduction of finfish and shellfish in the context of their culture and harvest.

provides an introduction to the fundamental chemical properties of seawater and the processes governing the concentrations of elements and compounds in the oceans. It is an introduction to the sources, distribution, and transformations of chemical constituents of the ocean, and their relation to biological, chemical, geological, and physical processes. Topics include: controls on average concentration of chemicals in the ocean; vertical and horizontal distributions of ocean constituents; air-sea interactions; production, export, and remineralization of organic matter; the ocean carbon cycle; human-induced changes; stable isotopes; and trace elements.

is a study of the formation and evolution of oceans, including plate tectonics, mid-ocean ridges (birth place of oceans), subduction zones (where oceans are consumed), sedimentary environments such as estuaries, deltas, beaches and barrier islands, continental shelves, slopes and deep abyssal plains and special topics, including anoxic events, evolution of tides, atmosphere-ocean interactions, formation of banded iron formations, snowball Earth, black and white smokers, and how Earth modulates its climate through atmosphere, hydrosphere, biosphere and lithosphere interactions.

provides an introduction to general oceanography with a primary focus on physical oceanography. Topics include how oceans form and evolve on a planetary scale. Ocean characteristics studied include: the properties of seawater; elementary dynamics of fluids on the rotating Earth; ocean circulation; wind-forcing in the ocean; tides and waves. Contemporary methods used in oceanographic study are covered including satellite oceanography. Interactions that occur between physical and chemical processes and biological activity are reviewed.

explores the instruments, techniques and analytical methods commonly used to study marine life and processes, chiefly focusing on the interaction between living organisms and their chemical, physical and geological environment. The course combines ship-based or shore-based sampling and data collection with laboratory investigation in an intensive 2-week long format. It is primarily intended for mid-level undergraduate students majoring in Ocean Sciences or Marine Biology. This course will either be offered during a special session following the Winter semester, or in the Spring semester.

emphasizes the techniques and methods used to culture finfish and shellfish, with a primary focus on Canadian aquaculture species. Basic aspects of aquaculture will be covered, including the design and maintenance of production systems, culture techniques, and the nutrition, health, physiology and reproduction of finfish and shellfish. The laboratory portion of this course will provide students with practical experience in the maintenance of land-based aquaculture production systems and in the husbandry/culture of aquatic organisms.

is an introduction to biotechnology and genetics as they are applied to aquaculture and fisheries. Topics covered include genetic variation; genetic structure of fish and shellfish populations; the genetic basis of aquaculture traits; finfish and shellfish genomic research; marker-assisted selection in aquaculture; manipulation of ploidy; genetic engineering in aquaculture; and techniques used to study the responses of aquatic animals to external stressors such as hypoxia, temperature stress, acidification, and pathogens.

provides an overview of microbial activity in the ocean, both in natural and applied settings. The focus is on interactions between microorganisms and other biota, ranging from deep-sea vent invertebrates to commercially cultured fish species. Prospective topics include effluent discharge, water quality, bacterial metabolism and nutrient cycles, bacteria-virus and bacteria-host interactions (including symbioses and pathogenesis), and marine microbial biotechnology.

covers physiological adaptations of animals facilitating their survival in natural environments with emphasis on physiological and biochemical responses of animals to extreme environments. Starting with the fundamental basis of physiological mechanisms, the course explores various aspects and the integration of major physiological processes (metabolism, respiration, osmoregulation) and how these relate to ecological niche.

uses a practical laboratory-based approach to investigate interactions between marine life and their ocean environment and is intended for students of biology and ocean science. Both experimental and computer-based modelling labs will cover topics such as historical and modern approaches for investigating planktonic life, life in and near the seafloor, and life in the sea surface microlayer.

is an introductory course in biology of the oceans. Introduces students to marine habitats and the organisms that inhabit them, emphasizing functional morphology, physiology, biodiversity, phylogeny, and ecology. Also includes introduction to marine biogeography, conservation, fisheries and pollution.

examines community structure, function and distribution of northern coastal fishes in fjords and estuarine environments. Emphasis on sampling, field techniques, taxonomy, quantitative characterization, adaptations and habitat relationships. A comparative approach will contrast fish communities from other areas. To be held as a two week field course.

examines the evolutionary history and ecology of the world’s fishes, with particular emphasis on those of ecological, economical and cultural importance to Eastern Canada. Topics will include taxonomy, life histories, behaviour, zoogeography, evolutionary ecology, population biology, contemporary evolution, and conservation biology.

is an in-depth study and application of methods routinely employed for data collection in underwater scientific research. Aspects covered include habitat mapping; installation and use of instrumentation; still and video camera techniques; planning and execution of surveys and experiments in major subtidal habitats; as well as data analysis and interpretation. Participants are trained in accordance with Memorial University of Newfoundland’s Guide for Diving Safety and the Canadian Association for Underwater Science (CAUS) standards to meet the criteria for Scientific Diver I rating. This course is normally offered at the Ocean Sciences Centre in a special 2-week session at the beginning or end of the Spring semester.

is quantitative reasoning using verbal, graphical and statistical models of scaled quantities (units and dimensions). Exploratory and confirmatory analysis of field and laboratory data. Hypothesis testing, randomization tests, and likelihood ratios. Topics include the general linear model (t-tests, ancova etc), correlation, multivariate methods, mixed models, Poisson and logistic regression.

provides an in-depth examination of cellular, physiological, behavioural and ecological adaptations in marine animals. Lectures will be combined with discussions of relevant papers from the primary literature on topics of current interest which may relate morphology, ecology, evolution, natural history, species interactions and practical applications. Students will also gain hands-on experience by designing and conducting research projects involving live or preserved animals.

provides an overview of marine genomics, transcriptomics, proteomics, glycomics, metabolomics, and lipidomics. Omics-based studies of a variety of marine organisms (e.g. fungi, algae, animals), as well as several industrial applications (e.g. biofuel, nutrigenomics, pharmacogenomics, aquaculture and fisheries), will be considered.

explores the effects of ocean-atmosphere dynamics on large scale marine ecosystem domains, with a special focus on assessing the impact of anticipated climate change on global fisheries production. The course uses a blend of lectures and computer simulation laboratories to familiarize students with current research on fisheries and climate change.

provides an overview of the physical and chemical environment of the deep sea, including hydrothermal vents and seeps, to explore adaptations in deep-sea organisms and biodiversity in this key oceanic system. The course combines lectures, seminars, discussions and computer-based laboratory tools, such as dive logs from remotely operated vehicles and data from underwater cabled observatories. It introduces students to emerging research, cutting-edge technologies, as well as natural and human impacts in the deep sea.

is a two-week intensive course that examines the ecology of cold oceans, focussing on energy flux through Newfoundland waters, and how the dynamics of this environment influence linkages among organisms in different habitats. The course is field and lab intensive, with lectures and a strong hands-on component. Students will collect field samples, identify local organisms from the plankton or the benthos, plan and conduct an experiment, and learn to interpret and present the gathered results. This course is offered during two weeks of the Spring or Fall semesters.

is designed to give students exposure to all aspects of crustacean biology including, but not limited to classification, anatomy and morphology, physiology, behaviour, fisheries and aquaculture. The lectures are combined with interactive activities where students can look at representative specimens, learn through dissection and simple behavioural experiments.

is an introduction to anatomical, physiological and cellular processes in the life cycle of fishes.

explores the principles and tactics of reproduction in an evolutionary ecology context, with an emphasis on adaptations to the marine environment. It focuses on the behavioural, ecological and life-history means by which marine animals maximize their lifetime reproductive success. The course covers such topics as sex determination, hermaphroditism, sex ratio, reproductive allocation, mating systems, sexual selection, sexual dimorphism, and parental investment. Various reproductive strategies are exemplified in the major groups of marine animals.

provides an overview of immunology of aquatic organisms. The focus is on comparative immunology, immune response to infections and environmental stressors (e.g. temperature, pollutants), and vaccinology of commercially cultured fish species. This course also covers topics related to the origin of adaptive immunity, antigen recognition and antibody diversity, memory immune response, and vaccine development. Lab visits and mini-labs are part of this course.

focuses on areas of study of heightened current interest to both oceanographers and the public. Examples include changes in ocean conditions under global warming and degradation of the marine environment by polluting plastics. This course provides students with current information on a Hot Topic and prepares them for public speaking. Students are encouraged to think about relevant issues from both a scientific and societal perspective.

are advanced courses for senior undergraduate students that cover one or several subjects related to environmental changes and the flow of major elements in marine systems.

are advanced courses for senior undergraduate students that cover one or several subjects related to evolutionary and ecological principles at the organisimal and ecosystem levels in marine systems.

are advanced courses for senior undergraduate students that cover one or several subjects related to research in marine biology, such as field and laboratory experimental design, data analysis and modeling.

are advanced courses for senior undergraduate students that cover one or several subjects of special interest in applied fields of ocean sciences, such as fisheries, conservation, aquaculture, and biotechnology.

is a two-semester linked course based on independent research conducted under the supervision of an academic supervisor, who is normally a faculty member of the Department of Ocean Sciences. This dissertation is mandatory for students pursuing the Honours in Ocean Sciences. It can also be used towards the requirements of the Joint Honours in Marine Biology. A grade of PAS in 499A is required to proceed to 499B. The final written dissertation is normally submitted before the end of the tenth week of the second semester and an oral presentation of the completed research is delivered before the end of the semester.