Branches of Oceanography

The vast number of topics within oceanography fit into one of the four different branches of oceanography: biological, chemical, geological, and physical.

Biological oceanographers study all of the life that exists in the Earth's oceans. Chemical oceanographers examine the chemical composition and properties of seawater. Geological oceanographers explore the formation of the oceans and the structure of the sea floor. Finally, physical oceanographers investigate waves, tides, currents and the transmission of light and sound in seawater.

There are many exciting careers in oceanography. You may be interested in offshore drilling or the discovery of new species or even becoming a professor in this field. Whatever your interests in the field of science, all are represented in the study of oceanography.