Newswise — Dalhousie University will launch Canada’s first undergraduate degree in Ocean Sciences in the fall of 2013. The program will help position Canada as a global leader in ocean science and decision-making by training a new generation of students to tackle critical ocean problems through a range of approaches including modelling and direct and remote observations.
“This program will fill a gap in science education in Canada,“ said Anna Metaxas, Professor of Oceanography, Dalhousie University. “It will provide Canada with the expertise to help understand and sustainably manage this vital part of our planet."
Students will learn about high-profile issues including climate change and offshore energy. Required classes such as "Oceans and Global Change" will dig into projected effects of climate change including increases in sea level, storm surges and changes in ocean chemistry. Graduates will facilitate the successful adoption of new marine technologies, such as tidal energy turbines, and will play a critical role in understanding the consequences of the melting Arctic.
“Dalhousie is setting the scale for ocean sciences in Canada and the world,” said Tom Traves, President, Dalhousie University. “This program extends Dalhousie’s reach by providing an avenue to educate and train the next generation of ocean scientists, managers and citizens.”
The program, administered by the Department of Oceanography, combines courses in physics, chemistry, biology, earth sciences and mathematics with courses exploring how these basic sciences are applied to investigations of the ocean. The program complements other recent expansions in ocean-related activities at Dalhousie, including the new Canada Excellence Research Chair (CERN), the Ocean Tracking Network (OTN), the Marine Environmental Observation Prediction and Response (MEOPAR) Network and Chancellor of Germany Angela Merkel’s visit to discuss cooperation in ocean sciences between Germany and Dalhousie University.
Dalhousie University, located in the heart of downtown Halifax, is a world-renowned educational institution providing exemplary leadership in academia, research and community. At the forefront of leading research initiatives, Dalhousie boasts one of the best student-faculty ratios in Canada and is home to nationally and internationally celebrated faculty members. Across all three campuses, you’ll find diversity among students, variety among programs and opportunity for personal and professional growth.
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