This course is an interdisciplinary, quantitative introduction to the field of oceanography, integrating biological, chemical, geological, and physical processes. The course will cover a number of key topics, including: origins of the oceans and plate tectonics; the hydrologic cycle; salinity and elemental cycles; ocean circulation; primary production and nutrient cycles; plankton and nekton; life in near shore communities; and the ocean’s role in global climate (change). This course is designed to present an introduction to some of the fundamental processes that affect the structure and function of the Ocean ecosystem as well as introduce how and why we study oceanographic processes.