PhD in Oceanography / Applied Ocean Science and Engineering

JOINT PROGRAM IN OCEANOGRAPHY/APPLIED OCEAN SCIENCE & ENGINEERING

The Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) - Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution (WHOI) Joint Program in Oceanography/Applied Ocean Science and Engineering is a five-year doctoral degree program. The combined strengths of MIT and WHOI provide research and educational opportunities in scientific and engineering disciplines that contribute to ocean science. Many students carry out interdisciplinary research. 

The MIT-WHOI Joint Program provides a high quality education leading to an internationally-recognized doctoral degree awarded by both institutions. The Joint Program is organized within five sub-disciplinary areas, each administered by a Joint Committee consisting of MIT faculty and WHOI scientists: Applied Ocean Science and Engineering, Biological Oceanography, Chemical Oceanography, Marine Geology and Geophysics, and Physical Oceanography. Cutting across the Joint Committees are interdisciplinary themes including “climate and climate impacts” and “coastal processes”. In addition to the cross-cutting themes, many students choose research topics which overlap two or more of the sub-disciplines, and Joint Program leadership works to support and accommodate students with interdisciplinary interests (see interdisciplinary statement and thesis examples). Thesis committees involving biologists and engineers, chemists and geologists, physical oceanographers and biologists are common.