The US Navy has a specialized training program for individuals who want to become a Navy oceanographer, and officers usually need a college degree. The training program covers meteorology and oceanography, and graduates can earn a master’s or doctorate degree. Eligible graduates attend Officer Candidate School and Basic Oceanography Access Training. The Navy assigns new officers to a duty station, where they acquire on-the-job training. Graduate students can direct marine science studies in specific oceanography subjects.
Individuals who want to become a Navy oceanographer can enlist in the Navy without having a formal education, as this branch of the military has a specialized training program. However, people interested in joining officer training usually need a college degree. The US Navy often combines the earth science fields of meteorology and oceanography into one career option. Naval officers who want to earn a graduate degree in the field can enter the Naval Graduate School for a master’s degree in meteorology and oceanography or a doctorate in oceanography. At all levels of training, programs not only span both fields, but also include education that applies the sciences to naval operations.
After enlisting to become a Navy oceanographer, individuals typically participate in a specialized education, research, and training program. The knowledge and skills gained through training can be applied to a college degree as earned credit hours. Upon completion, students earn the title Airbrush Mate. The training provides knowledge about the methods and instrumentation used by the Navy to monitor and collect data pertaining to various aspects of ocean and weather conditions. Education also prepares personnel to create charts and maps for navigation based on acquired data, and the communication skills necessary to transmit this information to aircraft, ships or military installations on land.
The Navy may accept a college graduate with a bachelor’s degree to become a Navy oceanographer if the individual meets certain requirements. The degree must be in geophysics, mathematics, meteorology or in the areas of oceanography, physics or physical sciences. Students must have completed their studies with a grade point average of 2.2 or higher and must have acquired at least a C+ in calculus and physics. Eligible graduates typically attend the Officer Candidate School (OCS) for 12 weeks, followed by Basic Oceanography Access Training (BOAT) for 11 weeks. After completing education and training requirements, the Navy assigns new officers to a duty station, where personnel acquire on-the-job training (OJT) and perform assigned duties as a meteorology and oceanography officer (METOC).
An officer who wants to become a Navy oceanographer with a graduate degree usually attends the Naval Graduate School. The master’s program requires students to take courses in meteorology and oceanography. Students enrolled in the two-and-a-half-year program must also complete a thesis project. Doctoral programs at the Naval Graduate School allow students to focus their educational efforts on specific oceanography subjects. Students can direct marine science studies in areas including acoustic oceanography, coastal ocean circulation, or polar regions.
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