PAOC students participate in one of four different graduate programs: Atmospheric Science Climate Physics & Chemistry Physical Oceanography Chemical Oceanography We offer students rich opportunities for complex, interdisciplinary work. For this reason, our programs are flexible and serve primarily to guide students through an organized body of study and research. There can be considerable overlap in the courses taken by students in the different programs. Students select one of these programs, but may receive permission to move into another as their research interests develop.
The graduate programs in Atmospheric Science and the Climate Physics and Chemistry are within the Department of Earth, Atmospheric and Planetary Sciences [EAPS]. The graduate programs in oceanography are joint doctoral programs with the MIT/Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution (WHOI) Joint Program. WHOI, located about 80 miles south of Boston, is one of the world’s leading oceanographic research centers, with extensive laboratory facilities and an impressive fleet of research ships and submersibles operating around the world. Joint Program students may reside and conduct research at either MIT or WHOI, and much effort has been made to render communication and travel between the institutions as easy as possible.
The programs in which you are interested will determine whether you apply to EAPS or to WHOI. You may certainly apply for programs in both organizations by submitting two applications. In this case the applications will be considered separately.
To apply to EAPS for Atmospheric Science and/or Climate Physics and Chemisty start here.
To apply to WHOI for Chemical Oceanography and/or Physical Oceanography start here.