Graduate Menu
The Graduate Program in Oceanography (GPO), offered through the Rutgers School of Graduate Studies (SGS), provides advanced education and interdisciplinary research opportunities in the Physical, Biological, Chemical, and Geological processes that shape our oceans and coastal environments.
Centered in the Department of Marine and Coastal Sciences (DMCS), within the School of Environmental and Biological Sciences (SEBS) at Rutgers University–New Brunswick, the program brings together faculty, researchers, and graduate students to investigate critical questions in ocean science.
Research opportunities span a broad range of disciplines, including ocean circulation, marine ecosystems, climate change, ocean observing technologies, remote sensing, ocean modeling, biogeochemical processes, and coastal environments. Students engage in research involving advanced underwater instrumentation, marine biodiversity, molecular biology, paleoceanography, Antarctic ocean processes, deep-sea hydrothermal systems, and interactions between the ocean and Earth’s systems.
The program also benefits from connections to Operational Oceanography, providing opportunities to explore the application of advanced ocean observing technologies and scientific research to real-world marine and coastal challenges.
Graduates of the program have pursued successful careers in academia, government agencies, private industry, and scientific research institutions, contributing to advancements in ocean science, marine technology, and environmental research.
Explore our Graduate Alumni to learn more about their academic achievements and professional career paths.
Financial Support
The Graduate Program in Oceanography (GPO) offers financial support opportunities through faculty-sponsored research grants and contracts, as well as a limited number of university-supported Graduate Assistantships (GA), Teaching Assistantships (TA), and graduate fellowships available each year.
Most doctoral students are offered funding packages that may include graduate fellowships or faculty-sponsored research support. A limited number of GA and TA appointments are awarded each year. These Rutgers academic-year (10-month) appointments provide a stipend, tuition and fee remission, and access to health insurance, subject to the terms of the appointment.
Funding opportunities for Master of Science (M.S.) students are more limited, and students may pursue their degrees through a self-funded option. Students enrolled in the Master of Operational Oceanography (MOO) program are also self-funded and responsible for applicable tuition and fees.
Tuition, Fees & Financial Aid
Financial support is competitive and depends on available resources, faculty research funding, and individual appointments. Funding is not guaranteed, and the level and duration of support may vary.
For additional information about the GPO, please contact gpo@marine.rutgers.edu.
Graduate Program Leadership & Administration
Program Director
Dr. Yair Rosenthal
Dr. Yair Rosenthal
Academic leadership, graduate advising, and program oversight
📍 DMCS, Room 211C
✉ rosentha@marine.rutgers.edu
✉ rosentha@marine.rutgers.edu
Department & Graduate Program Administrator
Denise Laible-Brucato
Graduate admissions, GA/TA and fellowship onboarding and appointments, funding administration and departmental administration
📍 DMCS, Room 104H
✉ denise.brucato@marine.rutgers.edu
✉ denise.brucato@marine.rutgers.edu
Program Coordinator
Donna Napoli
Graduate course scheduling, registration and enrollment assistance, special permission (SPNs), travel coordination and program announcements.
📍 DMCS, Room 104C
✉ napoli@marine.rutgers.edu
✉ napoli@marine.rutgers.edu