# Oceanography (OCEN) courses

Cuesta College · 2026-2027 Catalog · 4 courses

Source: https://cuesta.curriqunet.com/catalog/iq/29980/29981/30044

"Offered" lists sections in this catalog year's class schedules: Summer 2026, Fall 2026.

### OCEN 210 — OCEANOGRAPHY

- **Units:** 3
- **Hours:** 3 hours per week: (3.00 lecture hours/0.00 lab hours)
- **Prerequisite:** Elementary algebra or eligibility for college-level math using the current college process.
- **Transfers to:** CSU, UC
- **Offered:** Summer 2026, 1 section (/c/cuesta-college/schedule/summer-2026/ocen.md); Fall 2026, 3 sections (/c/cuesta-college/schedule/fall-2026/ocen.md)
- Credit - Degree Applicable
- Letter Grade or P/NP

Explores the major processes and features of Earth's oceans. Topics include the origin of ocean basins, properties of seawater, atmospheric and oceanic circulation, marine life, and the dynamics of waves and tides. This course explores the ocean as a resource and considers human impacts on the ocean and marine environments.

### OCEN 210L — OCEANOGRAPHY LABORATORY

- **Units:** 1
- **Hours:** 3 hours per week: (0.00 lecture hours/3.00 lab hours)
- **Prerequisite:** OCEN 210 or
- **Corequisite:** OCEN 210
- **Transfers to:** CSU, UC
- **Offered:** Fall 2026, 1 section (/c/cuesta-college/schedule/fall-2026/ocen.md)
- Credit - Degree Applicable
- Letter Grade or P/NP

Laboratory and field investigations of marine environments, including geologic, physical, chemical, and biological aspects of the ocean and coastal area. The course emphasizes changing physical factors and human activities as they affect the oceans.

### OCEN 247 — INDEPENDENT STUDIES: OCEANOGRAPHY

- **Units:** 0.5 to 4
- **Hours:** 1.5 to 12 hours per week: (0.00 - 0.00 lecture hours/1.50 - 12.00 lab hours/0.00 - 0.00 activity hours)
- **Transfers to:** CSU
- **Offered:** not on the Summer 2026, Fall 2026 schedules
- Credit - Degree Applicable
- Letter Grade or P/NP

Provides an opportunity for an in-depth study or a practicum experience by an individual student in a selected topic of Oceanography under the direction of an instructor.

### OCEN 252 — WORK EXPERIENCE IN OCEANOGRAPHY

- **Units:** 0.5 to 4
- **Hours:** 1.5 to 12 hours per week: (0.00 - 0.00 lecture hours/0.00 - 0.00 lab hours/1.50 - 12.00 work experience hours)
- **Transfers to:** CSU
- **Offered:** not on the Summer 2026, Fall 2026 schedules
- Credit - Degree Applicable
- Letter Grade Only
- Repeatable: 3 Times

Provides opportunities for students in Oceanography to connect academic curricula to experiential learning in the workplace as an internship, Service Learning placement or general employment. Allows students to develop and work on learning objectives in workplace competencies and technical skills relevant for their course of study and career pathway. Students must work 54 hours for each unit of credit earned, in half-unit increments (27 hours), up to a maximum of 4 units. Employment can be paid or unpaid.