This document outlines proposed guidelines and requirements for an undergraduate minor in Oceanography and Coastal Sciences, to be offered by the Department of Oceanography and Coastal Sciences (DOCS) at Louisiana State University. This minor is being proposed by DOCS in order to provide a structured educational environment in which LSU undergraduates may achieve greater understanding of the ocean and coastal zone’s influence on the natural world and on human activities.

Requirements for the Minor:
The following requirements have been agreed upon by the DOCS Undergraduate Curriculum Committee, and are in accordance with guidelines for minors published in the LSU General Catalog.

Requirements for the minor are:
· Completion of OCS 2008 and OCS 2009, with grade of "C" or better (8 hours)
· Completion of at least ten additional hours of approved electives with grade of "C or better, at least six hours of which must be at the 3000 level or higher.
· Approved electives include all DOCS undergraduate courses, and BIOL 4262 and 4263.

Description of OCS Lab Sequence:
2008 Introduction to Marine Sciences: Life Processes (4 h credit), 3 hours lecture, 1 hour lab (Benfield, Fall Semester only.)

2009 Introduction to Marine Sciences: Physical Processes (4 h credit), 3 hours lecture, 1 hour lab (Bentley and Inoue, Spring Semester only. Focus on physical and geological characteristics of the marine environment.

This complete sequence will be offered beginning Fall 2001.

Time Table:
Because the required sequence will be first offered beginning Fall 2001, the DOCS undergraduate minor will be a viable program as of August 2001.

Catalog Statement:
An undergraduate minor in Oceanography and Coastal Sciences is available (18 hours).

Requirements for the minor are:
· Completion of OCS 2008 and OCS 2009, with grade of "C" or better (8 hours)
· Completion of at least ten additional hours of approved electives with grade of "C or better, at least six hours of which must be at the 3000 level or higher.
· Approved electives include all DOCS undergraduate courses, and BIOL 4262 and 4263.

Courses Applicable to the Minor
Additional courses offered by DOCS (information from the DOCS Web Page) that can apply toward the minor include:

1005 - Introduction to Oceanography (3)
1006 - Honors course. Introduction to Oceanography (3)
2095 - Introduction to Marine Sciences (4) Summer only
4001 - Special Tops in Oceanography and Coastal Sciences (1-6)
4005 - Special Field Topics in Oceanography and Coastal Sciences (1-6) Summer only
4010 - Marine Science for Teachers (4) Summer only
4012- Biology of Marine Invertebrates (3)
4021 - Weather Analysis and Satellite Meteorology (3)
4040- Environmental Pollution Transport Processes (4) Summer only
4041 - Salt Marsh Ecology (4) Summer only
4090- Marine Microbiology (3)
4095 - Marine Field Ecology (4)
4126 - Chemical Oceanography (3)
4164 - Deltaic Processes and Products (3)
4165- Environmental Chemistry of Wetlands (3)
4166 - Wetland Delineation and Functional Assessment (3)
4170 - Physical Oceanography (3)
4210- Geological Oceanography (3)
4308 - Plants in Coastal Environments (3)
4372- Estuarine Ecology (4)
4410- Ecosystem Modeling and Analysis (3)
4465- Seminar in Coastal Zone Management (1-4)
4500 Fisheries Acoustics (3)
4550 Biological Oceanography (3)
4560- Wetland Loss, Restoration, and Management (3)

Additional courses offered by the Department of Biological Sciences that can apply toward the minor include:
BIOL 4262 Marine Communities (3 hours)
BIOL 4263 Marine Communities Lab (1 hour)