Oceanography Professor

The ocean covers over half of the Earth’s surface, and thousands of creatures call it home. That means if you’re an Oceanography Professor, you have a lot of ground (or water) to cover. You conduct studies to learn more about the ocean, and you pass on this advanced knowledge to eager students.

Very few schools offer bachelor’s degrees in oceanography, which may make your class as an Oceanography Professor—much sought after. Most of your classes are packed with advanced students who want to work as Oceanographers when they’re done with school. The lectures you give are targeted toward these advanced students, and you cover many difficult concepts quickly. Students then take tests and write papers, and as party of your role as a Oceanography Professor, you give them grades at the end of the course.

Conducting research in oceanography is an important part of your life as well. On occasion, you take a term away from school so you can conduct an experiment in a faraway part of the world. When you return home, you write papers describing your research and the results. The work you do advances your career and the prestige of your school at the same time.

You hold a leadership position in your department, so you’re expected to help recruit and hire new Instructors. Often, you conduct meetings for your department, determining what books should be used by the staff and what topics should be covered in the classroom. Attending meetings for your school is also part of the job, and you may help to set budgets or make high-level decisions that impact all students who attend the school.