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Graduate Students
At Scripps, students combine graduate courses with independent research. There are departmental and qualifying examinations. Generally, students spend at least four years of full-time graduate study for the Ph.D. degree. The department has no formal language requirement. Within the department, some curricular programs may require demonstration of ability to use certain foreign languages pertinent to the student’s research. All students must be proficient in English.
About 180 graduate students are currently enrolled at Scripps. These men and women come from diverse backgrounds, and from all parts of the United States, as well as from many other countries. One thing they all have in common is a very strong motivation to learn science.
Additional Information
Admission to Scripps does not depend upon undergraduate attendance at any University of California campus, nor does attendance at UCSD result in any special advantages when applying to Scripps. In selecting an undergraduate college, the applicant should make sure that it is accredited, that it offers the required courses, and that it provides an atmosphere in which students can work well.
It is not necessary that undergraduate work include marine sciences in order for a student to be considered for admission to Scripps. In fact, such work should not be undertaken if it detracts from study in the basic sciences. Scripps admits an average of 15 percent of those who apply for entrance. Scripps is not the only institution offering advanced work in marine sciences. Many colleges and universities offer courses and degrees in oceanography and marine sciences.
Placement and Salary
Although the demand for new positions in oceanography is small, scientists are needed to replace the present teachers and researchers in oceanography who are retiring or leaving the field. Traditional employment in academia or government service is supplemented by industrial employment, especially in mineral exploitation and environmental impact assessment.
Monthly academic salaries (in the mid-1990s) for oceanographers ranged from $2,500 to $6,500 (with a master’s degree) and $2,500 to $9,300 (with a doctorate degree). Monthly government salaries for oceanographers ranged from $2,500 to $3,300 (master’s) and $3,100 to $8,100 (doctorate).