Whether you’re already working in the field or charting a new course, URI Online’s Master of Oceanography program offers the opportunity to deepen your understanding, advance your career, and explore critical issues facing our ocean—without stepping foot on campus.
Taught by world-renowned scientists from the University of Rhode Island’s Graduate School of Oceanography, this fully online program equips students with a strong foundation across biological, chemical, geological, and physical oceanography—paired with the freedom to focus on the topics that matter most to them.
Graduates emerge with the skills to analyze ocean issues, connect science to policy, and communicate their findings to a wide range of audiences. It’s ocean science for the real world—flexible, rigorous, and built for impact.
Meet some of our students and recent grads to see where this program can take you.
Teresa Kennedy,
M.O. ’24
Dr. Kennedy, a professor of International STEM and Bilingual/ELL Education, credits URI’s online oceanography program with transforming her career. While earning her M.O, she collaborated with UNESCO’s Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission, published work that began in a graduate writing course, and spent 52 days at sea with GO-SHIP A13.5—all while taking classes remotely. “The asynchronous format allowed me to stay engaged, even from the middle of the ocean,” she said. “The support I received opened doors I never imagined.”
Meet Teresa
Julian Race
M.O. ’24
Julian Race has been working on research vessels like EV Nautilus as a data engineer for a decade. Earning an online M.O. from GSO, he was able to take several classes at sea, even while working with the United States Antarctic Program in especially chilly waters.
Meet Julian
Gabriela Espino
Projected graduation: Spring 2025
For Gaby Espino, a full-time active duty military service member stationed at the Pacific Fleet headquarters in Pearl Harbor, flexibility wasn’t a perk—it was essential. That’s what drew her to URI’s fully online M.O. program. Between 12-hour shifts, Espino completed coursework at her own pace, engaging deeply in class discussions and finding a renewed purpose.
With a Naval Academy background and a passion for environmental advocacy, she’s now transitioning out of the military and into a new career path—oceanography, where she hopes to tackle urgent climate and ocean issues.
Meet GABY