Physical Oceanography

Physical oceanography is the scientific study of the physical properties and dynamics of the ocean: its temperature, salinity, density, currents, waves, and tides, and how these interact with the atmosphere, the seafloor, and the living systems the ocean supports. The ocean plays a fundamental role in regulating Earth's climate, absorbing heat and carbon dioxide, distributing warmth around the planet through its circulation systems, and generating the weather patterns that affect the lives of billions of people. Understanding these processes is essential to predicting how the ocean and climate system will respond to human-driven change.

At Bangor University, this four-year, full-time programme includes a foundation year, providing a structured introduction to the physics, mathematics, and environmental science needed before you enter the main degree. Bangor's location on the Menai Strait, at the edge of the Irish Sea, places it in an extraordinarily well-suited environment for the study of physical oceanography, with access to real marine environments for fieldwork and research. A sandwich year, year abroad option, and work placement opportunities are all available, giving you professional experience in research or applied oceanography contexts and exposure to the discipline in different national settings.

Graduates of physical oceanography programmes go on to careers in climate and environmental research, the Met Office and environmental agencies, offshore energy, maritime engineering, shipping, fisheries management, and international environmental organisations. The combination of quantitative scientific training and specialist knowledge of the ocean is valued in a growing range of sectors as the importance of the ocean to climate, food security, and energy becomes more widely recognised. Many graduates pursue postgraduate study in oceanography, climate science, or environmental science.