The oceans cover approximately 71% of the earth's surface, and play a critical role in global climate through storage and transport of heat and carbon dioxide. Interactions between the ocean and atmosphere are responsible for global phenomena such as El Niño. Understanding ocean circulation and chemistry is crucial for understanding climate variability and prediction. ATOC faculty, graduate students, and research staff work together on a wide range of oceanographic research topics: large-scale dynamics, small-scale turbulence, air-sea interaction, carbon cycling and biogeochemistry, remote sensing of the ocean, and ocean-ice interactions. ATOC offers a Master's and Ph.D. degree in Atmospheric and Oceanic Sciences. Students wishing to specialize in the Oceanography track will enroll in courses that satisfy the core curriculum requirements. ATOC also offers a Graduate Level Certificate in Oceanography.