Rising early to the sound of waves against a ship’s hull, ready to collect water samples and measure salinity levels under the bright sun. This is just a glimpse into the life of an oceanography student at Texas A&M University’s Department of Oceanography. Its degree programmes provide interdisciplinary training that looks into some of the most pressing challenges facing ocean science today, including resource scarcity, population growth, and ocean sustainability.
Hands-on experiences are a key part of every programme here. Students conduct research aboard state-of-the-art vessels. Closer to home, field-based classes in Galveston Bay, guided by expert faculty, focus on issues like marine pollution. These experiences enrich learning and inspire students to pursue impactful careers in ocean sciences.
Ready to see where a Texas A&M oceanography degree could take you? Discover what graduates have to say:
Texas A&M equipped Larrouilh with the tools he needed to build a successful career in oceanography. Source: Texas A&M University
Charles Larrouilh
Charles Larrouilh began his academic journey in ocean engineering but didn’t like how focused it was on theory. He then found the perfect programme: the BS in Oceanography. “It offered the dynamic learning environment I was looking for, where I can transfer knowledge from the classroom to the field,” he says.
Larrouilh worked in various labs and supported department projects, including building chairs and dremeling numbers into sample bottles. He enjoyed them all but his most memorable experience was his first six-day research cruise aboard the R/V Point Sur.
For Larrouilh, the department was more than a place to study. He built lasting friendships with professors, and the department’s lounge became his second home during finals, where he studied with his friends.
These experiences shaped both his technical and interpersonal skills. From data analysis and environmental impact assessments to teamwork, problem-solving, and scientific communication, he left the programme with a suite of skills to tackle the real-world challenges of ocean science.
Larrouilh has since collected water samples for deep-sea mining trials for the Fitzsimmons lab and supported subsea asset positioning for deepwater construction at Fugro. Today, he works in environmental consulting, helping clients adhere to globally recognised sustainability frameworks.
The annual Schade Cruise inspired Halbeisen to join a graduate programme that guarantees ship time to the Southern Ocean. Source: Texas A&M University
Dylan Halbeisen
Dylan Halbeisen was drawn to the Department of Oceanography’s R1 faculty, small student-to-faculty ratio, and resources like the International Ocean Discovery Programme (IODP) and the Geochemical & Environmental Research Group (GERG). The BS in Oceanography’s flexibility was another benefit. “I could tailor my studies to my interests, which made the experience both engaging and impactful,” he adds.
His journey was anything but ordinary. “I’ve explored Galveston Bay during field trips and spent four days in the Gulf of Mexico, operating CTD consoles and collecting seawater samples.”
This enthusiasm pushed him to present his research at the Ocean Sciences Meeting in San Diego and land a Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU) position at Bigelow Laboratory. By his senior year, he was ready to apply for the National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship Programme (GRFP).
Through these experiences, Halbeisen became proficient in handling large geoscience datasets using MATLAB and R. “Meanwhile, fieldwork taught me the logistics of oceangoing science, and my writing-intensive courses helped me analyse academic literature and critically engage with oceanographic concepts,” he says.
These skills came together in his independent senior capstone project, which “gave me the confidence to start my PhD programme.”
The skills and knowledge Martinez gained in his oceanography courses were a key part of his thesis work’s success. Source: Texas A&M University
Jose Martinez
Jose Martinez thought engineering was the right field for him when he joined Texas A&M. But by his second semester, it was clear his passion lay with the ocean. So, he switched to the BS in Oceanography, driven by his love for the water from summers spent in Puerto Rico with his dad.
One of Martinez’s favourite experiences was the Schade Cruise. “Being in the middle of the Gulf of Mexico, surrounded by the vast expanse of dark blue water, left me in awe,” he says. Weekly lab meetings with his mentor, Dr Shamberger, provided even more insights into research and collaboration.
Like Larrouilh and Halbeisen, the skills Martinez developed during his undergraduate programme laid the foundation for his success in graduate school. “The oceanography knowledge I gained was beneficial for my master’s thesis, and learning MATLAB made it easier for me to switch to R for my thesis data analysis,” he says.
Most recently, Martinez defended his thesis on “Hypoxia Driven by Caribbean Sargassum Accumulation Events”. He will join the Knauss Fellowship for 2025–26 as a legislative finalist as well.
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