The PhD program in PhD: Oceanography and Coastal Sciences from?Louisiana State University?includes at least 48 hours of course work beyond the baccalaureate, meeting the core requirements, 9 hours of dissertation research, and research leading to a dissertation. Either a formal minor (usually 12 hours) in another department is required or the student must complete a study area of specialization. This may be outside the department or within an area of specialization within the department, but different from the candidate's main area of specialization. At least 29 of the 57credit hours should be at the 7000 level or above.

A Ph.D. student in the Department must complete a minor requirement. ?This requirement can be met in one of two ways. ?Other departments offer "official" minors that are satisfied by successfully completing a specific number or set of courses within the offerings of that department. ?This is usually a total of 12 semester hours. ?The second way to satisfy the minor requirement is to complete a course plan (12 hours at the 4000 level or above, at least 6 of these hours must be at the 7000 level) i an "area of specialization" and the courses must be approved by the student's committee. ?The courses must be from outside of OCS offerings, though they may be taken from more than one department. ?For either of these options, the student must have a professor from the outside department(s) as a member of the committee to represent the minor area.