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20260412890The establishment of the MSc program in 2002 was driven by the growing recognition of the importance of marine studies, particularly given the country’s extensive coastline and rich marine biodiversity. The program aims to equip students with a comprehensive understanding of marine physics and its applications, addressing critical issues such as marine resource management, environmental conservation, and the impact of climate change on marine ecosystems. Since its inception, the Marine Physics Program has evolved to include a robust curriculum that integrates theoretical knowledge with practical applications. It offers students opportunities for hands-on experience through laboratory work and field studies, preparing them for careers in academia, research, and various marine industries.
The establishment of the MSc program in 2002 was driven by the growing recognition of the importance of marine studies, particularly given the country’s extensive coastline and rich marine biodiversity. The program aims to equip students with a comprehensive understanding of marine physics and its applications, addressing critical issues such as marine resource management, environmental conservation, and the impact of climate change on marine ecosystems. Since its inception, the Marine Physics Program has evolved to include a robust curriculum that integrates theoretical knowledge with practical applications. It offers students opportunities for hands-on experience through laboratory work and field studies, preparing them for careers in academia, research, and various marine industries.
The Marine Physics program prepares students to conduct and communicate research in Marine Physics. It seeks to advance students’ knowledge and understanding of the physical and dynamical processes in the atmosphere and ocean. Our graduates contribute to advancing knowledge and better informing the public and policy makers on how to prepare for hazards and changes in the Earth’s atmosphere and oceans.
| Course Code | Course | Credits | Prerequisites |
|---|---|---|---|
| MP 620 | Geophysical Fluid Dynamics | 3 | – |
| Description | Geophysical Fluid Dynamics (GFD) is the fluid dynamics of the atmosphere and oceans. Development of the fundamental fluid dynamics used in analyzing flows in physical oceanography and meteorology. Fundamentals of vorticity dynamics and geostrophy, inviscid theory of Rossby waves, and Ekman boundary layers. Scaling laws, non-dimensional parameters, and asymptotic expansions are all used to gain physical understanding from solutions to the Navier-Stokes equations in a rotating frame of reference. Immediate applications are the dynamics of weather, climate, oceans, and large lakes. | ||
| MP 621 | Physical Oceanography | 3 | – |
| Description | This course is prepared to provide an introduction to physical oceanography for students with a strong background in physics and mathematics. The unit will explore various concepts, such as the ocean's circulation and physical structure. Topics covered include seawater properties, instruments and observing platforms, equations of motion, geostrophic circulation, Ekman layer theory and wind-driven circulation, meridional overturning circulation, circulation of the Southern Ocean, ocean waves, and the fundamentals of ocean modeling. By studying these concepts, students will gain a solid understanding of how currents and waves influence the climate system and will be equipped with the necessary knowledge for describing and modeling these phenomena in physical oceanography. | ||
| MP 622 | Data Analysis in Physical Oceanography | 3 | – |
| Description | The course aims to learn techniques for analyzing physical oceanography. Data acquisition and recording, the instruments applied in physical oceanography. data processing and presentation using PYTHON, PARAVIEW and MATLAB. The traditional data analysis methods applied in ocean science such as cluster analysis, regression analysis, principal component analysis, interpolation analysis, correlation analysis and other statistical analysis methods. Error handling and correction for ocean data adopting programming languages such as PYTHON, PARAVIEW and MATLAB. The Analysis will include the spatial data fields and time series analysis methods. | ||
| MP 623 | Large Scale Ocean Process | 3 | – |
| Description | The course will explore the processes which give rise to ocean circulation It will include global processes (geostrophic, wind, buoyancy forcing) and how these processes have markedly different influences on the deep ocean and on the shelf sea. For example, the deep ocean is mainly governed by geostrophic flow, whilst the shelf seas are influenced strongly by frictional processes. The global ocean circulation: its causes, its measurement and its role in the climate system will be explored. Computer based practical and example sheets will underline key concepts in the module. | ||
| MP 630 | Dynamics of Waves and Tides | 3 | – |
| Description | The general characteristics of waves (short term) and tides (long term) variation of sea level are initially introduced. Through the course, the generating and propagation of the different types of waves and tides are presented. Physical mechanisms associated with the transformation and dissipation of wave and tidal energies are described. Governing equations and boundary conditions are illustrated along with some empirical formulas used to calculate waves parameters and waves spectra. Waves and tides measurements and data analysis methods are demonstrated and applied. | ||
| MP 631 | Numerical Modeling in Oceanography | 3 | – |
| Description | Knowledge of the modeling systems for the water flows and physical properties. It will include introduction to numerical modeling, numerical solutions, linear algebraic equations, numerical Differential Equations, numerical and Analytical Solutions to Partial Differential Equations, applications to ocean circulation models, coastal water circulation, mathematical modeling of tides and waves and marine environment models | ||
| MP 632 | Remote Sensing in Physical Oceanography | 3 | – |
| Description | This course is designed for the MSc. students to learn about different aspects of satellite oceanography and its applications in marine environments. specially the remote sensing systems in depth and its applications in SST, SSH, and ocean color. | ||
| MS 600 | Scientific Research Methods | 3 | – |
| Description | The course gives general principles and procedure used in scientific research including defining the problem and how to solve it through the necessary studies. Analysis and interpretation of laboratory tests, report writing. More emphasis will be directed toward how to write a research proposal and a research paper. The course aims to make collection of material and information for the research topics, Writing a research proposal and scientific paper. | ||
| MP 699 | M.Sc. Thesis | 10 | – |
| Description | This course represents the last stage in the program. This course defines a topic and formulates a research problem. During this course, students select and review the relevant literature, design a research proposal including a brief introduction on the area of study, the problem that will be solved, the aim and objectives of the work and materials and techniques. In addition, the student will describe how he/she will collect and analyze data, discuss the results, and summarize the results. Students will finally write a report called a Master Thesis. | ||
Last Modified Date: 12/07/2026 - 7:51 PM Saudi Arabia Time
