undergraduate level. The risk always is that, in so doing, a portion 

 of the fundamental preparation in mathematics, science and engineering 

 will be displaced, and will need to be presented during the graduate 

 program, instead of being a tool already in hand and ready for use. 

 Since the Navy provides a continuum of experience in oceanography, 

 it is fortunate that the Naval Academy major and the Postgraduate 

 School advanced degree programs are being developed with close 

 cooperation between the t'wo schools, so that the maximum education 

 including the desired amount of basic science and engineering is 

 provided in the minimum time. 



An interesting question might be raised at this point. Should 

 every officer during his undergraduate education be given an introduc- 

 tion to oceanography - a survey course perhaps - to familiarize him 

 with the marine environment? Or is it sufficient to interest enough 

 undergraduates in taking a major in oceanography or ocean engineer- 

 ing, so that the specialist and subspecialist needs of the Navy will 

 later be met by these officers completing a graduate program? 



I think that the latter process is preferable at this point in the 

 Navy's development, providing two things are done. First, we must 

 recognize the need for subspecialists in oceanography at sea by 

 identifying the billets they should occupy, so that each ASW operating 

 unit and the supporting staffs do in fact have one subspecialist aboard; 

 and secondly we should insure that the training courses in the func- 

 tional schools teach environmental support in an adequate manner. 

 We -will return to the use of subspecialists in the Fleet a little later. 



Now let us move along to the graduate education of naval officers. 

 This year the Navy has 28 officers in graduate studies in oceanography 

 at 1 1 universities, half of whom are in doctoral degree programs. In 

 addition there are 80 officers enrolled at the Naval Postgraduate School 

 in programs leading to a Master of Science in Oceanography. Both 

 specialists and subspecialists are eligible for any of these courses. 



The Naval Postgraduate School oceanography curriculum provides 

 a broad base in physical oceanography. Options within the program 

 encourage studies in the structure of the environment, the prediction 

 of acoustical propagation, and the geophysics of the ocean. A newly 

 adopted option surveys the applications of engineering technology in 

 the ocean environment, and studies the design of underwater platforms, 

 submerged vehicles, and buoys. It also examines the geophysical, 

 chemical and biological effects of the sea on naval hardware, marine 

 equipment and instruments. 



There are three unique features in the Naval Postgraduate School 

 oceanography curriculum. First is the strong emphasis on physical 



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