This course is designed to introduce students to the field of Marine Ecology. Topics covered will come from Earth Science, Biology, Environmental Science, and Zoology. Students will investigate the history of ocean exploration, the physical and chemical makeup of the oceans, the interaction between organisms and the oceans, the interaction between the land and the oceans and environmental issues that affect the oceans. Topics of special interest to North Carolina will be included. Laboratory investigations will be conducted throughout the course.