Oceanography deals with the study of the entire aspects of ocean. It includes oceans currents and plate tectonics.  However, marine biology is the study of the various life forms and salty bodies in water. It is mainly concerned with microscopic organisms to the gigantic cetaceans.

Oceanography Courses and Career Opportunities

Oceanography is generally concerned with oceans. There are various under graduate and postgraduate courses in the field. Students who are extremely interested in oceanography can go for higher studies or research programmes in the related subjects. About 70% of the Earth’s surface is covered with oceans. Altogether, it lends 97% of the total water supply of the earth. Although there are many wonders of the marine world that are revealed, there are also countless unrevealed sensations in the ocean. Since it is an enormous field, there are abundant opportunities for those who have completed their studies in oceanography.

Marine Biology Courses and Career Opportunities

Marine biology is a wide sector involving all the life forms in water. The candidates who are interested in studying about the water animals can opt for UG or PG courses in the respective areas. There are also PhD courses offered by various Universities. Marine biology has further sub-divisions. They are Microbiology, Marine ethology, Marine mammology, Deep-sea ecology Fisheries and Aquaculture, Ichthyology, etc. It is quite important to study about sea life to have awareness about the world in which we live. More opportunities are arising day by day for the marine biologists.

Key Differentiators between Oceanography and Marine Biology

Oceanography and Marine biology are entirely different areas that are concerned with the ocean. It is the oceanographers who built up awareness about life in the context of oceanography. However, the marine biologists studies about the water creatures and the brine environments. Consider the example of a water animal. A marine biologist make hypothesis on the reproduction of that particular life forms. But the oceanographers study about the effects of the freezing upwelling on these creatures.