Geophysical Sciences Coastal Studies Program

The Hampton Roads area is dominated by numerous bodies of water from Chesapeake Bay to the smaller rivers, marshes, and swamps. Oceanography and marine science is very popular in the tidewater area. The Coastal Studies Program coordinates much of the college's activities in regional geology, biology, ecology, and oceanography. Because of its location, the Virginia Beach Campus of TCC is a convenient facility that can be used by area educators for their programs. Most area school systems have marine science programs. Increased awareness of beach erosion and storm damage also generates much interest in the region. Most of the Hampton Roads region is situated in wetland or former wetland environments which are subject to variety of uses and regulations. Cities such as Virginia Beach and Chesapeake are concerned about water supplies and environmental pollution as population increases. Rodney Clayton 822.7264 JD-34 Jim Coble 822.7090 JA-23 Mike Lyle 822.7189 JA-17 John Waugh 822.7436 JA-21 Our Geology and Oceanography laboratory science courses have a proven track record at TCC. These courses offer a non-traditional have field components where students go to area sites to work up geological, biological, and environmental parameters.       Our campus is also close to a wealth of study locations, including the beaches and marshes of Virginia Beach, Norfolk, and Chesapeake, and, of course the bay itself. Our vessel, the R/V Matthew F. Maury, is berthed at a convenient location on Little Creek Amphibious Base.  Program Structure The program offers several levels to meet the needs of groups, students, and educators. Option 1 includes programs that can be conducted "in-house" by our staff. Some of our existing programs may serve general experiential learning and all count toward college credit or teacher certification. Option 2 provides a team approach. Many teachers already know what subjects they want to teach. However, they may be unfamiliar with the equipment or field methods. In this option, our staff provides a cooperative effort in facilitating the instruction. Option 3 provides resources for area science teachers or agencies to utilize for their own programs. This is a great option for those teachers who are already familiar with our facilities/equipment. Option 4 allows agencies or schools to design their own course or program. We can "tailor-make" these programs from 6th grade through college. This is a great option for special programs, SOL-based units in field or lab settings, or teacher certification requirements. Classes may be offered for credit or non-credit. CEU's can be arranged for non-credit courses.

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