化學海洋學是海洋學中最複雜的領域。化學參數提供追蹤與量化水團的來源和循環限制；辨別高低溫/高低壓環境下，風化循環中岩石圈與水圈之間的作用，以及元素與生物群之間的相互作用，生物化學與其影響化學物質的分佈。因此，理論海洋化學課程的核心基本內涵是講解與應用物理化學的理論和方法，研究討論海洋中的化學問題和地球化學過程，海水中各種形態化學元素遷移、轉化過程機理，包括水、海水、懸浮顆粒、沉積物和沉積物間隙水等的組成、物理化學性質和結構。本課程教導學生水的基本熱力學和動力學，以及水對各種理化參數的反應，在自然環境中的基本應用，了解海洋中化學與生物地球化學循環的基本原理與過程，並學習如何解決與天然水中這些反應有關的問題。
Chemical Oceanography is the most interdisciplinary field in oceanography. Chemical parameters provide constraints on the origin and circulation of the water masses; cycles and the interaction between rock and water in the weathering cycle at both high and low temperature/pressure, and marine biota are highly affected by the chemical dependency of organisms and in turn influence the distribution of chemicals. Therefore, for this course, students are expected to learn the fundamental thermodynamic and kinetic controls on the composition of natural waters and the response of natural waters to various physico-chemical parameters. Applications to environmental processes, understand the underlying principles of chemical and biogeochemical cycling in marine systems, identify marine chemical and biogeochemical processes and learn how to solve problems related to these reactions in natural waters.