Marine Engineering Major: Information and Requirements
Declaring an undergraduate major in marine engineering can prepare students for careers designing and constructing watercraft vessels. The most common type of degree offered at the bachelor's degree level in this subject is the Bachelor of Science in Marine Engineering.
Bachelor of Science in Marine Engineering Overview
A 4-year degree program in marine engineering is designed to provide students with a strong overview of marine operating systems in crafts such as boats, yachts, ships, submarines and other offshore structures. Soon after declaring a major in marine engineering, students are expected to complete at least 1-2 years of basic engineering and mathematics courses. They are required to gain a strong background in general engineering before they can learn how to apply those concepts to marine structures specifically.
The core courses in a bachelor's degree program in marine engineering offer students a chance to learn about how physics, calculus, technical writing and mechanical engineering can be used to design the operating systems of different boats. Students in such a program are also often asked to participate in laboratory or hands-on experiences or projects, where they are expected to head the design of a proposed watercraft.
Education Prerequisites
A high school diploma and high standardized test scores are the primary prerequisite to gaining entrance into a 4-year university or college with a marine engineering program. Students who are preparing to declare a marine engineering major should also take pre-engineering general education courses such as college mathematics and physics.
Program Coursework
Many of the courses involved in a marine engineering bachelor's degree program are technical and scientific in nature. Some core engineering courses include:
- Physics
- Mechanics of marine technology
- Thermodynamics
- Technical writing
- Differential equations
- Fluid mechanics
- Control circuits
- Ship dynamics
- Electric machinery
- Marine design methods
Employment Outlook and Salary Info
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) there were about 5,270 marine engineers and naval architects employed in the United States in 2008 (www.bls.gov). The BLS predicts employment growth rate by approximately nine percent by 2018, which is slightly lower than the average predicted growth rate. The BLS also notes that the median annual wage for professional marine engineers was about $74,330 in 2008.
Continuing Education Options
Two common types of graduate degrees available for aspiring marine engineers include a Master of Marine Engineering and a Master of Science (M.S.) in Marine Engineering and Naval Architecture. Each program lasts about two years and prepares students to provide advanced scientific and engineering principles to the technical craft of boat designing and construction. The point of many master's degrees in the field of marine engineering is to provide students with a pre-professional education and prepare them to enter the field directly as marine engineers.
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School locations:
- Michigan (1 campus)
Areas of study you may find at University of Michigan include:
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- Graduate: Doctorate, First Professional Degree, Master
- Post Degree Certificate: Post Master's Certificate, Postbaccalaureate Certificate
- Undergraduate: Bachelor
- Engineering
- Aeronautical and Astronautical Engineering
- Biomedical and Medical Engineering
- Chemical Engineering
- Civil Engineering
- Computer Engineering
- Electrical Engineering and Electronics
- Engineering - Architectural
- Engineering Mechanics
- Engineering Physics
- Environmental Engineering
- Geological Engineering
- Industrial Engineering
- Manufacturing Engineering
- Materials Engineering
- Math
- Mechanical Engineering
- Naval Architecture and Marine Engineering
- Nuclear Engineering
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- Systems Engineering
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School locations:
- Wisconsin (1 campus)
Areas of study you may find at University of Wisconsin include:
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- Graduate: Doctorate, First Professional Degree, Master
- Undergraduate: Bachelor
- Engineering
- Biological and Agricultural Engineering
- Biomedical and Medical Engineering
- Chemical Engineering
- Civil Engineering
- Computer Engineering
- Electrical Engineering and Electronics
- Engineering Mechanics
- Engineering Physics
- Environmental Engineering
- Geological Engineering
- Industrial Engineering
- Materials Engineering
- Math
- Mechanical Engineering
- Metallurgical Engineering
- Naval Architecture and Marine Engineering
- Nuclear Engineering
- Systems Engineering
Other Related Schools:
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School locations:
- Iowa (1 campus)
Areas of study you may find at Iowa State University include:
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- Graduate: Doctorate, First Professional Degree, Master
- Undergraduate: Bachelor
- Engineering
- Aeronautical and Astronautical Engineering
- Biological and Agricultural Engineering
- Biomedical and Medical Engineering
- Chemical Engineering
- Civil Engineering
- Computer Engineering
- Electrical Engineering and Electronics
- Engineering Mechanics
- Industrial Engineering
- Materials Engineering
- Math
- Mechanical Engineering
- Systems Engineering
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School locations:
- Rhode Island (1 campus)
Areas of study you may find at New England Institute of Technology include:
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- Non-Degree: Coursework
- Undergraduate: Associate, Bachelor
- Engineering
- Civil Engineering
- Computer Engineering
- Electrical Engineering and Electronics
- Engineering - Architectural
- Environmental Engineering
- Mechanical Engineering
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School locations:
- Florida (1 campus)
Areas of study you may find at University of South Florida include:
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- Graduate: Doctorate, First Professional Degree, Master
- Undergraduate: Associate, Bachelor
- Engineering
- Biomedical and Medical Engineering
- Chemical Engineering
- Civil Engineering
- Computer Engineering
- Electrical Engineering and Electronics
- Environmental Engineering
- Industrial Engineering
- Math
- Mechanical Engineering
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School locations:
- Texas (1 campus)
Areas of study you may find at Texas Tech University include:
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- Graduate: Doctorate, First Professional Degree, Master
- Undergraduate: Bachelor
- Engineering
- Chemical Engineering
- Civil Engineering
- Computer Engineering
- Electrical Engineering and Electronics
- Engineering - Architectural
- Engineering Physics
- Environmental Engineering
- Industrial Engineering
- Manufacturing Engineering
- Math
- Mechanical Engineering
- Petroleum Engineering
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School locations:
- Michigan (1 campus)
Areas of study you may find at Grand Valley State University include:
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- Graduate: Master
- Undergraduate: Bachelor
- Engineering
- Manufacturing Engineering
- Math
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School locations:
- Arizona (1 campus)
Areas of study you may find at Northern Arizona University include:
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- Graduate: Doctorate, Master
- Non-Degree: Certificate
- Post Degree Certificate: Postbaccalaureate Certificate
- Undergraduate: Bachelor
- Engineering
- Civil Engineering
- Electrical Engineering and Electronics
- Environmental Engineering
- Math
- Mechanical Engineering
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School locations:
- Washington (1 campus)
Areas of study you may find at University of Washington include:
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- Graduate: Doctorate, First Professional Degree, Master
- Undergraduate: Bachelor
- Engineering
- Aeronautical and Astronautical Engineering
- Biomedical and Medical Engineering
- Chemical Engineering
- Civil Engineering
- Computer Engineering
- Electrical Engineering and Electronics
- Industrial Engineering
- Materials Engineering
- Math
- Mechanical Engineering
- Metallurgical Engineering
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School locations:
- Virginia (1 campus)
Areas of study you may find at Virginia Commonwealth University include:
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- Graduate: Doctorate, First Professional Degree, Master
- Non-Degree: Diploma
- Post Degree Certificate: Postbaccalaureate Certificate
- Undergraduate: Bachelor
- Engineering
- Biomedical and Medical Engineering
- Chemical Engineering
- Computer Engineering
- Electrical Engineering and Electronics
- Math
- Mechanical Engineering
