All students in the program must complete ten courses (30 credits) comprised of five core courses and five elective courses selected from one of the four engineering and management tracks listed below. The student, with the approval of the program director, may design a customized track. Up to six elective credits may be taken in lieu of course credits towards a project relevant to the selected track.
Master of Science – Maritime Systems
The program combines a multidisciplinary core curriculum with an array of specialized tracks that provide disciplinary focus. All students in the program must complete ten courses comprised of five core courses and five elective courses selected from one of the four engineering and management tracks listed below. The student, with the approval of the program director, may design a customized track. Up to six elective credits may be taken in lieu of course credits towards a project relevant to the selected track.
The program encourages applicants from diverse backgrounds, including (but not limited to) engineering, ocean sciences, environmental science and management. Applicants may need to complete prerequisite courses. The specific requirements will be determined by a faculty advisor on an individual basis depending on the student’s educational background and work experience.
Each student will meet with his/her faculty advisor to devise a study plan that matches the student’s background, experience and interests while also satisfying the formal coursework requirements for the master’s degree.
Close Oceanography Geophysical description of the earth; the extent, shape. and structure of ocean basins; relief of the sea floor; chemistry of sea water; geochemical balances; physical properties of water and sea water; solar and terrestrial radiation; evaporation and precipitation over the oceans; dissolved gases in sea water; distribution of variables; and general oceanic circulation.
Close Introduction to Maritime Systems An introductory course intended to acquaint students with the various components of maritime systems, including shorefront and inland infrastructure and waterborne (vessel) transportation technologies. Students are introduced to the concepts of port and marine terminal design, cargo handling equipment and optimization, and intermodal transportation networks. The course emphasizes the application of new and emerging technologies to enhance port productivity, drawing on developments within an array of fields, including naval architecture, civil and ocean engineering, and systems engineering. Students are provided with practical examples of the application of these concepts in actual port design projects.
Close Marine Transportation This course introduces students to the history and technical description of the cargo-carrying vessel. Students are given instruction in the basic principles of vessel design, and the various types of ocean-going and inland waterway cargo vessels. Issues related to the introduction of new vessel types are discussed, particularly as these new designs affect port infrastructure and capacity, harbor dredging requirements, and the intermodal transportation network.
Close Environmental Issues in Maritime Systems An introductory course intended to familiarize students with the array of environmental issues related to inland, estuarine, and oceanfront port facilities. Particular attention is paid to water quality and bottom sediment contamination problems associated with the construction and operation of port facilities. Students are introduced to the various types of analysis tools, including field measurements and computer models, employed in the examination of port and harbor environmental problems. Practical examples of their use are provided from actual projects in the New York/New Jersey region. Students are also instructed in the use of emerging technologies in the prevention/remediation of identified pollution problems. Relevant state, federal, and international regulations are also discussed.
Close Economic Issues in Maritime Systems This course introduces students to the unique economic issues facing today's port developers and operators. The economic considerations essential to the efficient movement of cargo from vessels to inland transportation systems are discussed. Students are introduced to concepts related to the optimization of port manpower, energy, and infrastructure as a means of assuring competitiveness in the global marketplace. Students are also introduced to the principles of port financial strategies, with examples given from port authorities in the United States and abroad.
Environmental Engineering Track Program Directors – Professor Richard Hires This concentration offers engineering and environmental professionals the opportunity to pursue advanced study of the environmental issues facing the marine transportation community. Because of the wide range of activities associated with maritime systems, and the fact that most of these activities take place in environmentally-sensitive areas, the instruction is broad-based and addresses the impact of the activities on marine/freshwater, sediment and groundwater resources. Students acquire the skills to address complex engineering problems associated with pollution prevention, waste management and environmental compatibility in design, construction, maintenance and operations.
Close Environmental Impact Analysis and Planning The impact of engineering projects on the physical, cultural, and socioeconomic environment, and preparation of environmental impact statements, regulatory framework, and compliance procedures. Topics include: major federal and state environmental regulations, environmental permitting processes, environmental impact analysis and assessment, risk assessment and risk management, and regulatory compliance.
Close Environmental Risk Assessment and Management There is little doubt that the different types of risk assessment - health, safety, and ecological - are playing an increasingly important role in environmental decision-making and risk management. Guided by several examples and case studies, participants in this course learn to understand the basic concepts of environmental hazards and the different types of risk assessment. The student will conduct human health risk assessments and appreciate the wide array of applications, as well as the advantages and limitations of risk assessments; interpret and present the results of risk assessments to provide linkages with risk management; and apply the principles of integrated risk management.
Close Mixing Processes in Inland and Coastal Waters
Development of advective-diffusion equations for conservative and non-conservative substances. Fickian diffusion, turbulent diffusion, and shear flow dispersion. Description and specification of mixing processes in rivers, reservoirs, and estuaries. Methods and analyses of conservative dye tracer studies. Monte Carlo simulations of diffusion processes and numerical models for simulation of advection diffusion processes in rivers and estuaries.
Close Environmental Law and Management This class addresses a survey of legal and regulatory approaches to environmental protection. Topics include: environmental ethics, National Environmental Policy Act, state and federal environmental agencies; Clean Water Act, Safe Drinking Water Act, Superfund, Resource Recovery andConservation Act, Right-to-know, Environmental Cleanup Responsibility Act, and wetlands protection.
Close HAZMAT Spill Response Planning This course is designed to introduce students to the state-of-the-art techniques in spill response planning. Numerical and analytical techniques for the prediction of fate and effects of in-water spills are discussed. Spill cleanup technologies are introduced, including mechanical (e.g., booms and skimmers), chemical (e.g., dispersants), and biological. Students are instructed in the essential steps toward developing an effective spill response plan. Special attention is paid to the influence of spill characteristics and environmental factors - waves, currents, shoreline geometry, sensitive ecological areas, etc. - in the selection of an appropriate planning strategy. Examples are given of existing spill response plans in the New York/New Jersey region, and case studies of actual spills are discussed as a means of providing students with an understanding of the complexities of operational spill response planning.
Structural Engineering Track Program Directors - Professors Michael Bruno and Yusuf Billah This concentration provides knowledge of the specific structure types and design analyses associated with port systems. Students are given instruction in the various design and maintenance considerations unique to the marine and inland waterway environments. Students acquire skill in using state-of-the-art design tools, including computer and physical models of maritime structures. The Davidson Laboratory’s internationally known wave and towing tank facilities are utilized in the delivery of this instruction.
Close Design of Port Structures I This course introduces students to the fundamentals of port structures design, including design codes, guidelines, and functional requirements. Students are instructed in optimization procedures for port and marine terminal layout, including issues related to navigation channels and dredging, shore infrastructure and utilities, land reclamation, and environmental and economic considerations. Structural, geotechnical, and materials considerations are discussed for a variety of environmental conditions, including extreme wave and current environments, ice, and seismic loading. Examples and case studies from actual port design projects are utilized to a great extent in the delivery of the course material.
Close Design of Port Structures II This course instructs students in the functional design of the various components of ports and marine terminals, including steel, concrete, timber, and stone structures. Students are introduced to the detailed design procedures for a variety of structure types, including bulkheads and piers, fender and mooring systems, and breakwaters and revetments. Special considerations such as sedimentation/dredging, structure inspection and rehabilitation, vessel motions, and port downtime are discussed. Students receive instruction in the use of computer and physical model studies in support of structure design. Environmental and permitting issues are discussed.
Close Coastal Engineering An introductory course covering the fundamental principles of coastal engineering. The initial stages of the course are intended to provide an understanding of the physics of the coastal environment. Topics will include basic wave theory (wave generation, refraction, diffraction, and shoaling), wave prediction techniques, tides and coastal circulatio, and sediment transport. The latter stages of the course will be devoted to the application of these basic principles, such as stabilization and harbor development. The course will culminate in a substantial design project, which will incorporate all aspects of the course material, ranging from the estimation of design wave conditions to the actual design of a shore protection structure. Prerequisite: MA 227 or the equivalent, Fluid Mechanics.
Close Environmental Degradation of Materials The thermodynamics and kinetics of electrochemical cells, voltage-current relationships during corrosion and passivation. Stress corrosion, degradation of ceramics, polymers and composites, high-temperature corrosion and wear of materials.
Close Nondestructive Evaluation This course will introduce principles and applications of Nondestructive Evaluation (NDE) techniques, which are important in design, manufacturing, and maintenance. Most commonly used methods such as ultrasonic, magnetic, radiography, penetrates, and eddy currents will be discussed. Physical concepts behind each of these methods as well as practical examples of their applications will be emphasized.
Close Advanced Reinforced Concrete Structures Ultimate Strength Design of beams, deep beams, slender columns, walls, two-way and plate slabs. Study of bending, shear, torsion, deflections, shrinkage, creep and temperature effects. Code Requirements.
Close Geotechnical Design . A design oriented course in which geotechnical engineering principles are applied to the computer-aided design of shallow and pile foundations, bulkheads and retaining walls. The course also deals with advanced soil mechanics concepts as applied to the determination of lateral earth pressures needed for the design of retaining walls.
Management Track Program Director - Professors Leon Bazilevich and John Farr This concentration provides instruction in key management areas associated with port and marine transportation industries. Students acquire knowledge of the complex global economic environment in which today’s port operators and shippers must compete. Experienced management professionals provide relevant analysis tools and management strategies.
Close Introduction to Project Management This course deals with the problems of managing a project, which is defined as a temporary organization of human and non-human resources, within a permanent organization, for the purpose of achieving a specific objective; both operational and conceptual issues will be considered. Operational issues include definition, planning, implementation, control and evaluation of the project. Conceptual issues include project management vs. hierarchical management, matrix organization, project authority, motivation and morale. Cases will be used to illustrate problems in project management and how to resolve them.
Close The Human Side of Project Leadership Project success depends, largely, on the human side.Success in motivating project workers, organizing and leading project teams, communication and sharing information, and conflict resolution, are just a few areas that are critical for project success. However, being primarily technical people, many project managers tend to neglect these "soft" issues, assuming they are less important or that they should be addressed by direct functional managers. The purpose of this course is to increase awareness of project managers to the critical issues of managing people and to present some of the theories and practices of leading project workers and teams.
Close Organizational Behavior and Theory Organization scientists generally think of organizations as being comprised of three levels of analysis: the individual, the group or department, and the organization itself. Using a systems perspective, this course focuses on the group and interpersonal factors accompanying an organization's operation. Topics covered include understanding organizations as structured systems, individual differences and performance, group dynamics and performance, learning, motivation, leadership, and principles of communication particularly as they relate to decision-making and conflict management.
Close Operations Management Covers the general area of management of operations, both manufacturing and non-manufacturing. The focus of the course is on productivity and total quality management. Topics include quality control and quality management, systems of inventory control, work and materials scheduling, and process management.
Close International Business Management This course provides students with an exposure to management in the international economic environment: global industries and regional markets, multinational corporations and international economic organizations. Casestudies, business games and presentations illustrate different strategies of firms considering the competitive environment, the national culture, legislation and taxation policy of local governments, and the organizational structure of the firm.
Close Marketing Management The study of marketing principles from the conceptual, analytical, and managerial points of view. Topics include: strategic planning, market segmentation, product life-cycle, new product development, advertising and selling, pricing, distribution, governmental, and other environmental influences as these factors relate to markets and the business structure.
Marine Transportation Track Program Directors - Professors Raju Datla and Michael Bruno This concentration provides instruction in an array of knowledge areas relevant to safe and effective waterborne transport — a key focus of Stevens’ Davidson Laboratory since its founding in 1935. The Laboratory’s physical modeling facilities, including the high-speed towing tank and the maneuvering basin, are employed in course instruction.
Close Principles of Naval Architecture Basic principles and design calculations in naval architecture; terminology, delineation of hull form, loading and stability, trim, and effects of flooding; freeboard and tonnage regulations; introduction to design of hull structure; nature of resistance and its variation with hull form and proportions; and introduction to propellers and propulsion. Basic theories in maneuvering and sea-keeping characteristics, computer application in naval architecture, and ship design.
Close Motion of Vessels in Waves Dynamic response of a ship in regular and irregular seas, the equation of motion with six degrees of freedom, added mass and damping coefficient of an oscillating ship on the free surface, coupled equation of motion of a ship in waves, and description of ship motion in the irregular sea with the discussion leading to nonlinear equations of motion.
Close Stability and Control of Marine Craft Basic concepts of stability and automatic control, equations of motion of marine craft, representation of hydrodynamic forces and moments, equilibrium conditions and perturbation equations, stability criteria, Routh-Hurwitz method, directional stability and maneuvering control, effects of wind, waves and restricted waters, stability of towed bodies, anti-rolling and anti-pitching control systems, and dynamic simulations of marine systems.
Close Port Planning and Development This course introduces students to the evaluation and optimization of port and harbor layout from the standpoint of safe and efficient vessel navigation and cargo loading and unloading. Students receive instruction in the analysis tools and procedures used in the assessment of vessel motions, while underway in open water and in navigation channels, and while at dock. The evaluation of long wave motions and harbor resonance problems are discussed, as is risk-based analysis of port and harbor protection (e.g., breakwaters). Students will be introduced to computer models used in the evaluation of these issues, and will make extensive use of the models in the conduct of in-class case studies of port and harbor layouts.
Close Technologies for Maritime Security The course is intended to acquaint students with the underlying technologies pertaining to Maritime Safety and Security. Students will understand current technologies applicable to threat mitigation including threats from criminal activities, illegal immigration, piracy, and terrorism. The considered technologies will include: X-Ray scanning, Gamma Ray and neutron scanning, biometrics, radiation detection, Radio Frequency Identification Tags, underwater acoustic surveillance, wireless sensor networks, and infrared techniques. The physical principles of radio waves, optic and infrared waves, acoustic and seismic waves applied in these technologies will be introduced to student. The course also surveys recent developments in port protection conducted by Stevens scientists.
All students in the program must complete ten courses comprised of five core courses and five elective courses selected from one of the four engineering and management tracks listed below. The student, with the approval of the program director, may design a customized track. Up to six elective credits may be taken in lieu of course credits towards a project relevant to the selected track.
